The Chovi Group, a Valencia-headquartered specialised manufacturer of sauces, got its start with allioli, a traditional garlic mayonnaise dip that used to be made in a mortar and pestle. Launched over 50 years ago, it is still its star product, according to the company. In recognition of the sauce’s origins, Chovi introduced very early on a mortar-shaped yellow container for its allioli, a packaging design that has since acquired ‘iconic’ status.
Now, an alliance between packaging producer Berry Superfos, Repsol and Chovi Group, a specialised sauce manufacturer, has resulted in the development of a new, more sustainable version of the container. The new packaging retains its classic yellow colour and mortar shape but will incorporate 25% chemically recycled material derived from post-consumer waste plastic, making Chovi the first company in its sector to opt for this solution. In addition, the entire container is 100% recyclable.
The material is a certified circular PP produced by Repsol. All Repsol's petrochemical complexes are ISCC Plus certified since the beginning of 2020, a certification providing traceability along the supply chain and verifying that environmental and social standards are met. For companies using the mass balance approach, ISCC PLUS certification verifies that the mass balance accounting follows predefined and transparent rules.
Repsol produces a wide range of circular polyolefins under the name Repsol Reciclex. These are produced using both mechanical and chemical recycling technologies, with the result that waste has become a new raw material in Repsol's processes. The company’s mass-balanced circular polyolefins from chemical recycling are able to meet the food industry's stringent quality and hygiene requirements, which has made this new application possible.
The new container is manufactured at Berry Superfos’ facility in Pamplona. Both this Pamplona facility and Grupo Choví have also earned ISCC certification.