Embark on your sustainability journey with a smaller climate footprint! Sustainable sources, efficient production and plant-based packages help you minimize your use of resources when producing beverages for your environment and health-conscious consumers.
Measure the environmental impact of your food sources
There’s a wide range of plant-based ingredients that are suitable for beverage production. With our global network of ingredient producers, we can help you find raw material that fits your product’s exact needs, whether it’s reduced climate footprint, high protein level, specific vitamins or flavour. We also develop new ways of using as much of the raw material as possible. A current example of that is soy. With our new process, we can help you produce a delicious new soy drink, with higher fibre and protein content, where the whole bean is used for the beverage, resulting in zero okara waste.
Are there ways to make your products environmentally sounder?
We are always happy to help you develop new product ideas. Again, starting from your preferred product profile, we ideate, prototype and test recipes until you have a concept ready for production. If sustainability is your main priority, we guide your choices towards the solutions with the smallest footprint. We can even do the whole process remotely – innovation workshops and product trials at our product development centres – if you prefer not to travel.
Finetune your production
Running a plant is complicated. There are so many aspects that affect the use of resources and the outcome – and thus so many aspects that can be improved. As we all know, efficiency and sustainability go hand in hand. The better your plant is finetuned and controlled, the smaller its environmental footprint.
Efficient equipment is, of course, the core. We continuously innovate to improve our industry leading processing and packaging equipment. One example is OneStep Technology that makes production faster, more flexible and energy efficient. How? By combining separation, standardisation, blending, heat treatment and more in a single step. This eliminates the need for a pasteuriser or intermediate storage tank, cutting your carbon footprint by up to 30% compared to a conventional production line from Tetra Pak. With fewer and smaller tanks that require less cleaning-in-place, you can reduce water consumption by up to 30%. And with less equipment to operate, you can cut electricity usage by up to 35% and steam consumption by up to 25%. Find the source case here.
Automation is another key. Tetra Pak® PlantMaster helps you reduce your use of resources by streamlining your production schedule more precisely than any human being can. The recipe and batch manager can support you with – for example – to minimising water and detergent use by reducing the number of cleanings. And waste, caused by packs queuing up.
With our upgrades you can extend the lifetime of your equipment and even have it perform better than when it was new. Win-win for both the environment and you. It is also essential to use the right processing components. If your plant is adjusted and optimised for your specific product, it uses less energy and water, and produces less waste.
But even with the best equipment, sometimes one needs a knowledgeable guide to find all improvement opportunities. Our experts help evaluate your operations from a sustainability point of view. With access to data from numerous plants all over the world – and sharp analytical minds – they measure, benchmark, and improve your sustainability KPIs.
Use plant-based packages
Many consumers that prefer plant-based beverages also like them to come in plant-based packages. Our portfolio of sustainable carton packages includes a wide range of plant-based solutions. And with the Tetra Rex® plant-based package, you get a 100% renewable package, with protective layers and the cap made of plant-based plastics and paperboard from FSCTM certified sustainably managed forests and other controlled sources. Based on this life cycle analysis it results in up to a 35% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to a standard Tetra Rex package. But it’s not only about the material. The fact that we also offer tethered caps contributes to reduced littering.
When it comes to distribution, most plant-based beverages are suitable for ambient distribution and storage. To skip refrigeration saves a lot of energy, but also money, as ambient shelf space is much cheaper. Speaking of distribution, our trays, pallets and films are made of recycled material. And, to avoid long and heavy transportations, we have packaging material factories on every continent.
Tell your story on your pack
Sustainability is one of our main priorities. We take pride in using responsibly sourced materials, and use third-party certifications – FSCTM, Bonsucro, Carbon Trust – to prove it. Our marketing team can help tell your story to your consumers, right there on the package. We also collaborate across the recycling value chain to improve recycling rates around the world.
The integrated edge
Unlocking plant-based opportunities
Squeeze more out of your production
Are you also interested in making your production more efficient?
Plant-based packs for plant-based drinks
Many consumers of plant-based beverages prefer plant-based packages. We have a wide range of suitable packages – made of responsibly sourced paperboard and plant-based plastics.
How to reduce energy, water and waste in oat drink processing
Considerable reductions can be made in utility consumption and waste generation in oat drink production if you invest in the right equipment. Our sustainability expert Lilly Li suggests a four-step approach: avoid, recover, optimise and neutralise.
Best-practice lines for plant-based beverages
Best-practice line for oat beverages based on oat flakes or grains
For production of oat beverages from grains or flakes, this line includes wet-grinding and a highly controlled enzyme treatment and de-activation process to give the desired product flavour. Fibre separation, homogenization and a powerful high shear mixing optimize beverage properties; heat treatment ensures food safety.
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Best-practice line for oat beverages based on oat flour
For production of oat beverages from flour, this line begins with powerful high shear mixing. Next comes a highly controlled enzyme treatment and de-activation process to give the desired end product flavour. Fibre separation, homogenization and powerful high shear mixing optimize beverage properties; heat treatment ensures food safety.
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Best-practice line for oat beverages based on oat compound
For production of oat beverages from a compound, our powerful high shear mixer gives you full formulation control, allowing you to fine tune products to match consumers’ texture and taste preferences. Choose between two different heat treatment methods to ensure product safety.
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Best-practice line for traditional extracted soya beverages
Starting from whole or dehulled beans, this extraction line integrates grinding, fibre separation, and enzyme deactivation, ensuring a high protein yield and full control over product flavour – from beany to non-beany. After extraction, the base is homogenized for texture and heat treated for safety.
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Best-practice line for whole bean soya beverages
Achieve higher protein content, 100% bean yield, zero extraction loss in protein yield, the right taste and mouthfeel and lower TCO with this complete proven technical solution for whole soya beverages from the whole bean soya processing technology pioneer.
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Best-practice lines for nut beverages
Our high shear mixer gives you full control over emulsification, the main challenge of nut beverage production. Create a stable beverage and avoid ingredient separation. Since grinding is optional, the line is suitable for production from whole nuts or nut paste. Choose between two different heat treatment methods to ensure product safety.