But that product now will also deliver optimum shelf life and increased sustainability benefits that many natural products currently don’t. The brand worked with Amcor to develop a custom-designed 1-L container that the companies say is the first fresh milk bottle made of transparent post-consumer recycled (PCR) polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin.
Latin American dairy companies are increasingly using clear PET bottles to showcase freshness and premium quality. The cold-fill bottle contains 20% PCR content and is designed to drive consumers from aseptic packages to the chilled section of the grocery store. The breakthrough bottle follows the October 2019 launch of Mastellone’s shelf-stable, ultra-high temperature (UHT) white milk in aseptic, white-colored PET bottles also from Amcor.
“Mastellone wanted to align its grass-fed sourced, ultra-pasteurized fresh milk product with Amcor’s clear plastic bottle. Amcor responded to the challenge with a distinctive transparent solution combined with an effective barrier to preserve our premium product,” says Gaston Dominguez, Manager, R&D Packaging for Mastellone. “Along with meeting key functional requirements, we were also able to reduce our impact on the environment.”
The container includes a 38mm finish and a HDPE screw cap from Bericap North America (a joint venture between Amcor and the Bericap Group). A key technical challenge was limiting light exposure and preventing damage to the product. To preserve the contents, a special barrier was developed to help extend shelf life.
“In a market that has remained stagnant for several years, we’ve broken the rules by developing an entirely new format offering for fresh milk,” says Martin Darmandrail, Amcor’s Specialty Containers Director (Argentina). “We’ve shaken things up with a unique fresh milk package with the durability, freshness, performance, and sustainability benefits of PET.”
In Argentina, the new fresh milk product will be available in select metropolitan areas with broader distribution later.
