RAP LAUNCHED THE WORLD'S FIRST HERMETICALLY SEALED, MODIFIED ATMOSPHERECARTON FOOD TRAY

In keeping with its long tradition of innovation, RAP has launched its latest and most revolutionary food packaging product at the UK’s largest food and drink trade event. Pro2pac took place alongside IFE from 13-16 March 2011 at ExCel.

RAP’S modified atmosphere carton food tray (‘MA Tray’) marks a step change in product development. The world’s first hermetically sealed carton food tray is a highly sophisticated product, capable of replacing existing oil-based plastic and metal food trays in the food on the move and ready meal market. Moreover, with the capacity to modify the atmosphere within the tray, the MA Tray also offers substantial product replacement opportunities in the fresh food market. Significantly, the MA Tray offers a product life of three days without modification of the atmosphere within the pack.

Some 20% lighter than a standard plastic tray/film and card sleeve, RAP’s revolutionary MA Tray is produced from sustainable forests and will result in a significant reduction in the consumption of metals and plastics in the food packaging chain. Adoption of the RAP food tray results in an immediate 80% reduction in plastic consumption. The MA tray also abolishes the need for printed sleeves and additional labelling. RAP’s MA Trays are capable of being microwaved and will withstand temperatures up to 180°C in a conventional oven. The MA Trays are also suitable for ambient, chilled and frozen applications. Food manufacturers will be able to adopt the MA Trays with the use of existing MAP machines.

Following upon the highly successful launch of RAP’s modified atmosphere sandwich wedge on the Continent in 2010, the MA Tray has already been adopted by customers in the UK.

In its first application, the MA Tray has been engineered to serve the demands of the chilled ready meal market. Over 457,000 tonnes of chilled ready meals with a value of €3,817m were sold in Western Europe in 2005; these figures were forecast to grow to 574,000 tonnes with a value of €5,046m in 2010 (Source: RTS Resource Limited 2006).

Martin Beaver, Sales Director of RAP, said:

“The MA Tray is a truly revolutionary product with myriad applications over multiple product lines. It will in due course replace a large part of the oil-based plastic in the food packaging sector. It is undoubtedly the most exciting and truly revolutionary product to emerge from the RAP stable.”