{"id":165266,"date":"2025-07-09T07:29:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-09T05:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/?p=165266"},"modified":"2025-07-03T13:40:18","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T11:40:18","slug":"performa-nova-helping-brands-navigate-plastic-reduction-cold-chain-resilience-and-sustainability-compliance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/performa-nova-helping-brands-navigate-plastic-reduction-cold-chain-resilience-and-sustainability-compliance\/","title":{"rendered":"Performa Nova: Helping brands navigate plastic reduction, cold chain resilience, and sustainability compliance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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\u00a9 Stora Enso<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

As the food industry faces mounting pressure to reduce plastic and meet evolving sustainability standards, packaging innovation is no longer optional – it\u2019s essential. Performa Nova by Stora Enso steps into this space with a fiber-based solution designed to meet these demands head-on.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Food brands today face a complex balancing act: \u201cregulatory pressure to reduce plastic, rising sustainability expectations from consumers, and the need to preserve product quality across long, often international, cold chains,\u201d says Rasel Khan<\/strong>, Sales Manager for Packaging Materials at Stora Enso.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In frozen and chilled applications, packaging must withstand moisture, compression, and temperature fluctuations – without compromising on aesthetics or recyclability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is where fresh fiber-based packaging board like Performa Nova<\/a>TM<\/sub><\/sup> delivers value. Designed to reduce plastic, it offers an alternative based on renewable materials that is fit for recycling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sabine Hornischer, Head of Global Accounts at Stora Enso,<\/strong> adds that brands aren\u2019t just seeking performance: \u201cThey need packaging that performs well but also offers verifiable sustainability credentials.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

With its premium appearance, traceable origins and environmental performance, Performa Nova helps brands confidently demonstrate positive impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Innovation at the Oulu Mill <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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 \u201cThe market is asking for lightweight, strong, and visually appealing solutions that lower carbon emissions,\u201d says Khan<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n

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\"Performa
Performa Nova \u00a9 Stora Enso<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Performa Nova delivers on all fronts, helping brands reduce CO\u2082 emissions, maintain structural integrity, and support traceable sustainability claims-while also enhancing shelf appeal. It\u2019s a clear step toward Stora Enso\u2019s broader goal of becoming carbon neutral, and eventually carbon net-positive, through continuous improvements in energy efficiency, water use, and chemical inputs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Performa Nova\u2019s key attributes for frozen and chilled food packaging<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Frozen and chilled food packaging<\/a> demands materials that can withstand moisture, compression, and extreme temperature shifts, without compromising on food safety or sustainability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Powered by FiberLight TecTM<\/sub><\/sup><\/a>, Stora Enso\u2019s proprietary fiber treatment, Performa Nova reduces material weight while maintaining structural strength. Khan explains that this fiber-level innovation re-engineers the board from within to improve bonding and durability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cIn high-humidity freezer environments, you need packaging that won\u2019t buckle, swell, or collapse. Performa Nova holds its shape under pressure, even when stacked on pallets or exposed to condensation,\u201d he<\/strong> says.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Produced at the Stora Enso\u2019s new board line in Oulu, Finland, Performa Nova\u2019s strength comes from the innovative structure, where Nordic fiber<\/a> is a key ingredient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Performa Nova also protects packaging and product integrity across long, international cold chains. The board resists delamination and edge-wicking through thaw\/freeze cycles, while its superior compression strength safeguards goods during transit. Beyond durability, it offers a smooth surface for high-impact branding and a lightweight build that improves logistics and reduces transport-related carbon emissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s not just \u2018good enough\u2019- it\u2019s robust,\u201d Hornischer<\/strong> emphasises. \u201cIt performs in cold, humid, and variable conditions. It lets brands deliver on their environmental commitments without giving up shelf presence or product protection.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Gaining traction with leading brands<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The early market experience shows that leading food brands are approaching the launch of Performa Nova with both enthusiasm and strategic intent. Extensive market trials across Europe – with major food manufacturers and converters – have shown strong interest, particularly in frozen and chilled categories where replacing plastic and reducing weight are top priorities<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The momentum is also driven by wider industry shifts. Legislative pressure from the EU\u2019s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and growing expectations around sustainability disclosures are making circular, low-impact materials more urgent than ever. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThey\u2019re evaluating how it fits into their long-term strategy,\u201d Khan<\/strong> notes. \u201cIt\u2019s not just about packaging – it\u2019s about compliance, cost efficiency, and brand reputation.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Versatility beyond frozen and chilled packaging<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Performa Nova\u2019s advantages reach well beyond frozen and chilled applications. Its lightweight strength, great print surface, and natural moisture resistance also make it a strong contender for chocolate, confectionery<\/a> and dry foods<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking ahead, both Khan and Hornischer envision a future led by fiber-based formats that challenge traditional plastic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe future is recyclable, and fit for circularity,\u201d Khan<\/strong> notes. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This leadership is already evident at the Oulu Mill<\/a>, where renewable energy and fiber-efficient practices advance circular packaging solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For brands still on the fence, the message is clear: now is the time to futureproof. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As Hornischer<\/strong> points out, \u201cBrands don\u2019t buy Performa Nova – they buy what it does for them and their consumers.\u201d From stronger shelf presence to a clearer sustainability story, the value is clear. \u201cWhere there\u2019s a fit, we offer the full package: certified environmental advantages, fiber traceability, and a visually refined finish.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As the food industry faces mounting pressure to reduce plastic and meet evolving sustainability standards, packaging innovation is no longer optional – it\u2019s essential. Performa Nova by Stora Enso steps into this space with a fiber-based solution designed to meet these demands head-on. Food brands today face a complex balancing act: \u201cregulatory pressure to reduce […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":165283,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","nova_meta_subtitle":" Fresh fiber-based packaging board like\u00a0Performa NovaTM\u00a0by Stora Enso delivers value because it offers an alternative based on renewable materials that is fit for recycling","footnotes":""},"categories":[5572],"tags":[5838,10975,7105,25344],"supplier":[551],"class_list":["post-165266","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bio-based","tag-bioeconomy","tag-biopackaging","tag-packaging","tag-woodfibers","supplier-stora-enso"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/165266","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=165266"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/165266\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/165283"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=165266"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=165266"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=165266"},{"taxonomy":"supplier","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/supplier?post=165266"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}