Tetra Pak, in collaboration with the leading Spanish 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 a 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 per cent 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 per cent to 12.4 billion units by 2030, reflecting rising demand for affordable, versatile and long‑lasting protein options.
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 export 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."
