Verdeco HEET™: An Innovative Approach to Hot Fill Packaging

We’re proud to introduce HEET, Verdeco’s revolutionary, sustainable hot fill packaging solution. Inspired by our mission to deliver unmatched value in the plastics economy through material science, process innovation, and customer centricity, we’ve created this rPET innovation that will transform the food and beverage industry and create a more sustainable future for us all.

Verdeco’s HEET

HEET is a groundbreaking solution for hot fill consumables that combines structural strength with eco-friendly sustainability. Hot fill is a packaging method that uses heat to sterilize strongly acidic liquid foods and beverages to extend their shelf life at non-refrigerated conditions. Despite their negative impact on the environment, glass and virgin plastic (PET) have historically been the material of choice for hot fill products due to their ability to withstand the high-heat process without compromising the container’s structural integrity. That’s what makes HEET so remarkable.

Using 100% rPET pellets, HEET gives food and beverage packaging manufacturers a sustainable solution suitable for all FDA-regulated food and beverage products that require hot fill. Following the standard hot fill process, HEET allows for temperatures between 185 and 198 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the product. This kills any bacteria and ensures the product is sterilized before packaging.

HEET is best used for sports drinks, alcoholic beverages, juices, teas, condiments, sauces, and marinades, making it an ideal solution for companies in the food and beverage industry.

What makes this solution so revolutionary is its ability to withstand high temperatures during the packaging process. Most recycled packaging can’t be used in the hot fill process because the contents' temperature would compromise the plastic's structural integrity. HEET allows hot fill products to be packaged with recycled plastic rather than virgin plastic or glass, producing innovative packaging that will enable companies focused on their environmental impact to accomplish their sustainability goals.

HEET’s impact extends beyond sustainable packaging. Since plastic weighs less than glass, it’s easier to transport, meaning trucks can hold more containers and produce less CO2 emissions. This ripple effect is a testament to Verdeco’s ability to create a sustainable future in more ways than one.

Who We Are

At Verdeco, we specialize in creating 100% post-consumer, FDA-approved, food-grade rPET, a sustainable alternative to virgin PET. After sourcing and processing from an extensive list of qualified suppliers, we take hot-washed post-consumer PET flake and crystalize and dry it. The plastic then undergoes a three-step melt extrusion, filtration, and pelletizing process. After a post-pelletizing treatment, the plastic is officially classified as FDA food-grade rPET resin pellets.

Every aspect of our business focuses on driving a zero-waste economy. Our goal is to make a lasting, positive impact for our customers, their products, and the environment we share. With this goal in mind, it’s important to recognize that our solutions are more than just sustainable — they’re high quality. Every member of the Verdeco team is committed to delivering unmatched value in the circular plastics economy through material science, process innovation, and unwavering customer centricity.

Innovation Center of Excellence

At Verdeco, we’re driven to inspire through innovation. To this end, the Verdeco R&D Innovation Center of Excellence allows us to raise the standards for the quality and performance of our solutions. At our innovation headquarters in Greenville, South Carolina, we innovate, perform extensive product quality testing and engage in product development scale-up, all in an effort to deliver speed to market to start shaping a more sustainable future sooner rather than later.

Our product quality testing includes moisture and drying, gas chromatography with headspace to measure benzene, AA, limonene, and any other contaminants, and a measure of color-resin L*, a*, b*, MFR IV, and Solution IV. For product development, we perform crystallization, samples, and IV analysis. Our product development and quality testing processes enable us to create premium rPET pellets that allow us to develop advanced solutions like KLEER to meet specific customer needs.

To learn more about how HEET and Verdeco’s other innovations are shaping a more sustainable future, visit www.verdecorecycling.com or contact us today.