Tetra Pak has unveiled what it describes as the industry’s first carton packaging for shelf-stable tuna, opening up an alternative to the conventional metal can in one of the food industry’s most established categories.

Developed with Spanish seafood producer Jealsa, the new format uses Tetra Recart, a retortable carton package already used for a range of shelf-stable foods. The tuna format launched in Sweden with retailer Axfood in a 200ml Mini format and is now being made available to food producers and brands globally.

For tuna manufacturers, the development is significant because changing the package involves more than creating a different format for the shelf. Tetra Pak says the solution has been developed to support processing, distribution and retail requirements while giving brands greater flexibility in how tuna products are presented.

Moving beyond the can

Round metal cans have dominated shelf-stable tuna for generations. Tetra Recart introduces a rectangular carton format that gives producers larger printable surfaces and a different shelf profile.

The format is designed for a range of tuna preparations, including shredded, flaked, chunks and tuna salad. Tetra Pak says its flat surfaces can provide more space for branding, nutritional information, sourcing credentials and other product information.

The rectangular format also changes how finished products can be handled through the supply chain. Its shape allows packs to fit closely together, while Tetra Pak says the format can provide up to 20% more units per pallet in some configurations. The company also highlights its suitability for e-commerce and home delivery, where the pack’s shape can be advantageous for picking and packing.

Retortability is central

For manufacturers, one of the key questions is how a carton can deliver the shelf-life and food-safety characteristics traditionally associated with cans.

Tetra Recart is designed for retorting, allowing the package and its contents to undergo the high-temperature and high-pressure treatment required for shelf-stable products. Tetra Pak describes the package as an extra-robust material system developed specifically to withstand the retorting process.

The development represents a change in the format through which a producer can manufacture and commercialise shelf-stable tuna.

A different proposition for tuna producers

Tetra Pak says the package uses up to 71% FSC-certified paper, sourced from responsibly managed renewable forests and other controlled sources. The company is also positioning the format around lower carbon impact, cost competitiveness and distribution efficiency.

The company’s wider tuna proposition includes 100ml and 200ml Mini formats, with the smaller sizes targeting single-serve, on-the-go and household consumption occasions. Tetra Pak says formats between 100g and 200g currently account for more than 60% of the global shelf-stable tuna market.

For manufacturers, the format could affect pack design, filling and retorting, palletisation, warehousing, distribution, e-commerce and the way new tuna products are positioned.

The launch with Jealsa provides an early example of how packaging technology could be used to modernise a mature food category while retaining the long shelf life that makes shelf-stable tuna commercially attractive.