Amcor Wins Worldstar Global Packaging Award for Recycle-Ready Fresh Meat Packaging Solution

Innovative paper-based MAP packaging reduces plastic use and carbon emissions while maintaining performance and shelf life.

Amcor has won a WorldStar Global Packaging Award for its innovative paper-based modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) solution for fresh meat products in China. The award, presented by the World Packaging Organisation, recognises Amcor China’s “Fresh Tray” solution developed in collaboration with Beijing Zhongrun Changjiang Food Company.

Designed to help address growing consumer demand for more sustainable packaging, the solution replaces traditional polypropylene plastic trays with a paper-based outer shell combined with high-performance stretch film. The innovative structure allows consumers to easily separate paper and plastic components after use, improving waste sorting and recycling efficiency.

Compared with traditional plastic tray packaging, the solution reduces plastic use by 60 per cent and lowers carbon emissions by 30 per cent, based on analysis conducted with Alibaba Cloud’s Energy Expert. The packaging is engineered to deliver the barrier protection, sealing integrity and production-line performance required for fresh meat applications, while extending shelf life to 8–10 days and ensuring transport safety.

At Zhongrun, we are committed to delivering high-quality products while advancing our sustainability goals. Working with Amcor enabled us to bring this vision to life — creating recyclable packaging with traceable quality and showcasing China’s sustainable food concept on a global stage. We will continue to pursue innovation with craftsmanship and embrace the future with responsibility.

Sun Zesheng, General Manager of Beijing Zhongrun Changjiang Food Company

Amcor played a central role in bringing together expertise across the packaging value chain, collaborating with Yuto and Multivac from initial design and synchronised testing through pilot production and market trials. Amcor also worked closely with material suppliers and recyclers to ensure the solution’s recycle-ready claims are scalable and supported across the value chain.

“Sustainability challenges cannot be solved by one company working alone,” said Xin She, Vice President and General Manager of Amcor Flexibles China. “This project shows the value of bringing together expertise across the value chain — from materials and equipment to recycling — to develop solutions that are practical, scalable and better for both customers and consumers.”

The “Fresh Tray” solution reflects Amcor’s continued focus on developing more responsible packaging solutions that support customers’ sustainability goals while maintaining product protection and operational performance.

About Amcor
Amcor is one of the global leaders in developing and producing responsible consumer packaging and dispensing solutions across a variety of materials for nutrition, health, beauty and wellness categories. Its global product innovation and sustainability expertise enables it to solve packaging challenges around the world every day, producing a range of flexible packaging, rigid packaging, cartons and closures that are more sustainable, functional and appealing for customers and their consumers. Amcor is guided by its purpose of elevating customers, shaping lives and protecting the future. Supported by a commitment to safety, over 75,000 people generate USD23 billion in annualised sales from operations that span over 400 locations in more than 40 countries.