For the past ten years, Fleury Michon has been committed to systematically reducing the impact of its packaging, giving preference to recyclable and reusable materials. This year, Fleury Michon is launching a new alternative to stoneware dishes: the glass dish, a major innovation from Verallia that promotes recyclability.

The glass dish, the new packaging for Fleury Michon’s ready-to-eat meals

After the success of its wooden trays, Fleury Michon wants to go further and offer new and increasingly innovative packaging alternatives to its consumers. This year, the family-owned group from Vendée is offering a glass alternative in collaboration with Verallia, a French company specializing in packaging for beverages and food products.

Starting in April, French consumers will be able to find a range of Fleury Michon prepared meals on the shelves in glass dishes. Joël Robuchon’s Noix de Saint Jacques (scallops) and three Parmentiers dishes are among the first to be offered in these glass containers. Other projects are being studied to develop glass for these ranges.

An innovation that took Verallia and Fleury Michon three years to develop

This glass innovation required three years of development between the two companies, which faced various technical and production challenges. For Verallia, the glass dish (or cassolette in French) was an atypical shaped container with a large diameter and a delicate production process. The Lagnieu plant (Ain) contributed its expertise to the project, delivering two formats (200ml and 400ml) to Fleury Michon. For its part, Fleury Michon had to adapt its production process by upgrading its dosing lines and quality processes to offer containers that comply with food safety standards.

“We are very proud of this innovation. It shows once again that glass packaging offers a viable response to the sustainability challenges of food brands, and is aligned with Verallia’s objectives to promote this material as the most sustainable for packaging. Thank you to the Fleury Michon teams for their confidence!” says Olivier Rousseau, President of Verallia France.

An alternative to offer environmentally responsible and 100% recyclable packaging

Through its mission to Help People Eat Better Every Day, Fleury Michon is committed to moving in the right direction, i.e. towards a sustainable, high-quality and environmentally friendly food model.

The study published in 2020 by Insites Consulting confirms European consumers’ interest in alternative packaging to plastic. Today, 91% of them recommend glass as the best packaging to their friends and family. So it was a natural choice for Fleury Michon to offer a glass alternative for its ready-to-eat meals that was a sign of both quality and environmental responsibility. With the glass dish, Fleury Michon is taking another step toward environmentally responsible packaging and reducing the use of plastic.

In the words of Barbara Bidan, Fleury Michon’s Communications and CSR Director: “In 2010, Fleury Michon embarked on a global strategy to manage its packaging, in particular by reducing the use of plastic. For us, the best waste is the one we don’t produce. After our wooden trays, the glass dish is another alternative offered to our consumers to reduce our environmental impact and think of future generations.”