Huanlejia Switches Packaging of its Coconut Milk from HDPE to Pet Bottles

Huanlejia in China has switched its coconut milk from HDPE to PET bottles, reported the Beverage Daily.com.  The food and beverage manufacturer partnered with Sidel to produce the bottles on two aseptic PET packaging lines, running at 48,000 bottles per hour (bph).  The reason for the change was to reinforce its brand image and increase production speed.  The coconut milk has a 12-month shelf life without any sterilized aluminum foil before capping because the tightness between the bottle neck and the cap is safe.  

According to Euromonitor, coconut and other plant waters were the fastest growing beverage product category globally with 20% growth in 2016.  The success of the category is linked to an increase in consumer demand for healthy and functional hydration beverages.  It claims, while coconut water dominates the market of packaged plant and root waters, the peripheries of this category have seen a range of product introductions and experimentation.  

A case in point is Huanlejia PET packaged coconut milk, a plant-based alternative to dairy drinks, sold across the Chinese market.  Previously the manufacturer was packaging its product portfolio in cans, HDPE and glass and this is the first time it has moved to PET bottles.  PET is strong, unbreakable, light, transparent, safe, and 100% recyclable.