Seattle-based OBI Seafoods says its canned salmon products are now packaged in 100% recyclable product, with all plastic made from at least 30% recycled materials.
In a Tuesday, Nov. 30 announcement, the company said that the recyclable shelf-ready packaging will be used on all of OBI’s domestic canned salmon brand and export products, including cans and lids, can labels, trays and shrink overwrap. The company has said that it plans to utilize recycled content as much as possible, including trays made from 100% recycled content and cans and lids made from 35% recycled content.
The plastic shrink overwrap is made of 30% recycled materials, which will exempt the product from an incoming United Kingdom tax on single-use plastics, a regulation that is effective as of April 2022.
OBI’s chief executive officer, Mark Palmer, noted that many OBI customers with strong sustainability programs have been very interested in OBI’s packaging development program, and that OBI is pleased to help them reach their own sustainability goals.
“Alaska canned salmon is already one of the most sustainable foods in the world, and we are committed to ensuring that the packaging we are putting it in has the lowest possible impact on the planet,” he said.
Also, in collaboration with its affiliate Kent Warehousing and Labeling, Inc., OBI has begun phasing out its current stock of packaging and will switch to new packaging for all shipments at the start of 2022.
OBI was formed last year through the merger of Ocean Beauty Seafoods and Icicle Seafoods, two of the oldest seafood company working in Alaska. The company operates 10 processing plants in the state, producing fresh, frozen and canned seafood.