GranTerre: the food industry and the challenge of sustainable packaging

ItaliaImballaggio spoke with Marco Alberti, Packaging R&D Manager and Elisa Petrini, Sustainability and CSR Manager to learn more about the Group's strategies in response to legal obligations and growing consumer demand for sustainable solutions

A giant in the Italian food industry, the GranTerre Group specialises in cured meats and hard cheeses. With over 2,800 employees and 18 production facilities across Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Tuscany, Friuli and Alto-Adige, the Group generates annual revenues exceeding €1.7 billion. Its most recognisable brands are Parmareggio, Teneroni, Casa Modena, Senfter, and Agriform, offering packaging solutions designed to ensure food safety, shelf life and sustainability. Sustainability, in particular, is a key focus for the Group. In 2022, it launched a dedicated programme, which is documented annually in its Sustainability Report.

What does packaging mean for a player like GranTerre?
“The primary function of packaging is performance”, explained Marco Alberti. “It must guarantee food safety, provide an adequate shelf life and mechanical strength during packaging operations. In fact, the packaging must reach shelves with the product perfectly preserved and hermetically sealed. This not only helps reduce food loss and waste but also ensures performance and quality, two key functions of packaging. Marketing also plays a leading role in this process. The design of the look and feel, as well as the communication of the product, are crucial to enhancing its value. Cost-effectiveness is another essential factor, particularly in terms of the quantity of material used. This is where packaging design takes centre stage, contributing to sustainability by including weight and recyclability, two elements often required by both regulatory bodies and consumers.
While the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is a current topic of discussion, we have been working to meet the requirements of the new regulation for years. Our efforts are built on the key pillars of our sustainability plan, which aims to minimise the use of raw materials such as paper and plastic, using recycled materials in the presence of adequate supply chains. This strategy invests primarily in rigid trays, which contain a percentage of recycled polyester, but extends to all our packaging. Our broader strategy is aimed at developing and validating recyclable packaging, certified supply chains (such as FSC-certified paper), and waste reduction, defined in agreement with our customers".

What particular packaging solutions do you use?
“The most commonly used packaging consists of thermoformed trays with rigid bottoms and flexible tops”, Alberti continues. “This combination presents significant challenges when it comes to recyclability. Over the years, we have worked extensively on developing new packaging solutions, with a particular focus on both the materials and reducing packaging thickness for cold cuts and cheeses. One major achievement was the design of a new tray mould featuring special ribbing that allowed us to increase mechanical strength while reducing weight by 40% to 45%. In short: thinner materials and lower weight, with no compromise on mechanical strength. The project originated at Salumifici GranTerre and was later rolled out both internationally, and within the GranTerre Dairy Division, resulting in a significant reduction in plastic usage—by several tons.
Packaging design has also played a key role in the renewal process, particularly with L’ABC della Merenda, the first snack line on the market to shift from plastic to cardboard packaging. This process, developed in coordination with our marketing team, required giving up plastic transparency and product visibility. However, it offered a major benefit: 100% of the packaging surface could now be used for branding, product information and creative communication, all while using 90% recycled cardboard”.

Speaking of marketing, what role does it play in the relationship between packaging design, sustainability, and consumer communication?
“I often talk with our marketing team about the consumer's need for authenticity”, began Elisa Petrini. “We spend a lot of time discussing how to enhance the sustainability choices and projects we’re promoting so they can be clearly understood and appreciated. For example, the transition from clear plastic to cardboard packaging has affected product visibility, but it has also positively influenced how consumers perceive the brand and its values. Sustainability must be concrete, anchored in real projects and measurable results, and the objectives and values behind each choice made must be clearly communicated. For over a year, we have been working on the launch and positioning of the GranTerre brand, aiming to convey values such as savoir-faire, local identity, and production expertise, which are core elements of our excellence in cured meats and cheeses. These same values are reflected in the development of our Sustainability Plan, where packaging plays an important role in projects aimed at reducing environmental impact. As part of our sustainability journey, we are committed to showcasing our efforts to reduce impact while maintaining an ethical approach that distances us from greenwashing. There is widespread interest in ‘green’ issues, but research often highlights a significant difference between what consumers say and what they do: while they express concern for sustainability, they also seek convenience. When it comes to sustainability, perception often outweighs knowledge. For example, while consumers understand the concept of recyclability – whether plastic or paper – they struggle to recognise genuinely sustainable packaging. This can make it difficult for them to make informed choices, especially in light of the PPWR. That's why we have included 50% recycled content in the polyester component of our rigid trays and thermoformed packs for sliced meats, burgers and cheese wedges, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements”.

With reference to the PPWR, between harmonisation and the fight against greenwashing, what impact does it have on a major player in the food industry?
“The hope is that the delegated acts will provide common guidelines for all countries”, Alberti continues. “The lack of a unified system, especially regarding environmental labelling, remains a critical issue. One potential solution under discussion is the use of QR codes, which could enable a single labelling system. On a technical level, one of the main areas of focus is reducing the amount of plastic by lightening multilayer packaging structures – an effort we are currently finalising. This becomes a more complex challenge with mono-material structures designed for recyclability, where maintaining certain thicknesses is essential to ensure product performance during shelf life. In addition to recyclability, a key objective set for 2030, we are also looking at end-of-life, which presents technical limitations for many materials, such as PP and PE polyolefins, due to the lack of recycling supply chains. For products like speck slices or Parmigiano Reggiano wedges – products prone to breakage within the packaging – multilayer structures are essential to prevent the package from breaking. The hope, therefore, is that the working groups will allow the marketing of packaging containing minimal amounts of polyamide, since it is currently unthinkable to achieve adequate sealing performance without it”.
“Companies are facing complex challenges across the many fronts of sustainability”, concludes Elisa Petrini, “from reporting and packaging to carbon credits and supply chain management. Both the market and legislators are pushing companies to meet increasingly ambitious targets. This makes it essential to adopt a supply chain-wide approach and to enhance innovation processes in collaboration with manufacturing partners – something we already practice, for example, in our packaging. Sustainability must continue to establish itself as a strategic tool for business development, an opportunity for innovation that maximises positive impact and a key factor in building brand credibility and attracting consumers”.