Mondi and Vafo Group unleash recyclable dog food packaging for leading Finnish brand Hau-Hau Champion

Mondi, a global leader in packaging and paper, is supplying a range of recyclable mono-material pet food packaging for Hau-Hau Champion, one of Finland’s most recognised brands in the premium dog food segment. The new packaging fulfils the pet food producer’s objective to launch a reclosable and recyclable packaging solution that does not compromise on performance and retains the strong brand recognition in stores. It also addresses sustainability concerns of end consumers that are playing more of a role in the purchasing of pet food and products.

Mondi’s customer-centric approach, EcoSolutions, helped Hau-Hau Champion find a high-barrier solution that can be reclosed, keeps food fresh and confines any smells. The previously unrecyclable multi-layer packaging contained a metallised layer which was replaced by Mondi’s recyclable mono-material packaging: a reel material for form-fill-and-seal (FFS) 1.5kg bags and pre-made FlexiBag Recyclable for bags up to 15kg. FlexiBag Recyclable is a mono-material polyethylene (PE) pre-made bag developed specifically for recycling, which means it can be deposited directly into Finnish plastic recycling streams.

The new packaging responds to consumer feedback asking for stronger carrying handles and a user-friendly reclosure to prevent kibble from going stale and thereby avoiding waste. It also features an anti-slip matt lacquer exterior and is fitted with a valve that allows air to escape for optimal palletisation.

Thomas Kahl, EcoSolutions Project Manager at Mondi says: “Through our EcoSolutions approach, we help customers find environmentally responsible alternatives without compromising on performance, ease of use, or aesthetics. For Hau-Hau Champion, this involved asking many questions to gain deeper insight into the needs of the brand and its end users, as well as collaborating closely throughout the process to test and evaluate all solutions. The new packaging also supports Mondi’s MAP2030 sustainability goal to make 100% of its products reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.”

Suvi Sillvan, Brand Specialist at Hau-Hau Champion adds: “With Hau-Hau’s brand refresh, we were looking for packaging that fully aligns with our commitment to reduce the carbon footprint of our products and operations as well as upgrades the packaging to match the high quality of the product content. Given that this is a premium product, we are especially pleased with the high-quality finish, including the printing, which retains brand familiarity on the shelf and informs consumers that they can easily recycle our dog food packs. The new packaging material also fully supports the fact that all our dry dog foods are now completely CO2 neutral through carbon emission compensation.”

Retailers are also welcoming the change, which is already on shelves but will accelerate with major rollout of the brand relaunch across Finland in October.

Hau-Hau Champion is a brand produced by Prima Pet Premium Oy, which belongs to Czech VAFO Group, a European leader in premium pet food.