Innovative, sustainable and awarded the German Packaging Prize 2022 in the category Functionality & Convenience: GelatoPack is a world premiere in the packaging world. The packaging, made from renewable raw materials, is completely recyclable.

According to the awarding jury, GelatoPack is a “unique and also sustainable reusable solution” which, with its different cooling zones, guarantees for the first time the delivery to customers and the out-of-home sale of decorated ice cream cups from the gelateria without any loss of quality. The packaging ensures the consumption-optimal quality of ice cream and toppings for up to 60 min even in midsummer – and even at temperatures of 40 °C in the shade. This opens up a completely new distribution channel for delivery services and ice cream parlours.

The patented decorative reusable packaging made of sustainable and insulating corrugated cardboard has a likewise patented removal aid and works inside with two reusable cooling accumulators. The food-safe cooling liquids in the cold packs, which were specially developed, ensure that the ice cream in the lower part of the packaging is cooled to a temperature of –14 °C, which corresponds to the cooling temperature in the gelateria's food counter. In the area above, a doughnut-shaped battery ensures an optimal topping refrigerator temperature of 3 °C to 6 °C. This prevents the fruit from freezing or the cream from melting.

The cardboard packaging can hold ice cream cups of various sizes from 300 to 500 ml. Optimized for storage and shipping costs, all components such as cups, dome lids and cooling packs can be stacked.

From 1 January 2023, according to Section 33 of the German Packaging Act (VerpackG), all caterers, delivery services, restaurants, ice cream parlours, confectioners and cafés must offer reusable containers as an alternative to disposable containers for out-of-home sales. “This is a home game for GelatoPack,” says inventor and founder Andreas Siebrecht happily. “Except for the transparent dome lid, all components can be reused several times. The ice cream cups can be washed up to 1,000 times in the dishwasher. For the cooling packs, up to 100 uses can be expected. The corrugated components are designed for up to five reuses.”

In addition, the GelatoPack Managing Director points to the sustainability of his innovative cooling zone packaging: “The corrugated cardboard used comes 100 percent from the recycling stream for waste paper and can be disposed of again via the waste paper cycle at the end of its life cycle. The bio-plastic used for the cooling packs and the cups is compostable and recyclable. It is made of polylactic acid (PLA), which is obtained from corn waste, and is free of bisphenol-A (BPA) and melamine.”

Andreas Siebrecht is currently seeking talks with investors to finance market entry for the 2023 ice cream season. Thanks to the process patent on delivery packaging with different cooling zones, the founder also wants to open up other segments of the refrigerated transport of thermo-sensitive products in the food trade in the future.