PRNewswire
Jakarta [Indonesia], July 13: Tetra Pak, in collaboration with the Spanish leading seafood producer Jealsa, has unveiled the industry's first carton packaging for shelf stable tuna. Packaged in Tetra Recart®, this market leading innovation launched in Sweden last month with retailer Axfood in 200 ml Mini format and will be available to food producers and brands worldwide.
The solution was brought to market through the combined expertise of Tetra Pak in food packaging and Jealsa's decades of experience in producing high-quality seafood products.
The launch comes at a strategic moment for Southeast Asia, home to two of the world's important tuna markets: Indonesia and the Philippines. Indonesia contributes an estimated 19% of global tuna supply, while the Philippines has established itself as one of the world's leading tuna processing hubs, serving export markets across Asia, Europe and North America. Together, these markets create strong opportunities for packaging innovation that can help food producers modernise the shelf-stable tuna category, strengthen on-shelf differentiation, improve operational efficiency, and support sustainability ambitions.
A unique paper-based alternative to traditional cans, Tetra Recart® offers food producers a new way to differentiate in one of the seafood industry's most established categories. The global shelf-stable tuna market is expected to grow an estimated 12% to 12.4 billion units by 2030, reflecting rising demand for affordable, versatile and long-lasting protein options.[1]
Tetra Recart® offers brands a cost-competitive, scalable paper-based packaging solution and already supports a wide range of shelf-stable products, from spreads and flakes to shredded tuna and chunks, with plans to expand into additional tuna preparations as the category evolves.
Larry Tobias, Business Development Director, Tetra Pak Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia (MSPI), said: "Indonesia and the Philippines are already important contributors to the global tuna value chain. The next opportunity is to help producers capture more value from this strength by growing beyond volume and building stronger branded offerings for local and exports markets. This means developing more distinctive tuna products, reaching new channels, and expanding tuna into more consumption occasions as demand for affordable, high-quality protein continues to rise. With Tetra Recart®, we can support customers in strengthening category growth, improving brand competitiveness, and creating long-term value in markets where tuna is already deeply established."
Tatiana Liceti, Executive Vice President, Packaging Solutions at Tetra Pak, commented: "This is true packaging innovation in a category that has looked the same for generations. With the industry's first carton for shelf stable tuna in Tetra Recart®, we are giving producers and brands a new way to stand out on shelf to protect and grow market share, support cost-competitive, scalable production, and modernise with a paper-based alternative to cans, while contributing to more sustainable food systems through smarter production and distribution."
Jesus M. Alonso Escuris, President at Jealsa, said: "In Jealsa's 68-year history in shelf-stable seafood, we have always been committed to innovation. The launch of this market-leading products sets a new benchmark for the industry. Through our collaboration with Tetra Pak, we've brought a game-changing packaging solution to market, combining their expertise in innovative formats with our long-standing heritage in high-quality seafood. Together, we are delivering a solution that responds to evolving consumer expectations. Following a successful launch in Sweden, we are already seeing strong market momentum and are confident this will continue as demand for more convenient, modern and sustainable products grows."
When it comes to functionality, being easy to handle and stack efficiently makes it an appealing choice for consumers. In fact, more than 80% of consumers say they would buy tuna packaged in Tetra Recart®, while 58% say they prefer it to existing tuna packaging alternatives.[2]
The packaging format also delivers significant environmental benefits. Tetra Recart® has the smallest carbon footprint of any package in its category, 85% lower than steel cans and 83% lower than glass jars.[3]
At scale, this equates to 21,000 tonnes less CO₂ per 1 million cans[4]. The package also uses up to 71% FSC™ certified paper, sourced from responsibly managed, renewable forests.
A new format for an evolving category
In a category with a history of round cans, the distinctive shape of Tetra Recart® creates immediate shelf impact. Large, flat surfaces enable bolder branding and clearer storytelling, while the compact carton shape allows packages to fit tightly together, improving shelf efficiency and enabling more product per metre. The format's robustness and rectangular shape also support efficient warehousing and is simple to 'pick and pack' for e-retailers, making it well suited to e-commerce, home delivery and meal kits, offering the same impact for customers viewing it on screen as it does on a retail shelf.
Following its successful introduction in Sweden, the collaboration between Tetra Pak and Jealsa demonstrates how packaging innovation can respond to changing consumer expectations while innovating in established categories.
As demand for convenient, protein-focused foods grows, Southeast Asia presents significant opportunities for innovation in the shelf-stable tuna category. Tetra Pak's carton-based packaging solution helps food producers move beyond traditional cans to modernise their product offerings, differentiate their brands, improve operational efficiency and support more sustainable food systems while responding to evolving consumer preferences.
ABOUT TETRA PAK
We're here to make food safe and available. It's why we provide advanced food production systems. In collaboration with our customers and suppliers, driven by more than 24,000 dedicated employees worldwide, we protect food sustainably every day for hundreds of millions of people in more than 160 countries. Because we're here to fulfil a purpose:
We commit to making food safe and available, everywhere, and we promise to protect what's good: food, people and the planet.
More information about Tetra Pak is available at tetrapak.com.
ABOUT JEALSA
Jealsa is a Spanish family-owned company founded in 1958 by Jesus Alonso Fernandez. Originally dedicated to the production and commercialization of canned fish and seafood, the company has achieved numerous milestones in its 68-years history. Thanks to its commitment to innovation and diversification, Jealsa has become one of the world's leading producers in its sector. Today, the company comprises a number of businesses structured around three divisions: food, valorization and energy.
More information about Jealsa is available at jealsa.com.
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[1] Tetra Pak, Shelf stable tuna market assessment, commissioned by Meticulous Research, 2025.
[2] Global Shelf-stable Tuna Market Assessment Study, Tetra Pak, October 2025
[3] Tetra Pak, Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Tetra Pak® carton packages and alternative packaging systems for beverages and liquid food on the European market, 2020.
[4] Tetra Pak, Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Tetra Pak® carton packages and alternative packaging systems for beverages and liquid food on the European market, 2020.
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