Shelf‑stable beans are gaining strategic importance as consumers look for convenient, good‑value foods that support healthier, more plant‑forward diets. Many are worried about not eating enough produce, and 63% of US category users, for example, say they’re concerned about the health effects of low fruit and vegetable intake1. At the same time, cost‑of‑living pressures mean value and versatility are critical.
Globally, the beans category is expected to grow in both value and volume in the coming years2, driven by interest in flexitarian eating, plant‑based protein and convenient cooking ingredients. The winners will be the brands, co‑packers and private‑label retailers that can innovate faster, launch with confidence and scale efficiently.
Achieving that calls for a connected innovation journey – from consumer insight and early concepts, through recipe development and pack design, to industrialisation. Whether you’re expanding a private‑label range, targeting flexitarian consumers or moving from cans to cartons, we work with you to define a clear, insight‑driven path forward. From first idea to beans on the shelf, these seven steps show how we can accelerate and sustain your growth in shelf‑stable beans.
From rising interest in convenient, healthy plant‑based options to demand for good‑value pantry staples, success in beans starts with understanding where demand is moving. Not all opportunities are equal – the key is to decide which demand spaces and occasions you want to own.
Instead of guessing, you can tap into our global consumer and market insights on shelf‑stable food. We help you sift through the data to pinpoint demand spaces, consumption occasions and unmet needs – from quick mid‑week meals to cost‑efficient meat alternatives.
From here, we work with you to define your winning niche and jointly scope what success looks like, from relevant KPIs to timelines and target markets, ensuring your next moves are grounded in real insights rather than intuition.
Next, it’s time to turn those insights into tangible ideas in a workshop at one of our Customer Innovation Centres. You bring your product ambitions, and we bring consumer insights, trend intelligence, brand expertise and packaging knowledge.
Using proven ideation tools and early mock‑ups, we co‑create and refine bean concepts and packaging directions that are right for your brand, your consumers and your commercial goals. That might mean exploring new flavour combinations, spiced variants or smaller portion packs that fit changing household sizes and cooking habits.
This collaborative process lets you move from abstract ideas to testable concepts before you commit to detailed formulations and full design development.
Once your bean concepts are defined, the next step is to turn them into recipes that perform – on the shelf, in the kitchen and in consumers’ meals. As more people cut back on meat and look to increase their protein intake3, beans are increasingly valued as a natural plant‑based protein source. The challenge is to translate that potential into products people love and buy again.
That’s where the Tetra Recart Food Development Centre becomes your culinary co-pilot. Whether in Lund, Sweden, or via our mobile testing unit at your site, our passionate chefs and food experts help you transform concepts and insights into recipes optimised for Tetra Recart cartons.
Together we clarify what you want to achieve – from texture and taste to salt levels, protein positioning and portion size – and address any technical hurdles. We then plan and run focused trials with carefully selected ingredients. As we collaborate, test and refine, you review and provide feedback on multiple recipe options. You’ll leave with final bean samples and clear recommendations, ready to support your launch and scale‑up plans.
Tetra Recart offers your bean products a distinctive visual presence that helps them stand out on shelf and online. Optimised design makes your package a true “silent salesperson” – communicating key benefits in just a few seconds.
Supported by our deep design expertise, your Tetra Recart package becomes a powerful asset for differentiation. We apply design principles that help your brand get noticed and understood:
- Spotlight your story: Focus on two to three core messages on the front panel – for example, plant‑based protein, convenience or low food‑waste – to cut through shelf noise.
- Use category cues wisely: Make it immediately clear that your product is a beans or legumes offer, while still standing out from direct competitors.
- Engage every side: Use the carton’s surfaces for compelling storytelling, simple usage instructions, clear recycling information and even on‑pack recipes that inspire new ways to use your beans.
- Strengthen on‑shelf impact: Design packs so they work together, creating a strong “billboard” effect when multiple cartons are placed side by side.
- Use colour intelligently: Apply colour and ink thoughtfully to reinforce brand identity and support your sustainability ambitions.
By balancing familiar category cues with distinctive design – and leveraging the 3D shape of the carton – you can give beans a modern, premium presence that fits how consumers shop today.
How do you bring your bean products to shelves without unnecessary capital costs and operational complexity?
Tetra Recart offers industrialisation options that support a smooth journey from pilot to commercial production:
- Build your own: If you’re ready to invest in in‑house capability, streamline your process with Tetra Recart filling lines designed for efficient operation and a compact footprint.
- Connect with co‑packers: If you prefer an asset‑light route, use our extensive network of experienced co‑packers, matched to your specific needs, who can reduce upfront investment and put your bean products on shelves faster.
- Integrated processing expertise: We bring integrated processing know‑how to help you design heat treatment, mixing and filling processes that protect product quality and food safety from first fill to final package.
- Smart packaging, smarter logistics: Flat‑packed Tetra Recart cartons are space‑efficient, helping to free up warehouse space and reduce shipping costs, which can support profitability and lower emissions4.
- A full‑service supplier: Tetra Pak coordinates across development, trials and production, combining materials, equipment and services to make your journey toward market launch more efficient and less risky.
For many bean brands and private labels, co‑packers are a strategic shortcut to market – especially when you want to move quickly, manage risk and avoid large capital investments.
We use our global knowledge and network to match you with experienced Tetra Recart co‑packers that fit your needs, from product type and recipe complexity to quality requirements and geography. We understand the capabilities and capacities across our co‑packer network and can recommend the right partners for your specific ambitions.
With the right co‑packer in place, you can test and scale new bean concepts faster, secure efficient production and focus your resources on brand‑building, category management and portfolio growth.
Read more about how to find the right co‑packing partner for your bean products.
Our support extends beyond launch. We can assist with crucial preparations such as finalising pack design, crafting compelling messaging and preparing retailer presentations for your bean range.
Once your products are on shelf, we can help you interpret performance data and consumer feedback to understand how they are perceived and used. This ongoing learning allows you to refine communication, evolve pack design, optimise distribution choices and even adjust your recipes over time – for example, to better highlight protein content, appeal to flexitarian consumers or address changing price sensitivities.
This focus on continuous improvement helps your shelf‑stable bean innovations reach their full potential. In a category where convenience, value, health and sustainability all matter, Tetra Recart gives you a platform to keep adapting and growing.
1 Kantar Profiles/Mintel, February 2023, March 2021; Dynata/Mintel, June 2023
2 GlobalData, addressable core and opportunistic categories
3 Euromonitor Voice of the Consumer: Lifestyles Survey, 2023; Cargill Proprietary Research, Power of Protein, 2024; Ipsos for Tetra Pak Quantitative Survey on Health & Nutrition, 2023
4 12% more 390ml packages, and up to 50% more 100ml packages on each pallet and truck. Based on internal simulations comparing Tetra Recart to cans and jars of equivalent sizes.