Cans are traditional, and traditions are often hard to let go of. However, Cargill Brazil is very pleased with a packaging conversion in collaboration with market leader Berry Superfos from traditional metal to contemporary plastic for immensely popular Elefante tomato paste. Cargill Brazil values the technical expertise of Berry Superfos.

18 tomatoes, salt and sugar - these three ingredients create a 340 g portion of Elefante tomato paste from Cargill Brazil; plus, the packaging of course. For decades, the tomato paste has been sold in a metal can. Now the packaging is transformed into a modern, sturdy and good-looking plastic pot of top quality, developed and produced by Berry Superfos.

Successful conversion from metal to plastic
Cargill is a US conglomerate of proud traditions and one of the largest food industries in Brazil. Brayan Luque, Marketing Analyst and Product Manager at Cargill Brazil says:

“Cargill is a very well-established company. After all, our history goes back 150 years and the Elefante trademark for tomato paste is more than 75 years old; everybody in Brazil knows it. However, we wanted to add some zest to tradition and create something brand new. It was a daring move to swap the traditional can with a plastic pot. Fortunately, it proved to be a wise choice and is extremely successful.”

Plastic pot safeguards colour, flavour and aroma
The new packaging solution from Berry Superfos is a plastic barrier pot with a lid which is easy to open and close. The quality of the pot and lid means that the tomato paste stays fresh and delicious for longer when opened at the end user’s home.

Reuse at home: the pot is of repeated value to the end-user
Another advantage is the slightly oval shape of the pot which makes it effortless to empty with a spoon. No paste goes to waste. Plus, the Elefante pot is made of PP (polypropylene); a widely recycled material. In addition, the pot is suitable for reuse at home. Even when finished, it is still of value to the consumers: on social media, people enthuse about the fact that the pot is great for multiple reuse at home, such as a food storage container.

“We are more than satisfied with the end-user response to our new packaging. The idea was to update the look and feel of our beloved Elefante brand. The idea was not to increase sales, but in fact this is precisely what has happened. Our sales are increasing every month,” Brayan Luque happily states.

Looking for a market leader with technical expertise
When asked what made Cargill Brazil turn to Berry Superfos for a new packaging solution, he explains:

“Cargill Brazil looked for technical expertise within thermoforming and innovative barrier protection. From a prior business relationship, we knew that RPC Bebo Bouxwiller (now Berry Superfos) could offer just that and was a market leader in the field. This contact was decisive for the success of our packaging project.”

Two significant awards
The hard work involved in rebranding and perfecting the packaging design has been officially rewarded. Recently, the pot was honoured with a prize from a packaging trade magazine, EmbalagemMarca. Furthermore, it received a prize based on Brazilian consumer votes. Brayan Luque comments:

“Winning these prizes is very important to us. On one side, there is the sweet taste of success, on the other side, the prizes boost our customer relations, because we can make reference to them in our releases.”

In memory of the Elephant Fountain
Legend has it that the Elefante trademark was created in memory of the Elephant Fountain in Catania, Sicily, where the tomato paste recipe originates from. That is truly a sense of tradition!