Amcor China has won a WorldStar Global Packaging Award for its recycle-ready Fresh Tray solution for fresh meat packaging.

The award, presented by the World Packaging Organisation, recognizes Amcor’s paper-based modified atmosphere packaging developed with Beijing Zhongrun Changjiang Food Company.

Paper-Based Tray Replaces Traditional Plastic Format

The Fresh Tray replaces conventional polypropylene meat trays with:

• paper-based outer shell
• high-performance stretch film
• separable paper and plastic components

This structure allows consumers to separate materials after use, improving sorting and recycling potential.

Designed for Fresh Meat Performance

Fresh meat packaging requires more than material reduction. It must maintain:

• barrier protection
• sealing integrity
• shelf-life performance
• transport safety
• compatibility with production lines

Amcor says the solution can extend shelf life to 8–10 days, while meeting fresh meat logistics requirements.

Lower Plastic Use and Carbon Emissions

Compared with traditional plastic tray packaging, the Fresh Tray reportedly delivers:

• 60% less plastic use
• 30% lower carbon emissions

based on analysis conducted with Alibaba Cloud’s Energy Expert.

Value Chain Collaboration

The project was developed with several partners, including:

• Beijing Zhongrun Changjiang Food Company
• Yuto
• Multivac
• material suppliers
• recyclers

This helped validate the design from packaging concept and pilot testing through market trials and recyclability assessment.

Industry Insight

The award highlights a broader trend in fresh food packaging: brands want paper-based alternatives, but only if they can still deliver shelf life, safety and line efficiency.

For meat packaging, the winning solutions will be those that combine material reduction with real operational performance.

Last Updated on 19/05/2026 by Jota Machinery