From quick tuna sandwiches and creamy pasta to rice bowls and easy baon ideas, canned tuna has long been a reliable staple in Filipino kitchens. It is affordable, versatile, easy to prepare, and convenient to keep in the pantry for days when cooking an elaborate meal simply is not an option.
Now, a new packaging innovation could give this familiar favorite a fresh look.
Tetra Pak is introducing Tetra Recart®, a paper-based carton packaging format for shelf-stable tuna, to the Philippine market. Following its commercial launch in Europe earlier this year, the innovation offers Filipino tuna producers another way to package their products, with potential benefits for convenience, branding, and sustainability.
For food lovers who are used to seeing tuna in the familiar round can, the rectangular carton presents a different option for a product that has earned its place in everyday meals.
A familiar favorite gets a new look
Tuna is one of those ingredients that can easily save the day in the kitchen. Mix it with mayonnaise for a sandwich filling, toss it with pasta and garlic, add it to a salad, or serve it over rice with your favorite toppings. It can be the star of a quick lunch or a practical ingredient for a last-minute dinner.
The challenge for food manufacturers is finding ways to make this pantry essential even more appealing while responding to changing consumer preferences.
Tetra Recart® is designed for a range of shelf-stable tuna products, including spreads, flakes, shredded tuna, and chunks. Additional preparations may follow as the category develops.
Unlike conventional round cans, the carton has a rectangular shape and broad, flat surfaces that allow brands to display product information and packaging designs more prominently. Its compact form is also designed to make more efficient use of shelf and warehouse space.
The format is intended to work well for online shopping, home delivery, and meal kits, too, where products need to be packed and transported efficiently.
According to Tetra Pak, global consumer research found that more than 80% of consumers surveyed would buy tuna in Tetra Recart® packaging, while 58% said they preferred it over existing tuna packaging alternatives.
These findings suggest that shoppers may be open to trying a different format for a product they already know and enjoy.
Why the Philippines matters
The Philippines is already a major player in the global tuna industry. In 2024, the country exported 130,708 metric tonnes of tuna valued at US$479 million, with canned tuna accounting for the largest share.
Behind those figures are fishing communities, processing facilities, workers, and businesses that help bring Filipino seafood to local and international markets.
As the industry looks for opportunities to grow, packaging can become part of the conversation. Instead of competing mainly on volume, producers can explore ways to distinguish their products through presentation, convenience, and environmental considerations.
The opportunity is particularly relevant to export markets, where brands must respond to changing retailer expectations and consumer interest in more sustainable packaging.
Europe is an important destination for Philippine tuna. In 2024, the Philippines exported US$284.26 million worth of canned tuna to the European Union, with Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands among the markets served. The country ranked fourth among the bloc’s leading canned tuna exporters.
For Filipino producers hoping to strengthen their presence overseas, a different packaging format could provide another way to make their products stand out.
Could cartons be a more sustainable choice?
Packaging is not always the first thing we consider when buying food, but it can be an important part of the product’s overall environmental impact.
Tetra Pak says Tetra Recart® has a carbon footprint 85% lower than steel cans and 83% lower than glass jars. The company also says the carton uses up to 71% FSC-certified paper, sourced from responsibly managed forests and other controlled sources.
According to the company, the difference in emissions could amount to 21,000 tonnes less carbon dioxide for every one million cans replaced, based on its stated comparison.
These figures offer a glimpse of why packaging alternatives are attracting attention as food manufacturers look for ways to reduce their environmental footprint.
Still, sustainability involves more than the material used to package a product. How packaging is collected, sorted, and processed after use also matters, so consumers should consider local recycling and waste-management options when evaluating different formats.
What this could mean for Filipino food lovers
For consumers, the most immediate question is simple: Will the new carton make tuna more convenient to buy, store, or use in everyday cooking?
Tetra Recart® is designed to help brands present shelf-stable food in a compact, sturdy format. Its introduction could eventually give shoppers more packaging choices, depending on which Philippine tuna producers adopt the technology and bring products to market.
For now, the announcement is primarily about an opportunity for the local tuna industry rather than a confirmation that specific carton-packed tuna products are already available in Philippine supermarkets.
Larry Tobias, business development director for Tetra Pak Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia, said the next stage of growth for the country’s tuna industry will depend partly on its ability to respond to changing expectations in international markets, including the growing focus on lower-carbon packaging.
Converting suitable tuna products from cans and glass jars to cartons, he said, could help Philippine producers strengthen their export offerings and support long-term growth.
For a pantry staple that has found its way into countless Filipino meals, a change in packaging might seem like a small development. But it could open up new possibilities for the businesses that produce our food and the brands we see on supermarket shelves.
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