Fonkels launches the Go!mealbox; a unique range of cardboard packaging for the delivery of fresh fruit, salads and meals. After more than a year of development, Fonkels has come up with an answer to the strongly increasing demand for plastic-free and leak-free boxes that can be optimally recycled. The Go!mealbox is made of compostable monomaterials and can be used for many applications.
Innovation is thinking in the chain
“The Fonkels team develops packaging based on mono materials and thinks from the perspective of the entire chain, including the waste phase,” says Wim Apeldoorn, general manager of Fonkels. “The aim is to surprise users with distinctive packaging that is as sustainable as possible. That is why we use cardboard as much as possible. This material is extremely suitable as a raw material due to the many application possibilities. In addition, on average more than 82% of the cardboard is recycled in Europe. We prefer, of course, to choose FSC certified cardboard.”
The Go!mealbox is also a good example of chain thinking. “Waste processors prefer to work with clean cardboard, without plastic or food residues. If the cardboard is contaminated, it will be incinerated. The material is thus lost. Clean cardboard, recycling, ease of use and an optimal consumer experience were the most important principles for the development of the circular Go!mealbox,” continues Apeldoorn.
Meal packs among the most commonly found plastic items on beaches
Food delivery and take-away was already on the rise, but it has really taken off this past year. The packaging plays an important role in the challenge of getting all these different types of food to the consumer in the right way. The freshness and possibly temperature of hot food must be maintained as much as possible and each dish has its own additional requirements; think of the crunchiness of fries or the leak-tightness of sauces or salad dressing, but also the juice of fruit. Ease of use is also an important theme.
Finally, consumers are increasingly demanding sustainable packaging. The EU's Single-use Plastic Directive takes this even further: by July 2021, the use of plastic on-the-go packaging must be reduced and certain disposable plastic products, such as plastic plates, will be banned. Not a superfluous intervention, as meal wrappers are among the 10 most commonly found plastic objects on European beaches.
Leak-proof and plastic-free meal container
Unique to the Go!mealbox is the paper on the inside. This innovative application uses cardboard as a material for large number of additional purposes. The paper forms an effective barrier against moist and greasy components and the farm shop, fruit and vegetable shop or grower can therefore rely on a leak-free delivery to the customer. This paper also ensures 100% hygiene, so that fresh dishes such as salads can now be packaged in an excellent sustainable way. The consumer opens the GO! Mealbox and can easily tear off the corners and turn it into a leak-proof plate.
After eating, the paper with the food remains is removed and clean cardboard is left behind. As a result, 95% can be optimally recycled and the pure residual waste amounts to only a few grams. All materials are compostable. However, Fonkels is not in favor of composting cardboard packaging, as the components can also be reused as raw materials after use. The Go!mealbox thus makes a substantial contribution to the circular economy.
The construction of the Go!mealbox offers the user the option of ventilating the packaging according to his own wishes and preferences. The packaging is liquid-tight, so that no sauce, moisture or juice can escape from the side. The lid has a 'click & go' closure, which guarantees speed and ease of use in the kitchen and the containers remain tightly closed during transport.
Prior to the introduction, the packaging was extensively tested by various companies. The different sizes are suitable for a variety of dishes, fruit and vegetables. From fresh salads, fruit and nuts to delicious meals. A sample can be requested for free. The different sizes are also stackable, so that the delivery can be further optimized. Less packaging material, fewer carrier bags and circular packaging with a message!
For more information:
Wim Apeldoorn
Go!mealbox
+31 (0)6 12909521
wim@fonkels.com