• Region’s leading food packaging leader has set new benchmarks in promoting the circular economy and environmental sustainability through its global partnerships
• Partners with German sustainability leader Reifenhäuser to develop R-Cycle pilot projects in the GCC that will contribute to a stronger circular economy 
• Launches all-new Gaïa Straws by building on its partnership with Finnish major Sulapac
• New initiatives announced at the Private Label and Licensing Middle East (PLLME) sidebar event at Gulfood Manufacturing 2022

: Al Bayader International, the global manufacturer, distributor and retailer of creative solutions in sustainable food packaging, healthy food and personal and home care products, announced strategic partnerships with global leaders in sustainability to accelerate and empower the GCC’s circular economy. 

Al Bayader International also launched innovative sustainable products complementing the focus of the UAE to promote the circular economy and lead the industry towards more a sustainable, resilient, agile and efficient future. These new strategic initiatives were announced at the Private Label and Licensing Middle East (PLLME) event at Gulfood Manufacturing 2022. 

As a regional leader for sustainable food packaging in the region, Al Bayader International is particularly focusing on leveraging digital infrastructure to enhance the nation’s circular economy. This was underpinned by a partnership signed with the award-winning R-Cycle initiative by the German company, Reifenhäuser. Founded in 1911, Reifenhäuser brings an exceptional breadth of experience, competence, and pioneering spirit for sustainable solutions. 

Spearheaded by the company, the R-Cycle initiative provides the infrastructure for a digital product passport that holds all relevant data about a product’s materials and preferred end-of-life options. All products will be tagged with a marker, such as a QR code or a digital watermark, which can be scanned at the time of waste disposal or in recycling plants to place the product in the best end of life area. This ensures higher efficiency of recycling and higher quality of sorting. The infrastructure developed is based on GS1 standards.

Al Bayader International is working closely with R-Cycle to develop pilot projects in the GCC region using their networks across the cradle-to-cradle supply chain and leveraging strong printing capabilities on rigid plastics. The pilot projects will consist of using R-Cycle to illustrate the use of recycled content in packaging. From then on, the projects will focus on using R-Cycle to promote the right segregation at source, contributing to more recycled plastics of high quality with lower contamination. The partnership will further empower the circular economy in the UAE and the wider GCC.

Dr. Benedikt Brenken, Director of the R-Cycle Initiative, said: “This is a crucial step to further internationalise R-Cycle and to debut in the GCC region. We are very pleased to have found a strong and experienced partner in Al Bayader International, who has mastered the local business since 1991, while being internationally positioned with more than 1000 employees and steadily growing in further markets, including Europe and Africa.”

Al Bayader International has also announced its renewed partnership with Sulapac, a Finnish company pioneering the advent of sustainable materials across a wide range of industries including the food packaging industry. Al Bayader International and Sulapac have already worked to launch Al Bayader International’s range of sustainable tableware Gaïa.

Gaïa is plant-based, biodegradable in both landfills and marine conditions leaving no microplastics behind, in addition to being fully compostable, and recyclable. At Gulfood, Al Bayader International is launching the all-new Gaïa Straws. The two entities will develop a wider range of sustainable materials for the food packaging industry, focusing on using locally available feedstocks, and to develop a mechanical and chemical recycling infrastructure in the UAE for these materials. 

A commitment to Net Zero by 2050

Highlighting the importance of the initiatives, Nidal Haddad, Founder & CEO of Al Bayader International, said: “The circular economy concept is at the heart of the sustainable development narrative, especially as countries across the world race to achieve Net Zero by 2050 goals in line with global commitment to decarbonisation. The food packaging industry plays a central role in promoting the circular economy model, and as the regional pioneer, we are bringing R-Cycle to the region for the first time and introducing novel sustainable products for the food packaging industry developed using sustainable materials.

“These will be industry game changers, supporting the march to sustainability underpinned by the UAE Circular Economy Policy announced recently. We are honoured to bring such global partnerships that further reiterate our commitment to promoting the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative and to serve as a model for our stakeholders ahead of COP28 which will be held in UAE next year.”

Recently, Al Bayader International announced that it is implementing the 4-R Pathway to Circularity, which focuses on ‘Redesigning, Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling.’ This approach prevents plastic packaging ending up in nature by improving reuse and recycling methods, as well as reduces the carbon footprint of packaging through eco-design to ensure circularity in every step. It also optimises resource-use to promote energy efficiency.

A wide range of sustainable packaging solutions

Al Bayader International has a wide range of sustainable packaging solutions, including the Sukkar range made from sugarcane. The production process emits fewer CO2 emissions, is industrially compostable and reduces carbon-footprint. Al Bayader’s Gaia range is also 100% plant based and is completely biodegradable in both landfill and marine conditions, leaving no microplastics behind. The Terra range is plant based too allowing a great look and feel as well as reusability. With lesser emissions, its functionality and strength are better than regular plastic due to its wood content in the material making it reusable up to 100 times.

Further, Al Bayader’s Bio’d material features a new technology that allows plastic to biodegrade in landfills. The organic additive can be used on PS, PP and PET and is the most affordable material in our sustainable range of products.

Highlighting its commitment to sustainability, last year, the company installed a 980 kWp solar rooftop plant at its plant in Jebel Ali, which spans an area of 4,000 square metres and will generate over 1.5 GWh of clean electricity annually. 

Al Bayader International has also expanded its new food business line this year by adding more products under the two brands Baya Food® and Baya Agua®. Further, the company is launching a new range for personal and home care under Bcleen® brand beside announcing its new brand Baya Nar® that has a wide range of products for outdoor activities and camping. These will continue to enhance Al Bayader’s position as one-stop-shop for all needs related to food packaging, healthy food and personal and home care.

Al Bayader International is showcasing its diverse range of environment-friendly packaging solutions and white label food packaging services at Gulfood Manufacturing at its pavilion RP-C4 in Sheikh Rashid Hall.