CJ Olive Young adopts biodegradable plastic material for instant delivery product packaging

[Courtesy of CJ CheilJedang]

SEOUL -- CJ Olive Young, the drug and beauty store franchise of South Korea's food and entertainment conglomerate CJ Group, has adopted biodegradable plastic material called "polyhydroxyalkanoates" for packaging products sold through the company's instant delivery service platform. 

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are produced by bacteria during the fermentation process of sugar or lipids, including fats, oils, and waxes, for the storage of carbon and energy. PHAs are biodegradable in most environments such as sea and seawater. In January 2024, CJ CheilJedang, a key subsidiary of CJ Group, applied PHA-based paper coating technology for the packaging of two cup noodle products sold at South Korea's top convenience store franchise CU.

CJ CheilJedang said on January 23 that PHA-based packaging material will be used for CJ Olive Young’s quick delivery service. Through the delivery service called "Today's Dream," CJ Olive Young sells an average of about 40,000 units per month and around 100,000 units during months that include sales periods.

The food maker has pushed for white biotechnology that uses living cells to synthesize easily degradable products. CJ CheilJedang is currently working with Yuhan-Kimberly, a major health and hygiene product company in South Korea, to expand PHA technology for containers of cosmetic products. In April 2021, the food manufacturer partnered with SKC, a manufacturer of polyester film and chemical materials, to produce a flexible and durable biodegradable plastic material.