Image: John West / FIS

Thai Union’s John West brand introduces ECOTWIST®, a packaging game-changer

UNITED KINGDOM
Wednesday, June 26, 2024, 07:00 (GMT + 9)

Thai Union, the global seafood leader, announces the launch of John West’s ECOTWIST®, a revolutionary packaging solution designed for ease of use, sustainability, and minimal waste. Launching in the UK, one of Thai Union’s major markets, the Group will consider rolling ECOTWIST® out in other countries. Starting today, British consumers can find ECOTWIST® in all Asda stores, with other major retailers to follow soon.

ECOTWIST® marks the biggest packaging innovation in the UK’s ambient tuna category in the last 20 years and is a step change in sustainability for John West. Consumers can now enjoy John West’s highest-quality tuna without the hassle of any excess packaging and excess waste.

Paul Reenan, Thai Union’s President for Europe, said: "John West UK have spent three years developing a unique packaging solution that sets them apart in the market. They’ve successfully created meaningful differentiation through their sustainability leadership and by making consumers’ lives easier. They’ve put their best quality tuna into an industry-leading multipack packaging format that is easy for consumers to use, store, and recycle. By establishing their own packaging line in the UK, they can now deliver products faster and more tailored to their retailers, differentiating themselves from competitors and private label brands.”

Delivering towards sustainability plan SeaChange® 2030

The patent-pending can tower, held together by a so-called SmartStrip®, incorporates a redesigned and lighter can, packing the same amount of tuna into a smaller size, which saves over 400 tons of steel annually. The smaller can also reduces the amount of accompanying contents, like sunflower oil, spring water, or brine, saving an additional 1,500 tons of ingredients that consumers typically don’t use. ECOTWIST® also eliminates packaging waste, avoiding around 65 tons of plastic shrink wrap or 300 tons of cardboard each year. British consumers can recycle the steel can with the SmartStrip® attached through the UK’s kerbside recycling network.

Adam Brennan, Chief Sustainability Officer at Thai Union, said: "ECOTWIST® delivers on three fronts towards our SeaChange® 2030 sustainability plan. John West moves large volumes into 100 percent sustainable packaging, bringing Thai Union closer to having all our branded products packaged sustainably by the end of next year. The weight savings deliver directly to our target of slashing our greenhouse gas emissions by 42 percent across the entire supply chain by 2030. As part of the ECOTWIST® launch, John West will add even more MSC-certified products to their range, delivering towards Thai Union’s Tuna Commitment that dictates that all branded tuna must be either MSC-certified, in MSC-assessment, or in a credible Fishery Improvement Project with the outlook of entering MSC assessment by 2025.”

All John West ‘no drain’ ECOTWIST® products are already MSC-certified and the Company plans to have their entire ECOTWIST® range MSC-certified by the end of 2025. They have the ambition to have their entire tuna portfolio MSC-certified to become the most sustainable ambient seafood brand in the UK. John West leads the market with the highest number of MSC-labelled products in Great Britain, ahead of all other brands and the retailers’ own brands.

Source: Thai Union 

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