Kaufland Relies on Packaging Made From Silphi Fibers

Kaufland relies on innovative paper packaging made from silphia fibers. In addition to the smoked and streamed salmon already available under the K-Bio private label, apples of the Cameo variety are now also available packaged in silphia. By summer 2023, K-Bio apples and cress will also be offered in the new packaging. The packaging paper based on the fast-growing silphia plant are produced by PreZero, the environmental division of the Schwarz Group, and sold under the OutNature brand.

„The sustainable use of packaging materials plays a major role for us; for each product, we examine how we can optimize the packaging in terms of sustainability. The concept of producing packaging from the silphia plant convinced us right from the start, especially since the complete development with OutNature takes place within the Schwarz Group. We are therefore constantly looking into extending sustainable paper packaging to other products,“ says Jürgen Schartschinski, Head of Purchasing Fruit and Vegetables at Kaufland.

Special features of silphia packaging

Silphia is a robust, perennial energy crop that is grown on a large scale in Germany, particularly around Lake Constance. Until now, it has been used exclusively for the production of biogas. Through a new biothermal process, OutNature has succeeded in separating the fibers from the other plant components and using them as a raw material for packaging. This is also good for the environment: regional silphia cultivation reduces transport distances and the associated CO2 emissions. In addition, little water and energy are consumed in the preparation process and the extraction of the fibers takes place without the use of chemicals. For farmers, growing the silphia plant also offers a sustainable perspective, as it is insect-friendly, stores CO2 in the soil and protects it from wind and water erosion.

OutNature is already working on further developing the silphia paper to provide it with additional barrier properties, such as against water or grease. In this way, the paper could become another substitute product for plastic packaging and thus contribute to the vision of the REset Plastic strategy – „less plastic – closed loops“ – jointly developed by the companies of the Schwarz Group.