HAS students innovate with food packaging

During the annual HAS Food Experience, more than 150 students from HAS green academy presented their innovative concepts, each addressing key challenges in the food industry. This year’s theme, ‘Next Food Waves’, focused on the future of food and the trends shaping the industry. We highlight four projects from this promising new generation of innovators.

Kiki Jansen

The icing on the cream cake

Kiki Jansen dedicated the 20 weeks of her project to developing packaging for cakes in the retail sector.

“During my part-time job at a supermarket and through targeted research, I often saw cakes getting damaged inside their packaging before even reaching the consumer. A real shame of course. That sparked the idea for my new packaging design.

I developed multiple prototypes, experimented with different closures, and designed inlays that prevent cakes from sliding around. You can’t secure a cake too tightly—otherwise, it gets damaged. The concept isn’t plastic-free, but it is designed so that the paper and plastic elements can be separated more easily than in existing packaging, where the plastic window is glued to the paper box.

For my research, I was allowed to visit Dam bakery in Nieuw-Beijerland. Seeing the production process firsthand was incredibly insightful and essential in developing my new packaging solution. One of the biggest challenges I faced was that some concepts simply didn’t work: the closures weren’t secure enough, or the packaging couldn’t be delivered flat. Flat delivery is crucial since the boxes are folded on-site during production. But all that experimenting paid off. I learned a lot about structural design, really enjoyed creating different prototypes, and, most importantly, to develop a concept that works well!”

from left to right Laura de Kock, Teun Smulders and Anthony Burger

Popeyes Protein

Anthony Burger, Laura de Kock, and Teun Smulders developed a pilot process to extract a decolorized protein powder from spinach leaves—and it won them an award!

The food industry relies on neutral-colored, versatile plant-based protein products. Due to its green color, spinach protein hasn’t been a viable option. Three Food Technology students at HAS green academy were tasked with finding a solution as part of the protein transition research group.

“We successfully extracted a decolorized (white) protein powder from spinach leaves in a lab setting, achieving a protein content of 40%,” Anthony explains. “The powder is largely fiber-based. We designed the process to preserve the functional properties of the proteins—maintaining a neutral pH and minimizing heat exposure. We then conducted a theoretical scale-up, analyzing financial feasibility, production capacity, and mass balance.”

That’s where the students encountered a sustainability challenge. “The solvent used in the process needed to be recovered,” Teun adds. “So, we developed a distillation process to reclaim the solvent. Another issue was using fresh spinach as a raw material. It can be sourced directly from farmers but has a low protein content—around 3.0% on average. That’s why we designed the process to work with various leafy greens, such as algae or water lentils, which were recently approved by the EFSA for human consumption. These green ingredients contain around 40% protein!”

Their innovative process won them the HAS Foodmanship award in the Production & Technology category. Additionally, Agrifood Capital, a proud ambassador of the HAS Food Experience, awarded them the ‘Impact Accelerator’, giving them access to a valuable innovation network.

What the team found most exciting was developing an entire process and final product from an initial research question. “The powder’s properties make it suitable for a wide range of food applications,” Laura explains. “Think of protein-enriched pizza for elderly consumers who need extra protein, where part of the flour of the base can be replaced by protein powder. Several companies at the Food Experience event already expressed interest in our solution!”

Imme Breugem

Soft fruit friendly packaging

Imme Breugem developed an innovative fruit packaging solution that complies with the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which will ban single-use plastic packaging for fruit under 1.5 kg starting in 2030.

Imme’s design considers both the fruit and consumer requirements. “The packaging is made from FSC-certified kraft cardboard, a food-safe and recyclable material,” Imme explains. “Its conical shape makes it stackable, saving space during transport. A food-safe paper insert with a ribbed layer absorbs shocks and prevents fruit from being damaged. Ventilation holes help regulate moisture levels. The packaging also features a reusable lid with a cut-out pattern. Unlike plastic, cardboard isn’t transparent, but the pattern allows consumers to identify the type of fruit inside. It also provides partial visibility so consumers can check for spoiled fruit.”

To refine her concept, Imme consulted fruit growers and packaging manufacturers. “That gave me valuable insight into the different requirements and challenges within the supply chain. I also learned how crucial it is to test and refine prototypes to optimize the concept.” She designed two versions: one with an attached lid and another with a separate lid. “I would have loved to test these designs within the supply chain,” she says. “Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time. Theoretically, it works, but I now know there are always unforeseen challenges in practice.”

Imme also tested various base designs for shock absorption and analyzed how strawberries held up over several days. “One challenge was ensuring reliable testing. Factors like temperature fluctuations in the fridge could affect the results. A large-scale test under controlled conditions would have been ideal, but I didn’t have the resources or time for that either.” The enthusiastic responses she received at HAS Food Experience were incredibly motivating. “Hopefully, my packaging will be used in practice! The regulation doesn’t take effect until 2030, but why wait until the last minute?”

Berend de Vries

‘Squeeze the heat!’

Berend de Vries designed an innovative chili sauce bottle: a recycled paper bottle shaped like a curved chili pepper, with a flexible pouch inside. A viewing window lets consumers see how much sauce is left inside.

“Following the PPWR guidelines for design for recycling, I investigated the main obstacles to recycling current sauce packaging,” Berend explains. “Issues include the use of multi-materials, labels that are difficult to remove, and leftover food residue that disrupts recycling processes. Reusable packaging could be the answer to raw material shortages, but consumers and retailers aren’t ready for that yet. So, I focused on a highly recyclable packaging.”

“One key challenge is encouraging consumers to properly separate and dispose of packaging. Rewarding behavior is always more effective than penalizing it. A common frustration is that sauce bottles don’t empty completely. In my design, the reward consists of being able to utilize all the sauce; there will be no sauce left behind. When the bottle is nearly empty, the label peels away, causing the bottle to fall apart. The pouch can then be fully squeezed out. This prevents food waste and makes waste separation easy—the paper chili goes with paper recycling, and the pouch goes with plastic waste. That way, all materials end up in the correct recycling streams.”

“The best part was experimenting with paper pulp. It was tricky to achieve the right chili shape without wasting too much volume. There had to be enough room for the sauce inside!”

Many companies struggle to create packaging that is both fully recyclable and appealing to consumers on store shelves. The challenge is finding a balance between sustainability and ease of use—without placing too much responsibility on the consumer. This concept is a great example of that balance.”

Main photo: ©Karin Jonkers, other photos: ©Ronnie Wijnhoven and Kato Sluis