Taking a brave step forward: pioneering cartons in the category
Jamael Food Group is committed to developing concepts that help reduce the environmental impact of food supply. One such concept is delivering plant-based proteins in Tetra Recart carton packages to Dutch and Belgian consumers.
BOON, the Dutch word for bean, is also the name of the premium brand of pulses from Jamael Food Group, a Dutch producer of preserved fruits and vegetables. The group aims to change and improve the way food is produced and consumed, in light of two simultaneous global challenges: feeding a growing population and reducing the impact of food on the environment.
"We are passionate about organic, fair and locally produced food."
“We are passionate about organic, fair and locally produced food,” says Jasper Bringsken, Director at Jamael Food Group. “We’re in the market to bring about a change. We aim to get consumers used to more sustainable foods and more sustainable packaging with our BOON brand, as well as when we produce for private label and for our new organic white-label brand.”
Jasper Bringsken, Director at Jamael Food Group
The company offers plant-based proteins in the form of long shelf-life pulses. These include kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils, and black and brown beans, all provided in Tetra Recart carton packages and produced in the company’s factory in Driel, located in the east of the Netherlands. “Different kinds of beans, peas and lentils used to be a natural part of traditional Dutch meals,” explains Bringsken. “We want to bring pulses back into the spotlight they deserve.”
For Jamael Food Group, reducing the environmental impact of food means growing and transporting produce responsibly – and choosing the right packaging.
Traditionally, preserved fruit and vegetable shelves in Dutch and Belgian supermarkets have been dominated by glass jars and cans. Jamael Food Group saw an opportunity to stand out from the crowd and become a pioneer by launching the premium BOON brand in Tetra Recart carton packages. These packages are efficient to transport because of their rectangular shape and light weight. On average, 71% of the material in a Tetra Recart package is paperboard, from FSC™-certified forests1 and other controlled sources – a renewable resource when responsibly sourced. “You get the best of the food and the best of the packaging,” says Bringsken.
Carbon emissions from Tetra Recart carton packages are 85% lower than those of steel cans and 83% compared to glass jars, over the lifetime of the package2. As Bringsken explains, this is a good fit for Jamael Food Group: “The CO2 reduction from Tetra Recart carton packages and the efficiency of the whole supply chain completely align with our vision on how we should produce food. Tetra Recart carton packages are a perfect fit for our pulses.”
"The CO2 reduction from Tetra Recart carton packages and the efficiency of the whole supply chain completely align with our vision on how we should produce food. Tetra Recart carton packages are a perfect fit for our pulses.”
Jamael Food Group had its first contact with Tetra Pak in 2022. At that time, there were no Tetra Recart carton packages of conserved beans in Dutch supermarkets. By 2023, the very first Tetra Pak® R2 line in the Netherlands was up and running at the production site in Driel. Up until this day, Jamael Food Group is the only company in the country that can produce and package preserved food locally in carton packages.
The launch of BOON was done with humour, colourful design and an underlying message about the goodness of beans. “We focused on telling our story about a more sustainable world,” Bringsken says. “Beans aren’t boring, they can be incredibly flavourful and easy to prepare in a wide variety of dishes. We wanted to communicate that, especially to a younger audience.”
Tetra Pak supported the launch not only by installing the machine in record time, but also by developing recipes together with Jamael Food Group at the Food Development Centre in Lund, Sweden. The BOON range now consists of 12 bean products as well as 14 ready-to-eat beans in various sauces, such as kidney beans in chili sauce, black beans in teriyaki sauce, and chickpeas in curry.
Jamael Food Group and Tetra Pak have a close and open relationship. “We have the same vision and goals when it comes to creating a more sustainable way to produce food and bring it to the consumers,” says Bringsken.
While BOON is a brand focused on the Netherlands and Belgium, the company is also looking further afield. It has already taken another step in the transition to plant-based proteins by developing a white label brand of organic vegetables for the European market – and beyond. In May 2025, seven organic products in Tetra Recart carton packages were launched: corn, black beans, chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, chili beans and baked beans.
It takes courage for a retailer to try something new in a well-established category like preserved vegetables. However, by offering a very low initial minimum order quantity, Jamael Food Group gives them a chance to test their products. “The effort and time to design and commit to a private label for a new packaging is sometimes a step too far. Now retailers can introduce this new packaging format much more easily", Bringsken explains. “This represents an opportunity for various retailers to expand further, so they can use Tetra Recart carton packages for private label in the future.”
Benefits with the Tetra Recart solution
Benefits Tetra Recart packages
- Reduced climate impact compared to glass jars and cans.
- Efficient distribution thanks to the package’s rectangular shape and light weight.
- The flat surface of the carton provides excellent exposure on the supermarket shelf.
Compact and efficient packaging solution
The Tetra Pak R2 filling machine only requires a workspace of 60 m2 since the forming, filling and sealing functions are combined in one machine.
1. The FSC licence code of Tetra Pak is FSC™ C014047 – Tetra Pak FSC™ Certificate The paperboard in this package comes from FSC-certified and other controlled sources. www.fsc.org
2. Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Tetra Pak® carton packages and alternative packaging systems for beverages and liquid food on the European market, 2020