Kraft Heinz developing a paper Ketchup bottle

Kraft Heinz is looking at making its iconic Ketchup bottle more environmentally friendly.

The food giant has teamed up with Pulpex, a sustainable packaging technology company, to create a paper-based, renewable and recyclable Ketchup bottle made from 100% sustainably sourced wood pulp.

Heinz is the first sauce brand to test the potential of Pulpex’s paper bottle packaging. Pulpex is a collaboration between Pilot Lite Group and beverage firm Diageo. Last year, the company launched a limited edition paper whisky bottle for its Johnnie Walker brand.

Kraft Heinz has set an ambitious goal to make all of its global packaging recyclable, resusable or compostable by 2025. According to the company, this collaboration with Pulpex is the latest step in its path to meeting its packaging goal.

“Packaging waste is an industrywide challenge that we must all do our part to address,” said Kraft Heinz CEO Miguel Patricio in a release. “That is why we are committed to taking steps to explore sustainable packaging solutions across our brands.”

Pulpex data indicates the carbon footprint of its paper bottles is materially less than glass and plastic on a bottle-by-bottle basis and once used they are expected to be “widely and readily recyclable in paper waste streams,” according to the release.

The next step in the process involves prototype testing of the paper bottle to assess performance before testing with consumers and, ultimately, bringing the bottle to market.