Can Fiber Finally Replace Plastic in Fresh Food Trays?

Amcor, Metsä Group, and G. Mondini launch an integrated fiber tray to replace plastic in fresh food packaging

2 Jun 2026

Three packaging companies announced a collaborative push to replace plastic trays in fresh food supply chains. Amcor, Metsä Group, and G. Mondini disclosed the AmFiber™ system on April 21, 2026, a fully integrated fiber-based tray built for protein and chilled ready-meal applications, combining tray material, barrier film, and sealing machinery developed in concert.

At the core of the system sits Metsä Group's Muoto™ tray, pressed from renewable wood pulp sourced in northern Europe. The tray achieves a fiber recovery rate above 80% and qualifies for paper-stream recycling across most markets. Amcor supplies barrier liner films capable of hermetic sealing, while G. Mondini's Trave® Streamline equipment allows commercial-line deployment from launch. Developing all three components together, rather than adapting each in isolation, addresses the performance gaps that kept earlier fiber formats off high-speed production floors.

Demonstrated on production equipment at Interpack 2026 in Düsseldorf before an international audience of packaging buyers, the system supports MAP, skin, microwaveable, and ovenable formats. For manufacturers operating in the United States, the timing carries weight beyond sustainability positioning. Extended Producer Responsibility laws are now active across multiple states, and California's packaging legislation mandates a 25% reduction in plastic use alongside a 65% recycling rate by 2032. A fiber tray that performs at parity with plastic offers brands a direct compliance pathway rather than a reputational signal.

Regulatory deadlines are tightening, and retailer sustainability scorecards may accelerate commercial uptake faster than the industry has projected. Fiber-based food packaging has spent years as a promising concept; line-ready performance at commercial scale closes that gap. The results could shape procurement decisions and broader packaging policy in the years ahead.