Nestlé enters the field of biodegradable plastic packaging
Recently, Nestlé Central America and Ogilvy Colombia launched Self-Packing Cheese (SPC).
Self-Packing Cheese is a packaging breakthrough. Using cheese whey (a common byproduct usually discarded in cheese making), through a biotechnology process, the whey component is converted into a biopolymer called PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate), this 100% biodegradable material that meets FDA international standards replaces traditional plastics, ensuring that the safety, taste and quality of cheese remain unchanged. Cheese can now really wrap itself.
Whey has long been considered a low-value byproduct. But now, thanks to biotechnology that converts it into PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate), this "waste" has become a high-performance, environmentally friendly packaging material. The impact is huge:
The solution to replace plastic comes from the product itself.
100% whey utilization: no byproducts are left.
100% biodegradable bioplastic: fully compostable and in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. FDA approved: Ensures food safety and maintains product quality. Scalable: Can be applied to products beyond cheese. This isn't just a concept, it's already in action. SPC is being tested in Panama to replace primary and secondary packaging for Nestlé's Qué Rico! cheese. Nestlé plans to produce 5,500 tons of Qué Rico! cheese and plans to replace existing packaging with 100% biodegradable whey-based packaging.
What makes Self-Packing Cheese truly groundbreaking is not just the technology behind it, but the philosophy behind it. By embedding sustainability into the product itself, Nestlé and Ogilvy are setting a new standard for creative, responsible advertising and product innovation.
