Once Upon a Farm
Amcor Receives 2 Silver Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards
Amcor has received two Silver Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards in the category of Sustainability.
The awards were presented during the Achievement Awards Breakfast, held in conjunction with the Flexible Packaging Association 2025 Annual Meeting, in Aventura, Fla.
“We are honored to be recognized by the FPA for innovations that are making a difference for our customers and the environment,” said Brian Carvill, vice president of research and development at Amcor Flexibles North America. “Amcor’s winning packaging and equipment demonstrate how we apply our capabilities in material science and packaging technology to unlock growth for our customers and deliver more sustainable solutions.”
The FPA Achievement Awards have showcased packaging industry innovation since 1956. This year, there were 226 entries, with 20 ultimately honored, including:
The Amcor Moda vacuum packaging solution is a streamlined tubular rollstock and on-demand bag-making system for fresh meat processors. Used for U.S. beef exports, the solution reduces material costs up to 30%, lowers packaging inventory requirements, and reduces packaging SKUs by printing on the tubing as it runs.
When switching to the Amcor Moda solution, producers significantly reduce the use of corrugated shrink bag boxes. Instead of being packed in boxes, rolls of Amcor tubestock are shipped on pallets. A pallet of tubestock can produce 40% more bags than a typical pallet of traditional shrink bags, reducing the transportation and inventory space requirements by 40%. The versatile tubestock also accommodates many sizes and cuts of bone-in and boneless meat, reducing packaging SKUs. The package dimensions and graphics can be changed with the touch of a button.
Manually inserted export cards are eliminated with a high-resolution thermal transfer printer that prints logos and variable information such as dates and time codes directly on the package, reducing packaging materials.
The Moda system includes more sustainable film options. Amcor Eco-Tite recycle-ready tubestock replaces traditional shrink bag material with more sustainable, right-gauged barrier film that uses 29% less packaging. It is designed to meet the requirements of the APR Design Guide and has passed APR’s Critical Guidance Testing. For fresh bone-in beef cuts, Amcor’s high-abuse bone-in solution, CBP tubestock, replaces a typical patch bag. CBP® reduces material usage by weight more than 35%.
Once Upon a Farm CHEERCircle PE Recycle-Ready Spouted Pouch Using AmPrima Plus Film and the Vizi Cap
Once Upon a Farm – a leading childhood nutrition brand – produces refrigerated, cold-pressed blends and smoothies that offer farm-fresh nutrition from baby’s first bites to on-the-go snacking. Made with organic, non-GMO fruits and veggies with no added sugar, these products are offered in CHEERCircle PE recycle-ready spouted pouches. The pre-made spouted pouches feature Amcor’s AmPrima Plus material, which is designed to meet the APR Design® Guide for recyclability.
The Once Upon a Farm CHEERCircle PE recycle-ready spouted pouch using AmPrima Plus film topped with the Vizi cap is a breakthrough innovation for sustainability, meeting the complex packaging needs of refrigerated pasteurized dairy and non-dairy foods in the liquid pouch packaging category.
An Amcor ASSET life cycle assessment, certified by the Carbon Trust, demonstrates how the AmPrima Plus material improves performance on certain sustainability metrics compared to the previous package:
5% reduction in non-renewable energy use per pouch
22% reduction in carbon footprint per pouch
The Cheer Pack North America Vizi cap delivers even better sustainability metrics, including a 22% reduction in carbon footprint per pouch. Moving to the Vizi cap and CHEERClassic standard spout, Once Upon a Farm will reduce the amount of plastic in the cap and spout by over 30%.
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Derek Jeter Joins Meati Foods as Investor, Advisor
Meati Foods, the producer of animal-free meat made from mushroom root, announced that MLB Hall of Fame member, investor and entrepreneur Derek Jeter has joined the company as an investor and advisor.
“When it came to considering an investment in this industry, I had three main priorities in evaluating the food: nutrition, sustainability and taste,” said Jeter. “Meati certainly delivers, with great quality steaks and cutlets and an institutional emphasis on high nutritional value and sustainable practices. As we look to the future, the choices we make and the impact we leave are critical, and I appreciate the way Meati has dedicated efforts to making a real difference.”
Eat Meati products, available in Sprouts nationwide as well as restaurants including PLNT Burger and Birdcall, include the Classic Cutlet, Crispy Cutlet, Classic Steak and Carne Asada Steak. Jeter joins a roster of significant supporters, including culinary icons like cook, philanthropist and television personality, Rachael Ray; chef and founder of Momofuku and Majordomo Media, David Chang; the co-founders of restaurant chain sweetgreen, Nicolas Jammet and Jonathan Neman; and former White House senior policy advisor for nutrition, Sam Kass. Alongside Jeter, these partnerships reflect Meati’s diverse appeal and its vision to create a more inclusive food ecosystem.
“An investment from Derek, one of the greatest athletes of all time, is a huge validation of our food. Very few people are as discriminating about the quality of food that fuels their bodies,” said Scott Tassani, president and COO of Meati Foods. “Derek has seen endless products cross his desk for partnership consideration, and we’re honored by his support and inspired by his passion for a more sustainable, equitable, nutritious food ecosystem.”
Following a 20-year career with the New York Yankees, Jeter has participated in a number of successful business ventures and entrepreneurial investments while maintaining his ties to baseball. His previous investments in the food and beverage industry include Performance Kitchen, Amass and Bespoken Spirits. He established the Turn 2 Foundation in 1996, which has awarded more than $34 million in grants to create and support signature programs that motivate young people to “Turn 2” healthy lifestyles. In recognition of his historic impact on the game of baseball, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in the Class of 2020.
Founded in 2017, Meati Foods is working to unlock a more delicious, nutritious, equitable and sustainable food system for everyone. Eat Meati, the debut product line from Meati Foods, features cutlets and steaks made from mushroom root, a whole-food protein cultivated with a modernized version of ancient and natural processes that have helped preserve Earth’s ecosystems for millennia. Eat Meati made its national, retail debut in March 2023 after a year of record sellouts through its direct-to-doorstep online shop. A national omni-channel footprint is planned for late 2023.
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B Lab Certifies Saffron Road Foods as B Corp Company
B Lab has certified Saffron Road Foods as a B Corp company. Founder and CEO Adnan Durrani announced the news on his LinkedIn page.“We have an exciting news blast to break in the new year: WE’RE OFFICIALLY B CORP™ CERTIFIED by B Lab!” he wrote. “Having devoted my career for 30 years to socially conscious, mission-based enterprises, Saffron Road Foods being awarded this publicly recognized seal and certification was quite uplifting for me personally and our entire team professionally.
“Indeed, after over a year of grueling third-party audits of our employment & company practices, our Better For You and clean label foods, our mission of ethical consumerism & sustainable agricultural practices, and our good works & community service, our AWESOME team delivered on our promise of a Journey To Better,” Durrani wrote.
“At Saffron Road, our genetic code has always been mission-driven, on a compassionate and inclusive Journey to Better: better for livestock, better for farmers, better for your health, better for our communities, and better for humanity. B Corps are for-profit companies codified as ‘Public Benefit Corporations,’ so this becomes embedded in our corporate DNA as businesses globally that are committed to the triple bottom line. Saffron Road’s purpose is beyond just one-dimensional profits, meeting the highest levels of standards for social & environmental performance, accountability in terms of profit & purpose, as well as transparency regarding all things such as sourcing, ingredients, and labor.
“It means so much to us at Saffron Road because it recognizes our long-time commitment as a Socially Responsible brand. We now join the ranks of peer B Corp mission-driven brands like Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, Patagonia, EILEEN FISHER, INC., TOMS, Clif Bar & Company, Stonyfield, Danone North America, Ben & Jerry’s, Once Upon a Farm, Seventh Generation, Thrive Market, as well as media giant Bloomberg. The B Corp community works toward reduced inequality, lower levels of poverty, a healthier environment, lower environmental impact, sustainable agriculture, stronger communities, and the creation of more high-quality jobs with dignity and purpose.”
Saffron Road is a leading brand in the natural and organic food industry, offering a wide range of products from frozen entrées and shelf-stable meals to simmer sauces and plant-based protein snacks. All Saffron Road Products are Halal-certified by IFANCA and are available in more than 25,000 retail locations in the United States.
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