ABOUT ECOPACK

• Ecopack specialises in the production of baking moulds, takeout containers, and confectionery packaging for the global food industry. The company is headquartered in Turin, Italy, and employs over 400 staff worldwide.

• It was founded in 1939 in Italy by Salvatore Ferri, and has been owned by the family for three generations. Ecopack has since transformed into a multinational company, with five subsidiaries in Brazil, Canada, India, Russia, and Tunisia.

• The main raw material that the company works with is Paper — it states that "most" of its suppliers are FSC certified. The company has also incorporated Bamboo to partially replace virgin Cellulose fibres in some of its products, such as its salad bowls and pie moulds. The company claims that bamboo is an "ecological choice" because it is highly regenerative, reduces deforestation, doesn't require herbicides or pesticides, and contains six times more cellulose than conifer trees.

• In 2018, Ecopack launched its Cocoa Paper Moulds, a range of greaseproof baking containers partially made from leftover cocoa shell fibres. The moulds hold OK Compost HOME certification from TUV Austria, contain no added inks, and are finished with a water-based adhesive for lamination.

• The company has an extensive product portfolio, with over 800 items in various sizes, colours, and finishes, as well as bespoke offerings. Categories include panettone, tart, pie, and plum cake moulds; muffin, tulip, and lotus cups; muffin and cupcake trays; salad bowls and takeout trays with PET lids; and Cocoa Paper Moulds.

• All Ecopack products are compliant with direct food contact regulations, and are recyclable in the paper waste stream. 

• Its baking moulds are microwave, freezer, and oven safe, withstanding a temperature range of minus 40 up to 220 degrees celsius.

• In 2021, Ecopack launched its first line of industrially compostable products, holding TUV's OK compost INDUSTRIAL mark. This was confirmed in a July 2022 Business Enquirer feature, in which current CEO Annalisa Ferri stated that "all our products have a certified compostable version", although no timeframes for this are provided.

• Ecopack also offers a project management package to its retail customers, including product design, material selection, packaging, and graphic design services to develop shelf-ready products.

• In 1988, the family rebranded the company as Ecopack, aligning it with the principles of sustainability and ecology "before it was cool", according to Annalisa Ferri.

• The company is guided by five sustainability principles, outlined in its 2022 Communication on Progress report: Less Raw Materials, Raw Materials Selection, Development of New Technologies, Sustainable End-of-Life, and Less Waste. The report highlighted a number of the company's initiatives including searching for compostable ink alternatives, minimising the use of chemical agents, and reducing GHG emissions from transport.

• The company recovers paper waste from its production cycle, using scraps as a secondary raw material. Its machinery is built in-house, and it is consistently working to create lighter moulds to minimise water and energy consumption during production. In summer 2022, Ecopack installed solar panels on the roof of its Italian facility.

• In March 2023, Ecopack was awarded EcoVadis' gold medal for the second year in a row. It was also named among the 79 Best Managed Companies by Deloitte in 2022.