Spreading the love of KitKat in paper wrapped pack
KitKat, one of the most popular confectionary items in the world, has announced a trial run for its recyclable paper packaging. The innovation expands its efforts to minimize waste during production and distribution.
For a brief period, the recyclable paper packaging will be available for purchase in Australia for its four-finger bar. It can be found across Western Australia Territory.
Nestlé will have more than a quarter of a million KitKat bars packed in the paper in a sole partnership with Coles, a local retailer. The pack comes with a QR code that allows users to provide feedback and express their opinions on the new paper packaging.
Nestle’s Confectionery Research and Development Center in York, UK, utilized their expertise to adapt and evaluate the paper for modified high-speed flow wrapping equipment. Through a rigorous process of experimentation and piloting, the team tested the product for durability. It maintained attention to ensuring that it would withstand prolonged use without degradation.
Louise Barrett, Head of the Nestlé Confectionery Product Technology Centre in York, said: “We are researching different types of alternative packaging for our confectionary products. For KitKat, the challenge was finding the right paper packaging solution with high-barrier properties to protect the chocolate adequately. We had to keep the perfect balance between the iconic crispy wafer and smooth chocolate that consumers know and love while providing the packaging is recyclable in the paper stream.”
The paper packaging pilot for KitKat is yet another stride in Nestle’s quest to surpass its packaging obligations with innovative approaches. Nestle has set itself a goal to decrease the usage of virgin plastics by a third by 2025, including employing less plastic packaging and recycled materials and alternatives. Recently, leading companies have introduced cutting-edge technological innovations such as Smarties, which provided recyclable paper packaging for its confectionery products across the globe in 2021, and Quality Street, which brought forth recyclable paper wrappings one year later.
