Sustainability is no longer an aspiration, it has become an imperative requirement for the success of companies in an increasingly conscious and regulated market. It is no longer just about achieving environmental goals; it is about ensuring the longevity and competitiveness of the business. Tetra Pak, a world leader in food and beverage processing and packaging solutions, is at the forefront of this transformation, offering equipment and technologies that enable partner customers not only to reduce the consumption of resources such as water and energy, but also to optimize processes, increase profitability and contribute to a more sustainable future.

Tetra Pak's technology portfolio is built on four pillars that guide sustainable food production: Avoid, Recover, Optimize and Neutralize . It is essential to avoid unnecessary use of resources, promoting more efficient production through technologies that minimize raw material losses and energy consumption. Whenever possible, recover essential resources, such as heat and water, integrating industrial-scale recovery solutions that allow efficient reuse within the process itself. Optimize operational efficiency and environmental performance, using solutions that reduce machine wear and optimize production with less environmental impact. And finally, neutralize emissions and residual losses, seeking carbon-neutral production and minimal impact on the environment.

“In a world where sustainability has become crucial for the survival of companies, there is no longer room for waste, whether of natural or financial resources. Sustainability is not just a commitment, but an essential requirement for growth and innovation in the sector,” says Ana Paula Forti, processing director at Tetra Pak Brazil.

Integrated solutions for savings and efficiency

Tetra Pak processing plants are designed to deliver maximum efficiency and quality while placing the lowest possible strain on the environment. Thanks to innovations that reduce product loss, decrease machine wear, recycle heat and reduce steam, water and energy consumption, Tetra Pak helps its customers achieve both financial savings and significantly reduce their carbon footprint.

The positive impact can be seen especially in the dairy sector, where 26.2% of the total cost is related to energy consumption. In addition, 20% of the motors used in the sector are over 25 years old and are responsible for 26% of the energy consumed in Brazil. “These figures show how urgent and necessary the modernization of processes is. More efficient equipment is essential to increase productivity and reduce costs,” Forti highlights.

In the context of water scarcity, the situation is even more worrying. Every second, 2.3 million liters of water are withdrawn from rivers to manufacture beverages, food and cosmetics. However, much of this volume is wasted: around 50% of all water used is used for cleaning processes. Tetra Pak develops technologies that help reduce this waste, making the use of resources more efficient and sustainable.

With technologies such as pasteurization, UHT treatment, high-precision mixing and dosing, Tetra Pak offers solutions that ensure that food production is not only efficient but also sustainable. One example is the Tetra Pak® Industrial Protein Mixer, used in the mixing of protein powders, which reduces foam production during the mixing process. Its pioneering technology and sophisticated design help reduce product loss and increase operational efficiency for food and beverage manufacturers from small to large production runs, reaching 50,000 liters per hour.

In cheese production, separators, widely used in the dairy sector in the milk skimming process and for the elimination of microorganisms by bactofugation, can be cited as equipment that can help promote sustainability during production. Tetra Pak's line of separators with Encapt™ technology, for example, reduces energy consumption by up to 40% and the volume of water consumed by the industry by 20%.

A dairy can also use a membrane filtration system offered by Tetra Pak, which can be cited as a process that can help promote sustainability during production. Using nanofiltration and reverse osmosis technologies, the whey resulting from the cheesemaking process is concentrated and the water is removed, enabling it to be reused after due treatment, a process that can generate savings of up to 200,000 liters of water per day.

With more than 200 processing products and an integrated end-to-end approach, Tetra Pak supports the sustainability ambitions of its customers around the world. By aligning technological innovation with responsible practices, Tetra Pak is leading the transformation towards a future where sustainability and profitability go hand in hand. Because in the end, true sustainability is one that not only preserves today’s resources, but also builds a legacy for future generations.