Company launches industry-first portion-size paper straws

Lassonde Industries Inc. is moving forward with the commercialization of a 200-mL Oasis juice carton with a paper straw — a first in North America — as part of a market test aimed at introducing a replacement solution for plastic straws.
“In the past few months, we have committed to finding sustainable solutions for making our containers more eco-responsible,” says Jean Gattuso, president and COO, Lassonde Industries Inc. “This initiative is a first step in that direction. Lassonde is the first North American juice manufacturer to test paper straws for this type of container, a food packaging innovation.”

For this project, Lassonde worked together with Tetra Pak, a world leader in food processing and packaging solutions, and the first packaging company to officially produce a paper straw in Europe for 200-mL multi-layer shelf-stable (aseptic) cartons in the summer of 2019.
“Our chain of restaurants is delighted to participate in this test that aligns with our environmental position. St-Hubert has long been aware of the importance of eco-responsible processes, initiatives that we hope will give the industry the incentive to adopt a similar approach,” says Richard Scofield, President of Rôtisseries St-Hubert. “These green practices include our recyclable and compostable delivery boxes and packaging, the collection of residual materials in nearly 90 per cent of our establishments and our fleet of electric delivery cars.
“This is a logical next step for us, since we withdrew plastic straws from all our restaurants in August 2018.”
Consumers can test the new paper straw available with 200-mL cartons of Oasis 100 per cent apple juice at certain locations – the first edition being offered in limited quantities and available exclusively in 14 IGA grocery stores and 10 St-Hubert restaurants in Quebec.
The paper straw made entirely of FSC-certified paper is recyclable; and like the carton, made mostly of paper.