UPM Specialty Papers
Story | 03/06/2025 08:13:26 | 2 min Read time

UPM X Orkla Suomi: a new paper wrapper for milk chocolate

UPM Specialty Papers x Orkla Suomi 

How co-creation powers your purpose  

  • New fibre-based wrappers replace traditionally used PP-plastic wrappers 
  • Meets Orkla Suomi’s target to increase the share of renewable packaging materials without compromising recyclability 
  • Based on UPM Asendo™ Pro 75 g/m2 barrier paper with grease barrier properties  
  • A cold seal lacquer allows the package to be sealed on existing flowpack packaging machines 
  • The new packaging has undergone extensive testing, including shelf-life tests 

How do you wrap up a Panda? 

Orkla Suomi brings delicious food, snacks, and confectionery products to Finnish homes with a portfolio comprising over 20 brands – including Panda, known for its milk chocolate and other sweet treats.  

Plastic or paper-plastic laminates are the usual go-to packaging for guaranteeing shelf-life, ensuring food protection and resisting grease.  

 



“We want to make everyday life better with local brands that bring joy and make sustainable choices easier. A great example of our ongoing efforts to replace fossil-based materials with renewable alternatives is the new paper-based chocolate tablet packaging,” says Arja Laitinen, Packaging Developer at Orkla Snacks. 

Meeting the challenge of chocolate 

Chocolate can be a challenging product to package in paper, due to its relatively high grease level. So the new type of wrapper is based on UPM Asendo™ Pro 75 g/m2 barrier paper, which offers the required level of grease barrier properties and is also certified for food safety to BfR and FDA standards. The built-in barrier protection, meanwhile, eliminates the need for any additional plastic layer.  

Maximum effect. Minimum disruption. 

A cold seal lacquer has then been applied to sealing areas. This allows the packaging to be sealed on Orkla Suomi’s existing flowpack machines, which are normally used for plastic packaging.  

 

 

“UPM has a solid product portfolio, extensive experience and the broad partner network needed to support the transition to recyclable paper-based packaging. We are able to help converters and brands like Orkla Suomi with their packaging sustainability ambitions and to speed up the time to market of new packaging solutions,”  explains Kirsi Lahtela, Senior Manager, Product Portfolio Management, UPM Specialty Papers.   

 

Validated as recyclable (PTS method RH 021/97, cat II) in existing fibre recycling streams, the new wrapper has undergone extensive testing, including shelf-life tests. It will now replace traditionally used PP-plastic wrappers during a six-month pilot in stores across Finland.   

 

 
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