Fresh milk in Amcor’s clear PCR/PET bottles is a first in Argentina

Photo Credit: Amcor

Packaging supplier Amcor has broken new ground in the Argentine dairy market by developing the first fresh milk bottle made of transparent post-consumer recycled (PCR) PET resin.

The custom-designed one-litre container for leading dairy maker Mastellone Hnos SA, headquartered in Buenos Aires, supports the positioning of the La Serenísima Original milk brand as a natural product while also delivering optimum shelf life and increased sustainability benefits.

Latin American dairy companies are increasingly using clear PET bottles to showcase freshness and premium quality. The cold-fill bottle contains 20 per cent PCR content.

“In a market that has remained stagnant for several years, we’ve broken the rules by developing an entirely new format offering for fresh milk,” Martin Darmandrail, Amcor’s specialty containers director for Argentina, said. “We’ve shaken things up with a unique fresh milk package with the durability, freshness, performance, and sustainability benefits of PET.”

The container includes a 38-mm finish and a HDPE screw cap from Bericap North America. A key technical challenge was limiting light exposure and preventing damage to the product. To preserve the contents, a special barrier was developed to help extend shelf life. The project builds on Amcor’s existing partnership with Mastellone Hnos – in October 2019, Amcor Rigid Packaging’s LATAM team worked with the brand to launch a shelf-stable, ultra-high temperature (UHT) white milk in aseptic, white-coloured PET bottles.

In the midst of today’s hygiene concerns, Amcor officials said, capped and sealed PET bottles keep beverages protected from pathogens, Amcor officials said. They’re also sealed to combat contamination and are re-sealable.

In Argentina, the new fresh milk product will be available in select metropolitan areas with broader distribution later.