paper straw
Capri-Sun launches its first ever paper straw. Here is everything you want to know about it.
Origin of the straw and pouch
Our founder, Rudolf Wild, created Capri-Sun to be a fruity, all-natural juice drink. He looked for a container that would keep the drink fresh without the need for artificial preservatives. As no such thing existed at the time, he invented the iconic Capri-Sun pouch in 1969. We’ve been using the iconic pouch with its orange straw since then, continually innovating and evolving to optimise the two. Find out more about our history.
The pouch with its straw fulfil three important needs:
The pouch is almost unbreakable and can be taken along on any adventure.
As a family-owned business, Capri-Sun shares the concerns of many consumers around the world when it comes to the impact of packaging waste. We have always tried to minimise the impact of waste on the environment. You can read more about our sustainability efforts here.
- It keeps the juice drink fresh without the need for artificial preservatives.
- It’s fun and kids love it.
The pouch is almost unbreakable and can be taken along on any adventure.
As a family-owned business, Capri-Sun shares the concerns of many consumers around the world when it comes to the impact of packaging waste. We have always tried to minimise the impact of waste on the environment. You can read more about our sustainability efforts here.
The new paper straw launched in GB in July 2021.
Good for you, good for the environment
Our new paper straw has the exact same features as the old plastic straw, but it’s 100% recyclable and biodegradable. Inventing a paper straw that has the same characteristics as the old plastic straw wasn’t easy! It had to be lightweight but strong so it can pierce our durable pouch. And it had to be just the right size for little mouths and adults alike. The new paper straw adheres to food safety requirements and all the materials used are certified for food safety. The paper used to make the straw is FSC Certified and comes from sustainable sources.
Discarding it is easy. When you have finished enjoying your delicious Capri-Sun juice drink, you can simply pull the paper straw out of the pouch and throw it into the paper recycling bin. In this way littering is avoided. As an added benefit, our new straw is also 100% gluten free and vegan.
Discarding it is easy. When you have finished enjoying your delicious Capri-Sun juice drink, you can simply pull the paper straw out of the pouch and throw it into the paper recycling bin. In this way littering is avoided. As an added benefit, our new straw is also 100% gluten free and vegan.
Packaging for a better future
The outer cardboard box makes up for 60% of our packaging weight and is 100% recyclable. Discarding it in the correct way is super easy! Simply pop it into the paper recycling bin.
The Capri-Sun pouch is recyclable through a process that separates the plastic and aluminium foil layers. This technology exists in some countries, but it’s not yet widely implemented. We are therefore working hard to create a fully recyclable pouch that doesn’t compromise our product. Our development will focus on creating packaging that will continue to maintain the freshness of our natural ingredients (fruit juice and water) without the need for artificial preservatives, flavours or colours. After all, that’s what’s at the heart of our great tasting Capri-Sun juice drink.
In addition, our new packaging should be as lightweight as the current pouch which only weighs a fifth of a comparable PET bottle and saves on carbon emissions during transport. We also want to minimise the use of packaging materials and packaging waste while preserving the shelf life of our product.
The Capri-Sun pouch is recyclable through a process that separates the plastic and aluminium foil layers. This technology exists in some countries, but it’s not yet widely implemented. We are therefore working hard to create a fully recyclable pouch that doesn’t compromise our product. Our development will focus on creating packaging that will continue to maintain the freshness of our natural ingredients (fruit juice and water) without the need for artificial preservatives, flavours or colours. After all, that’s what’s at the heart of our great tasting Capri-Sun juice drink.
In addition, our new packaging should be as lightweight as the current pouch which only weighs a fifth of a comparable PET bottle and saves on carbon emissions during transport. We also want to minimise the use of packaging materials and packaging waste while preserving the shelf life of our product.
Straws for trees
Creating a product that supports our beautiful planet isn’t our only mission. With our Straws for Trees project we will work towards replanting the same amount of trees we use for paper straws in our European markets in 2021 and beyond. That’s a whole lot of trees!
In order to do this we partnered with One Tree Planted to also help restore the habitats of endangered wildlife such as chimpanzees. One Tree Planted together with The Jane Goodall Institute chose the Albertine Rift region to protect chimpanzees. Just like our great ape friends, we also love chatting and playing in the sun and that’s why we’re inspired to preserve their natural habitat, the forests of Central and West Africa.
It’s a journey
Creating a pouch that is lightweight, almost unbreakable, and keeps the juice drink fresh without preservatives isn’t easy, but we’re committed to having a 100% recyclable pouch on shelves by 2025. That’s not all. We’re also working hard to become the most sustainable, all-natural juice drink in the world.
Some things never change. We will always innovate and improve our products. Our new paper straw is simply the latest step in our journey towards a sustainable future – and one that we’re proud to share.
Some things never change. We will always innovate and improve our products. Our new paper straw is simply the latest step in our journey towards a sustainable future – and one that we’re proud to share.