Seafood processor creates industry's first fully recyclable packaging
Australia-based Disruptive Packaging collaborates with North Coast Seafoods on packaging solution.
Courtesy of North Coast Seafoods
North Coast Seafoods, an East Coast processor, importer and provider of sustainably sourced seafood, has achieved an industry first – introducing a 100% recyclable, reusable and scalable packaging solution that not only meets rigorous sustainability goals but also ensures product integrity, freshness and performance.
For over a decade, North Coast Seafoods has been on a mission to find high-quality, sustainable and recyclable alternatives to conventional, nonrecyclable packaging. The breakthrough finally came through a collaboration with Australia-based Disruptive Packaging.
In their quest, North Coast’s primary challenge was that recyclability alone was not enough. Their ideal packaging solution also had to meet strict performance standards for durability, leak-proofing and temperature control while remaining scalable across the company’s extensive operations.
After numerous iterations, North Coast has ultimately selected Unicor, rolling out this packaging across its operations since June 2024. This marks a first in the US seafood industry and a significant advancement in minimizing the environmental impact of the seafood supply chain.
Alongside their continued partnership with third-party sustainability organizations and fishery improvement projects, identifying a recyclable packaging solution and scaling it across their customer base has been a key focus within North Coast’s sustainability objectives.
Unicor benefits and attributes:
- Composed of up to 70% calcium carbonate and 20-30% high-density polyethylene
- 100% closed-loop recyclable, meaning it can be recycled indefinitely without losing its quality
- High-quality cold-chain performance, ensuring optimal freshness and temperature control
- Waterproof, leakproof, and resistant to chipping and flaking
- Highly durable, passing all required strength, protection and durability drop tests, and fully compliant with airline packaging approvals.
As Earth Day 2025 approaches, North Coast Seafoods is proud to highlight this milestone and next step in its ongoing commitment to sustainability, stewardship, and responsible operations. By transitioning to 100% recyclable and reusable packaging, the company is taking bold action to reduce waste and lower its environmental footprint while contributing to a more renewable and eco-conscious supply chain.
Looking ahead, North Coast is eagerly working closely with its seafood partners and customers to expand the use of this sustainable packaging solution.
Source: North Coast Seafoods
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