Coveris has announced its debut in the bakery thermoforming market through a major collaboration with Signature Flatbreads and Middle Eastern and North African food brand Al’Fez.

The launch marks the first commercial application of Coveris’ proprietary PolyFlex Thermoform solution within the flatbread category, introducing a recycle-ready, high-barrier thermoformed package to bakery aisles across the UK and Europe.

The new packaging format initially rolls out across three Al’Fez flatbread lines, including Turkish-Style Flame Baked Mini Flatbreads, featuring high-clarity optics and serving imagery designed to enhance shelf presence.

Coveris’ expansion into flatbread thermoforming represents a deliberate move that impacts Coveris’ positioning, technical authority, and market reach:

1. Diversification of high-barrier thermoforming capabilities

By engineering a high-barrier thermoform structure tailored specifically for bakery items, Coveris demonstrates the brand’s ability to adapt complex, extended-shelf-life packaging technologies to new food categories that previously relied on non-recyclable laminate films.

2. Reinforcement of the “No Waste” sustainability strategy

Coveris has placed its “No Waste” vision at the heart of its brand identity. PolyFlex Thermoform replaces traditional nylon-based, non-recyclable thermoformed laminates with a nylon-free, recycle-ready polyolefin structure. By deploying this solution in high-volume retail bakery, Coveris validates its ability to deliver circular packaging solutions that comply with upcoming regulatory mandates:

• UK Simpler Recycling Initiative: aligns with retailer soft plastic collection points today and prepares for mandatory UK kerbside collection of flexible films.
• Regulatory Compliance: helps brand owners navigate UK Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) fees and the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) targets.

3. Proof of internal R&D and cross-facility validation

The development highlights Coveris’ technical expertise and specialized testing infrastructure. Engineered and tested across Coveris’ Film and Food Science Labs in Winsford and Gainsborough, UK, the material was validated to deliver a 12-week shelf life while matching or exceeding the performance of legacy non-recyclable structures on existing packing lines.

This underscores Coveris’ reputation as a technical partner capable of solving complex barrier and line-efficiency challenges without requiring customers to invest in new machinery.

4. High-profile brand validation & industry recognition

Partnering with Signature Flatbreads — the UK’s premier flatbread manufacturer—and a established brand like Al’Fez provides high-visibility commercial proof for Coveris’ new line. Furthermore, the launch has garnered immediate industry accolades, earning Coveris shortlists at both the UK Packaging Awards (‘Best New Concept’) and the Plastics Industry Awards (‘Sustainable Product Design’).

“The launch of PolyFlex Thermoform is a significant advancement in thermoforming packaging and a new solution for the bakery sector for high-barrier applications,” noted Mark Robinson, UK flexibles technical director at Coveris. “We have worked collaboratively with Signature Flatbreads to ensure PolyFlex Thermoform delivers across every requirement, from efficient packing through to shelf-life validation and overall functionality.”