What were the origins of the company?
PackBenefit began its journey in 2013 as a startup with the idea of creating sustainable trays and also designing the machines that manufacture them. For about six years they focused on developing those machines until they were finally able to start selling trays. During that time they managed to industrialize the prototypes and present themselves on the market.
As of July 2024, the Circularity Capital investment fund acquired the entire company and launched a strategic growth plan, coinciding with my incorporation. This has allowed us to complete the Valladolid factory and launch an expansion plan that includes the opening of two more factories in Europe in the next three or four years.
How would you describe the current situation in the sustainable packaging market in Europe and what opportunities do you detect for Spain?
Sustainable packaging in Europe is growing and will continue to do so, driven by consumers’ willingness to reduce the use of plastics and opt for natural fiber products that are compostable or recyclable.
We must take into account the high level of recyclability that paper has in Spain – almost 85% – compared to plastic, which does not reach 50%. However, implementation in Spain is slower because low or medium quality products are imported from Asia, which hinders the growth of high quality solutions such as those produced by PackBenefit.
What has been the key for PackBenefit to consolidate itself as an international benchmark in compostable food packaging?
Without a doubt, technology. The one we use is different from that of our competitors because we develop it in-house: not only the tray thermoforming machines, but also the compostable films, designed by PackBenefit specifically for our products. This also allows us to lead in weight: our trays are extremely light, which makes them compostable or recyclable depending on the needs of each client.
They have just inaugurated a new factory in Valladolid. What investment has it involved and what impact will it have on employment, capacity and exports?
The inauguration took place on October 24 of this year and has been a great milestone for the company. We have been able to show what we have built in the last two years. With an investment of 28 million euros, we have more than doubled production capacity, not only due to the number of machines, but because the new ones are state-of-the-art and much more efficient. This allows us to grow in capacity, develop new films and design new products. In terms of employment, we have gone from around 80 workers a little over a year ago to almost 150 currently.
In terms of export, PackBenefit has always been a very international company: around 98% of our production is destined outside Spain, which consolidates us as European leaders in laminated trays for food contact.
What technological or product difference distinguishes your cellulose trays compared to traditional plastic alternatives?
The first difference, without a doubt, is compostability. Our trays are 100% compostable and certified. They can be deposited in the organic waste bin and industrially composted, becoming fertilizer for plants again. They also stand out for their recyclability: the film content is less than 10%, which allows them to be recycled in the blue container. Cardboard fiber and paper pulp have a high level of recyclability throughout Europe, which is a great environmental advantage.
In addition, consumers demand more sustainable packaging, and in this sense we help our clients take an important step towards eliminating plastic.
The key to PackBenefit’s leadership lies in the proprietary technology developed to manufacture compostable trays and films.
In their mission they claim to “work to make the planet better.” How does that idea translate into concrete business decisions?
Everything we do is part of a sustainable vision: from the use of hybrid or electric vehicles to the selection of suppliers and raw materials or production processes. Above all, we offer our customers a real alternative to plastic: compostable or recyclable solutions made with organic materials that, when discarded, return to the natural cycle. Even our Internet domain is “.eco”—not .com or .es—a reflection of our passion for sustainability and our daily commitment.
What role does R&D play in your growth and what lines of development are you exploring in materials or processes?
Research and development are essential. The company was born from an innovative idea: to create sustainable trays and the machines capable of manufacturing them, at a time when this product was not even in demand.
We continue researching new materials, technologies and processes. We are currently working with even thinner and better performing compostable films, and we are exploring the total elimination of plastic using state-of-the-art coatings that maintain the barrier properties that our clients demand.
How do the new European regulations on packaging and waste affect you, and what changes do you anticipate in the sector?
The regulations are constantly evolving, and we are analyzing how they may affect us. In general, proposing products of natural origin such as wood pulp will always be an environmental advantage over plastics, and we hope that legislators recognize this.
What are PackBenefit’s goals for the coming years?
Our goal is to continue producing and marketing innovative trays and, at the same time, execute the strategic expansion plan with new factories in Europe – especially in the United Kingdom, Ireland and continental Europe. We also develop new products that allow us to stay at the forefront and remain competitive in the sustainable packaging market.
packbenefit.eco