New filling machine for Pure Pak^® Mini: NordseeMilch opts for minimal plastic content

With the commissioning of a newly installed Elopak Shikoku S-PMF70UCe filling machine, the NordseeMilch e.G. dairy cooperative will be expanding its product range for the first time to include Pure Pak^® mini packaging from September 2025.

Following the relaunch of the popular Schlemmersahne cream in a 500 ml carton with a Pure-TwistFlip™ cap, it is now also available in a small, handy, slim 200 ml mini pack without a screw cap in the chiller cabinet. In addition, a fresh cocoa milk made with animal welfare pasture milk is offered in the 500g Elopak Mini: ‘Watt'n Kakao’.

When it came to packaging the whipped cream, the product developers opted for maximum resource conservation: the environmentally friendly Pure Pak^® Mini with Easy Opening deliberately does without a closure and, in the 200 ml size, has 80% less plastic than the plastic cups with aluminium seal lids still used by many brands.

Consumers would rather buy cream in cartons

In a study conducted in 2024, market research institute Kantar surveyed 200 consumers of fresh cream to determine their purchasing and consumption attitudes as well as their packaging preferences.

Compared to conventional cup packaging, Pure-Pak Mini^® cartons achieved a significantly higher willingness to purchase. The 200g gable-top carton with easy opening (without screw cap) was particularly convincing due to its environmental advantages and was 20% higher, while the carton with cap was even 80% higher than the plastic cups thanks to its high convenience.

Consumers prefer Pure-Pak Mini^® packaging to the cream packaging currently available on the market because of its uniqueness, easy and clean handling, and easy opening and resealing.

Shikoku S-PMF70UCe filling machine: small cartons, big for the environment

The new Elopak Shikoku S-PMF70UCe filling machine, capable of producing up to 7,000 gable-top cartons per hour, was delivered by truck and lifted by crane into the production building of the NordseeMilch dairy cooperative in Witzwort. It can process cartons in sizes of 200, 250, 330 and 500 ml as standard. When switching products, the size can be changed automatically in no time at all by selecting it on the operator panel.

CO2 footprint comparison: cardboard wins

The production of packaging from natural, renewable raw materials and complete recyclability are the most important criteria for German consumers. In a comparison of the fibre content/recyclability of various 200 ml packaging variants, the Fraunhofer IBP determined that the Pure Pak^® Mini with Pure-TwistFlip closure contains 73% more renewable raw materials than the pure plastic cup with aluminium seal lid and requires 71% less plastic. This means it has a 53% lower carbon footprint for the same product, while offering better handling in logistics, retail and households, as well as more attractive brand presentation.

When comparing the three-component cup made of plastic, cardboard sleeve and aluminium seal lid, which is frequently used in the organic segment, with the Pure Pak^® Mini with Easy Opening, the more sustainable Elopak solution performs even better despite the 47% fibre content of the 3K cup: 85% renewable raw materials. The plastic content here is 70% lower, as is the carbon footprint.

Dairy products from the holiday region for the whole of northern Germany

The NordseeMilch dairy cooperative has grown steadily in the 130 years since it was founded as the ‘Meierei-Genossenschaft Witzwort’ thanks to product innovations, mergers and investments.

In addition to the targeted expansion of its own product range, which has been marketed under the NordseeMilch brand since 2019, it has developed into one of the largest private label and brand name manufacturers in northern Germany.

NordseeMilch eG produces dairy products for customers throughout Germany and Denmark. To this end, the North Frisian company sources around 72 million litres of milk per year from over 150 suppliers in the region

Easy Opening: a conscious step towards less plastic and more climate protection

Elopak's Easy Opening packaging can be opened easily and simply in three steps. The absence of resealability further improves the ecological footprint of the packaging significantly.

A market study conducted by Elopak showed that consumers also appreciate the advantages of a closure solution for small containers and prefer it to cups even more clearly. 77% of those surveyed preferred the Pure Pak^® Mini with closure to all other packaging solutions. Handling and hygiene in particular are rated better with a closure.

Brand manufacturers can choose freely from Elopak's packaging range for their packaging concept, whether they want to use resealability for greater convenience or easy opening for greater resource conservation. Both are fully recyclable.

NordseeMilch places particular emphasis on environmental aspects and increasingly appeals to consumers with a high level of environmental awareness. For this reason, the new 200 ml product was designed from the outset as a non-resealable version. To familiarise consumers with the opening mechanism, NordseeMilch prints an explanatory sketch and a QR code on the carton gable. The code links to an explanatory video on the website and connects the packaging to the digital brand world. 

Advantages for logistics and brand presentation

With its distinctive gable shape, Elopak Pure Pak^® Mini also offers advantages in terms of logistics and visibility at the POS. Thanks to its angular shape, the mini carton enables volume-efficient and climate-friendly transport and more efficient storage, as around 18% more packaging fits on a pallet compared to cups.

Good example sets a precedent – further launches planned

During the third quarter of 2025, a German retail chain also plans to switch its cream from plastic and three-component cups to Pure Pak^® Mini and is relying on the expertise and experience of NordseeMilch in collaboration with Elopak for the filling of its own brand. Incidentally, the European Consumer Packaging Perceptions Study 2025, conducted independently on behalf of the Pro Carton trade association, found a very clear consumer preference for fibre-based materials: 89% of respondents would prefer a product packaged in carton to the same product in plastic – Plastic to Carton is worthwhile!