NordseeMilch cuts plastic with move from cups to cartons

The dairy cooperative, NordseeMilch e.G., made waves in 2025 by replacing plastic cup packaging for its fresh cream products with Pure-Pak® cartons. This major step follows the dairy’s recent investment in an Elopak Shikoku filling machine and marks the dairy’s first mini Pure-Pak® cartons.

This latest move away from plastic builds on the successful relaunch of NordseeMilch’s Schlemmersahne cream, now available in 500ml cartons. NordseeMilch’s fresh whipping creams join the carton family, making the leap from plastic cups to 200ml cartons. The cooperative has also introduced its fresh cocoa drink ‘Watt’n Kakao’, made for greater animal welfare and packaged in cartons.

Consumers say “Yes!” to cartons

A recent 2024 study by market research institute Kantar surveyed 200 fresh cream consumers about their purchasing habits and packaging preferences. The results? Pure-Pak® cartons came out on top, with a significant increase in willingness to buy compared to conventional cup packaging. Shoppers clearly prefer cartons for their easy handling and smart opening system.

With sustainability and resource conservation at the forefront, NordseeMilch chose cartons without screw caps, selecting instead the easy opening feature. To help consumers get the hang of the new opening system, the cartons include a simple three-step how-to-open diagram and a QR code that links to a quick demo video.

“The cartons without screw caps contains significantly less plastic than the current plastic cups,” explains Volker Lohse, head of sales and food retail, NordseeMilch. “The carton perfectly matches German consumers’ demand for packaging made from renewable resources and designed for recycling. For our retail partners, improved logistics and more eye-catching brand presentation in stores are crucial advantages in today’s fiercely competitive market.”

Founded 131 years ago as the ‘Meierei-Genossenschaft’, NordseeMilch has grown through innovation, mergers, and strategic investments. In addition to expanding its own product line, which has been marketed under the NordseeMilch brand since 2019, the cooperative has become one of the largest private label suppliers in the fresh milk sector in Germany.

Today, NordseeMilch e.G. produces dairy products for customers throughout Germany, maintaining a strong partnership with Elopak for over 20 years.