Sustainable Pasta Packaging: Don Quijote’s Shift to Flexographic Printing

In response to growing concerns over the environmental impact of food packaging, Japanese companies are taking innovative steps to cut emissions without compromising quality. A new collaboration between Don Quijote Co., Ltd. (Pan Pacific International Holdings Corporation), Sagawa Printing Co., Ltd., and Asahi Kasei—parent company of Asahi Photoproducts—has led to a significant reduction in CO2 emissions in the printing of frozen pasta packaging.

For the private-label “Yaba Mori Pasta” series, Don Quijote Co., Ltd. has chosen to implement water-based flexographic printing, using Asahi’s AWPTM water-washable flexographic plate. This printing method replaces conventional solvent-based gravure printing, a dominant practice in Japan, and marks a forward-thinking step in sustainable food packaging.

Sagawa Printing established the optimal printing conditions for this transition in close collaboration with Asahi Kasei. According to their calculations, this method is expected to reduce CO2 emissions from the printing process by approximately 60 percent compared to conventional gravure systems.

Water-based flexographic printing inherently generates fewer emissions, thanks to the water-based inks and the AWPTM plate’s development process.

While solvent-based gravure printing continues to dominate Japan’s packaging industry, growing environmental awareness is driving interest in more sustainable alternatives. The “Yaba Mori Pasta” packaging serves as a tangible example of how food brands can reduce their environmental footprint through innovation in print technology.

Through partnerships like this, Asahi aims to contribute to a more sustainable society, promoting the elimination of VOCs and supporting cleaner production processes across the food packaging sector.