Brewery launches solution in packaging with seed paper that turns vegetables

You buy a beer, bury the packaging and, in a few weeks, a basil's foot is born from the ground. It may seem like an idea outside the house, but it's already a possibility. The Argentine brewery Cerveza Patagonia launched, in early October, a 100% biodegradable version of its six-unit packaging. Its differential is the life that the paper gains after disposal. In its composition, the material has live seeds, which can sprout different types of vegetables if planted – watercress, tomato, basil. To do this, just tear the paper, cover with dirt and water periodically. Named Eco Pack, the packaging was carried out in partnership with the company Papel Seed, which recycles paper for the production of this type of material. So that the seeds do not die, the paper is printed with nontoxic ink and water-based. It took five months of project development until the final result was reached. "There are eight sheets of paper that are joining each other until they give the necessary thickness," says Guilherme Almeida, Patagonia's Brand Manager in Brazil. "The idea came to unite the useful to the pleasant: without losing the convenience and combining sustainability". Thirty-0 packages were produced in the beginning, exclusive for Amber Lager beer – which, according to Almeida, is the one that most adapts to the palate of the Brazilian. The novelty is already available in the two bars of the brand in Brazil, one located in Curitiba and the other, in Florianópolis. It will also be marketed via e-commerce through the Beer Emporium. "The idea is that this first production serves as a test, since the intention is to make the project grow, with more packaging produced in this way," he explains. (Source: Gazeta do Povo, October 4, 2019)