Avantium, Packamama agree on capacity reservation for plant-based PEF for wine packaging
Avantium N.V. has entered into a capacity reservation agreement with Packamama, a company active in wine packaging in the UK and Australia. Through this collaboration, Packamama will secure future volumes of Avantium’s plant-based and recyclable polymer PEF (polyethylene furanoate), branded as releaf, from licensed plants using Avantium’s proprietary YXY Technology for the production of releaf. According to the companies, the agreement is intended to support the development of packaging solutions with a reduced carbon footprint for use in the wine sector.
Packamama develops lightweight, shatter-resistant bottles for wine, which are designed to be fully recyclable. The company uses a flat bottle design intended to improve transport and storage efficiency. According to Packamama, this approach can reduce emissions along the supply chain compared with conventional glass bottles. The bottles are currently manufactured from 100% recycled PET (rPET) and are positioned for use in circular packaging concepts within the wine industry.
With the planned use of releaf, Packamama intends to evaluate an alternative polymer material for its wine bottles. Releaf is a plant-based and recyclable polyethylene furanoate (PEF) developed by Avantium. The companies state that the material has a lower carbon footprint than conventional materials such as glass or virgin plastics. In addition, releaf is reported to offer barrier properties suitable for maintaining wine quality in packaging applications.
To support this development, Packamama has secured an AU$1 million grant from the Australian government. This grant, which Avantium supported, was awarded under the Business Research and Innovation Initiative (BRII), provided to support Packamama’s efforts to decarbonise Australian wine packaging. This international recognition and governmental support underscore the growing global interest in sustainable wine packaging solutions.
Photo: Avantium, Packamama agree on capacity reservation for plant-based PEF for wine packaging