Sustainable Packaging with Cory Connors presented by Atlantic Packaging

Cory Connors

Join industry leaders, innovators, and changemakers as we explore the future of packaging through the lens of sustainability.  Hosted by Cory Connors, an industry expert with over 25 years of experience, and presented by Atlantic Packaging, the leader in innovative sustainable solutions, we dive into what’s working (and what’s not) from cutting-edge materials to circular design strategies that can reduce waste and protect our planet.  Each episode blends real data, expert insights, and a dose of fun to help you stay informed and inspired. Whether you're in the packaging industry or simply passionate about sustainability, this podcast is your weekly go-to resource for making smarter, greener choices.

  1. 1d ago

    Live at SPC Impact with Olga Kachook 2026 Trends Report

    In this special live episode recorded at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee during the Sustainable Packaging Coalition Impact Event, Cory Connors shares the stage with Olga Kachook to present the Third Annual Sustainable Packaging Trends Report for 2025–2026. Olga walks through the four key trends shaping the industry and dives deeper into each one in conversation with Cory, covering everything from EPR maturity to innovation in healthcare packaging. Key Topics Discussed: Regions defining recyclability — Canada, the UK, and the EU leading the way and what that means for the USInnovation breakthroughs in OTC and healthcare packaging, including paper prescription bottlesEPR turning five — progress made and challenges that remainShared data driving recyclability clarity, including the upgrade of polypropylene cold cups under the How to Recycle programDesigning for EPR — setting your own certainty in the face of regulatory uncertaintyThe "magic wand" thought experiment: how would you design your packaging portfolio if starting fresh today?Coated paper and molded fiber as focus areas for the SPC's paper recyclability collaborativeThe role of AI sorting technology in generating better recycling dataReusable e-commerce as an emerging opportunity — FedEx and Returnity's B2B partnershipPredictions for the 2027 Trends Report, including consumer education and infrastructure expansion in EPR statesCabinet Health's refillable OTC packaging model, available at Target and AmazonResources Mentioned: Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) SPC Paper Recyclability CollaborativeHow to Recycle ProgramCabinet Health — refillable OTC packagingNextGen ConsortiumReturnity Reusable ShippingContact: For more information on the SPC Trends Report, scan the QR code mentioned in the episode or visit sustainablepackaging.org. Thank you for tuning in to Sustainable Packaging with Cory Connors, presented by Atlantic Packaging! Support our Sponsors  Learn more here: - 3M - Specright - Forest  Connect with Cory Connect with Cory on LinkedIn here:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-connors/ I'm here to help you make your packaging more sustainable! Reach out today and I'll get back to you asap.  This podcast is an independent production and the podcast production is an original work of the author. All rights of ownership and reproduction are retained—copyright 2022.

    25 min

  2. Jun 7

    How Germany Is Leading the Reusable Packaging Revolution with Dana Voges

    In this episode, Cory Connors welcomes Dana Voges to discuss her remarkable journey from growing up visiting landfills on Take Your Kid to Work Day in Colorado, to leading reusable packaging innovation in Germany. Dana shares how SEA ME and their open pool system Zerooo are building a scalable, brand-agnostic reuse infrastructure for cosmetics and personal care — and what the rest of the world can learn from Germany's deposit return system. Key Topics Discussed: Dana's unique background: from Superfund site field trips and trash fashion shows to circular economy research at the Technical University of BerlinGermany's deposit return system (DRS) and why it works — and why the US lags behindWhat SEA ME is and how their reusable packaging model works for cosmetics and personal care productsThe Zerooo open pool system: a pay-per-use model that handles reverse logistics, washing, and redeployment for participating brandsThe origin of the Zerooo name and its triple infinity loop logoConsumer behavior as the hardest challenge in reuse systems — and how pre-fill models reduce frictionThe "chicken and egg" problem between retailers and brands, and how SEA ME is bringing both to the tableThe roller coaster analogy: why reuse systems require coordinating infrastructure, legislation, incentives, and behavior simultaneouslyHow parallel revenue from the SEA ME brand funded the system during early-stage high costsEconomies of scale: how wash costs for 10,000 bottles are nearly the same as for 1,000Aesthetics and wear: clever bottle design to prevent scuffing and maintain brand appearance across cyclesWhy metal containers present challenges for reuse: keepability, high upfront carbon footprint, visual inspection limitations, and consumer familiarityWhy glass and PET are the preferred materials for SEA ME's systemThe importance of integrating reuse systems with existing consumer habits (e.g., reusable bags, existing return infrastructure)SEA ME's current footprint: ~900 sale and return locations in Germany, with major European retail expansion underwayResources Mentioned: SEA MEZeroooEllen MacArthur Foundation Cradle to Cradle by Michael BraungartContact: Brands selling personal care, home care, wellness, or beauty products in PET bottles interested in joining the European Zerooo system can reach out to Dana Voges and the SEA ME team directly. Thank you for tuning in to Sustainable Packaging with Cory Connors! Support our Sponsors  Learn more here: - 3M - Specright - Forest  Connect with Cory Connect with Cory on LinkedIn here:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-connors/ I'm here to help you make your packaging more sustainable! Reach out today and I'll get back to you asap.  This podcast is an independent production and the podcast production is an original work of the author. All rights of ownership and reproduction are retained—copyright 2022.

    30 min

  3. May 31

    How Mill Turns Everyday Food Waste Into a Resource with Sydney Grier

    In this episode, Cory Connors sits down with Sydney Grier, Packaging Lead at Mill, to explore how the company is tackling one of the most overlooked environmental problems: household food waste. Sydney shares her journey from studying environmental management at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to becoming a packaging engineer, and how she ended up joining Mill — then operating in stealth mode as Chewy Labs. Together, Cory and Sydney discuss how Mill's food recycler works, why composting beats landfilling, the innovative all-paper packaging Sydney designed for a 60-pound device, and what the future holds for commercial expansion into places like Whole Foods. Key Topics Discussed: Sydney's path from environmental management to packaging engineering at Cal Poly San Luis ObispoHow Mill originated from a desire to tackle food waste at the household levelWhat Mill does: drying, grinding, and dehydrating food scraps to reduce volume by ~80%Challenges of composting access across the U.S. and how Mill fills the gapMill's commercial expansion: launching nationwide in Whole Foods in 2027 at 10x home capacityDesigning paper-based protective packaging for a 60-pound device — without styrofoamThe value of involving a packaging engineer early in the product design cycleHow Mill's bin is rated to withstand 200 g's of peak acceleration (equivalent to a car hitting a wall at 440 mph)Output options for Mill food grounds: garden spreading, local compost drop-offs, backyard chickens, or Mill's chicken feed send-back programResources Mentioned: Mill — food recycler for the home and commercial kitchensWhole Foods Market — Mill's first commercial partner (launching 2027)Mill's chicken feed program Contact: MillLinkedIn: Sydney Grier Support our Sponsors  Learn more here: - 3M - Specright - Forest  Connect with Cory Connect with Cory on LinkedIn here:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-connors/ I'm here to help you make your packaging more sustainable! Reach out today and I'll get back to you asap.  This podcast is an independent production and the podcast production is an original work of the author. All rights of ownership and reproduction are retained—copyright 2022.

    19 min

  4. May 24

    What Happens Inside Atlantic's Packaging Solution Center

    In this episode, Cory Connors welcomes Kyle Pischel and Jake Wyns to discuss the Atlantic Packaging Solutions Center — what it is, how it came to be, and the innovative work happening inside it every day. Kyle shares his background in packaging, from studying at Michigan State to working on Coca-Cola's packaging innovations team before joining Atlantic. Jake recounts his decade at Atlantic, beginning with a deep dive into stretch film and evolving into unit load stability and e-commerce packaging. Together, they walk through the science of load containment, the design program, and the future of sustainable packaging materials. Key Topics Discussed: Kyle's career path from Michigan State and Coca-Cola to Atlantic Packaging and the MUST monitoring systemJake's background in stretch film performance testing and the fingerprinting of film propertiesThe origin story of the Solution Center: from Stretch University to a full technical hub in Charlotte, NCHow the MUST monitoring system tracks stretch film application and maintains standards set in the Solution CenterThe science of unit load containment — weight, coefficient of friction, stacking patterns, and pyramidal wrap profilesOver 15,000 horizontal impact tests and 5,000+ hours of vibration testing conducted at the facilityAtlantic's holistic approach to packaging: removing strapping, corner boards, and downgauging corrugated alongside stretch film optimizationThe in-house design program led by designer Mary Ashland, focused on sustainable material substitution and end-of-life strategyPost-consumer recycled (PCR) content in stretch film — finding the right percentage for performance and sustainabilityThe shift toward fiber-based packaging solutions and coated paper technologies for flow-wrap applicationsAtlantic's investment in Remo recycling equipment to process stretch film bales into PCR resinEPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) legislation as a driver of reduced virgin plastic usageResources Mentioned: Atlantic Packaging Solution Center MUST Monitoring SystemLandsmont multi-axis vibration equipmentClosed Loop System for Stretch FilmContact: Listeners interested in a Solution Center visit or packaging consultation can reach out through Atlantic Packaging's website or connect with Kyle Pischel and Jake Wyns directly. Thank you for tuning in to Sustainable Packaging with Cory Connors! Support our Sponsors  Learn more here: - 3M - Specright - Forest  Connect with Cory Connect with Cory on LinkedIn here:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-connors/ I'm here to help you make your packaging more sustainable! Reach out today and I'll get back to you asap.  This podcast is an independent production and the podcast production is an original work of the author. All rights of ownership and reproduction are retained—copyright 2022.

    27 min

  5. May 17

    Inside the World's Largest Aluminum Packaging Manufacturer with Predrag Ozmo of Ball Corporation

    In this episode, Cory Connors welcomes  Predrag Ozmo to discuss the sustainability story behind Ball Corporation — the world's largest aluminum packaging manufacturer, producing more than 100 billion cans per year. Predrag shares his background growing up in Serbia and his early career at MiTeCo, a hazardous waste management company specializing in chemical, pharmaceutical, and PCB waste, before moving to Inos Balkan (part of the Greek Anamet group), a metal recycling company, and then joining Ball in 2019. He explains why aluminum is often called an "energy bank" — a truly circular material that can be recycled endlessly, with up to 95% energy savings versus primary production. Predrag walks through Ball's climate transition plan and its 2030 and 2050 goals, the decarbonization pathways for primary aluminum (hydropower, inert anodes, and the ELYSIS breakthrough), the growing importance of recycled content, and the innovative partnerships that are bringing refillable and first-of-their-kind aluminum packaging to market. Key Topics Discussed: Predrag's journey from metal recycling at MiTeCo in Serbia to sustainability leadership at Ball CorporationBall Corporation's scale as the world's largest aluminum packaging manufacturer (100+ billion cans per year)Aluminum as a circular, infinitely recyclable "energy bank" materialThe 95% energy savings achieved when aluminum is recycled versus primary productionBall's climate transition plan and 2030 / 2050 sustainability goalsDecarbonization of primary aluminum through hydropower, inert anodes, and the ELYSIS technologyThe role of recycled content in reducing packaging's carbon footprintBall's partnership with Meadow for refillable soap and shampoo in aluminum bottlesBrazil partnership with Sofie and Aeroflaks on the first ASI-certified aluminum aerosol canUnilever and Alcoa's ELYSIS pilot as a model for low-carbon primary metalThe 10–15 year vision for aluminum packaging and the circular economyWhy aluminum's infinite recyclability makes it a long-term sustainability winnerResources Mentioned: Ball CorporationELYSISAluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI)Meadow (refillable aluminum personal care packaging)Contact: Listeners can learn more or reach out to Predrag directly: LinkedInBall Corporation Thank you for tuning in to Sustainable Packaging with Cory Connors! Support our Sponsors  Learn more here: - 3M - Specright - Forest  Connect with Cory Connect with Cory on LinkedIn here:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-connors/ I'm here to help you make your packaging more sustainable! Reach out today and I'll get back to you asap.  This podcast is an independent production and the podcast production is an original work of the author. All rights of ownership and reproduction are retained—copyright 2022.

    32 min

  6. May 5

    New Earth Ventures Launch with Matt Saunders and Wes Carter

    In this episode, Cory Connors welcomes Atlantic Packaging President  Wes Carter  and New Earth Ventures Managing Partner Matt Saunders for an exciting announcement: the official launch of New Earth Ventures (NEV), a venture capital firm launching in partnership with Atlantic Packaging. Wes shares how Atlantic's decades-long commitment to packaging innovation and sustainability laid the foundation for NEV, while Matt discusses his background in venture capital and how his partnership with Wes came together. Together, they outline how NEV will support entrepreneurs, startups, and customers working to build a more circular, sustainable packaging future. Key Topics Discussed: The 30-year history of Atlantic Packaging's innovation philosophy and how it evolved into New Earth VenturesThe role of the Packaging Solution Center in Charlotte as a hub for packaging science and technologyHow NEV differs from traditional corporate venture capital by pairing deep packaging expertise with a scalable fund modelThe MUST stretch film optimization program as a model for how technology and packaging can intersect to drive massive ROICurrent NEV portfolio highlights including Specright and investments in material and AI technology companiesResources Mentioned: New Earth Ventures: WebsiteInstagramLinkedInGuests: Wes Carter: LinkedInMatt Saunders: LinkedInContact: Innovators, founders, and brands interested in partnering or learning more can reach out via the NEV website or social channels. Thank you for tuning in to Sustainable Packaging with Cory Connors! Support our Sponsors  Learn more here: - 3M - Specright - Forest  Connect with Cory Connect with Cory on LinkedIn here:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-connors/ I'm here to help you make your packaging more sustainable! Reach out today and I'll get back to you asap.  This podcast is an independent production and the podcast production is an original work of the author. All rights of ownership and reproduction are retained—copyright 2022.

    26 min

  7. May 3

    The Future of Bottles Is Paper with Malcolm Waugh

    In this episode, Cory Connors welcomes Malcolm Waugh, CEO of Frugalpac, to explore the innovation behind the Frugal Bottle — a paper‑based alternative to traditional glass packaging. Malcolm walks through his engineering‑rooted career, his years at Tetra Pak, and how he ultimately joined Frugalpac to help lead a packaging revolution. He explains how the paper bottle dramatically reduces carbon emissions, why it maintains a familiar consumer experience, and how global markets are rapidly adopting the technology. The discussion also highlights upcoming innovations, including custom bottle shapes, edible‑oil packaging, and a new paper‑based paint pot. Key Topics Discussed: Malcolm’s background in engineering, food manufacturing, and nearly two decades at Tetra PakThe origins of Frugalpac and contributions of its young, innovative team, including Product Director John Paul GroganOverview of the Frugal Bottle: 84% recycled paper shell, 16% polyethylene liner, and a 6× lower carbon footprint than glassEnvironmental costs of glass manufacturing and transportation in the wine industryReplicating consumer expectations: bottle shape, screw cap, and premium look and feelHow Frugalpac’s business model works: early UK manufacturing, followed by customer‑owned assembly machines and royaltiesMarket adoption trends: strong uptake in the US, Canada, Scandinavia, and among younger consumersRetail expansion, including nationwide placement in Target storesEvent success stories, Coldplay concerts where 8,000 Frugal Bottles outperformed traditional wine serviceThe role of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in accelerating demand by increasing the true cost of glass packagingFuture innovations: new machine platforms, lighter materials, custom shapes, olive‑oil applications, and the “Frugal Pot” Resources Mentioned: Frugalpac website Frugal Bottle rollouts in major retailers, including Target Coldplay sustainability initiatives that showcased the Frugal Bottle at concerts Contact: To learn more about the Frugal Bottle, Frugalpac’s machine platforms, or partnership opportunities, listeners can reach the team at hello@frugalpac.com or connect with Malcolm Waugh and Frugalpac on LinkedIn. Thank you for tuning in to Sustainable Packaging with Cory Connors! Support our Sponsors  Learn more here: - 3M - Specright - Forest  Connect with Cory Connect with Cory on LinkedIn here:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-connors/ I'm here to help you make your packaging more sustainable! Reach out today and I'll get back to you asap.  This podcast is an independent production and the podcast production is an original work of the author. All rights of ownership and reproduction are retained—copyright 2022.

    29 min

  8. Apr 26

    Innovating Sustainable Packaging with Julia Bialetska

    In this episode, Cory Connors welcomes Julia Bialetska to discuss her journey from bioecology to tech, and ultimately to creating S.Lab — a company producing mycelium‑based packaging that replaces polystyrene. Julia shares how witnessing massive plastic pollution in Bali inspired her to take action, eventually leading to the development of a fully compostable, natural material made from plant waste and mushroom mycelium. She explains the environmental benefits, the challenges in certification and legislation, and the breakthrough technology behind S.Lab’s decentralized mini‑factories designed to eliminate freight and reduce CO₂ emissions. Julia also highlights her Women in Leadership Award, the team’s mission, and the growing demand for truly circular packaging solutions. Key Topics Discussed: Julia’s background in bioecology, software product management, and leadershipThe moment in Bali that motivated her to solve plastic pollution at scaleWhat mycelium is and how it binds plant waste to create a strong, natural packaging materialHow S.Lab’s material replaces polystyrene and other protective packagingBenefits of full home compostability and recent OK Home Compost certificationChallenges with industrial composting, legislation, and certification systemsUse cases across beauty, electronics, décor, and future food/pharma applicationsS.Lab’s patented technology enabling decentralized, on‑site mini‑factoriesHow eliminating freight reduces cost and emissionsThe importance of circularity, sustainability, and leadership in the packaging industryHow companies can partner with S.Lab or pilot a mini‑factoryResources Mentioned: S.Lab OK Home Compost certification (TÜV Austria)S.Lab’s: InstagramS.Lab's: LinkedInJulia Bialetska’s: LinkedInContact: Listeners can connect with Julia and the S.Lab team through their Website, LinkedIn, or Instagram. Julia welcomes direct outreach via LinkedIn. Thank you for tuning in to Sustainable Packaging with Cory Connors! Support our Sponsors  Learn more here: ⁃www.3M.com/sustainablepackaging ⁃https://www.specright.com/ Connect with Cory Connect with Cory on LinkedIn here:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-connors/ I'm here to help you make your packaging more sustainable! Reach out today and I'll get back to you asap.  This podcast is an independent production and the podcast production is an original work of the author. All rights of ownership and reproduction are retained—copyright 2022.

    23 min
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5
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48 Ratings

About

Join industry leaders, innovators, and changemakers as we explore the future of packaging through the lens of sustainability.  Hosted by Cory Connors, an industry expert with over 25 years of experience, and presented by Atlantic Packaging, the leader in innovative sustainable solutions, we dive into what’s working (and what’s not) from cutting-edge materials to circular design strategies that can reduce waste and protect our planet.  Each episode blends real data, expert insights, and a dose of fun to help you stay informed and inspired. Whether you're in the packaging industry or simply passionate about sustainability, this podcast is your weekly go-to resource for making smarter, greener choices.

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