Dutch chemicals group Avantium (Amsterdam; www.avantium.com) has agreed to supply compatriot packaging maker Refresco (Rotterdam; www.refresco.com/en) with its 100% plant-based and circular material polyethylene furanoate (PEF).

Refresco plans to use the PEF to make plastic bottles for Dutch retail chain Albert Heijn, which has 1,250 stores, a move expected to make the containers the first application with the material to be introduced at the outlets once Avantium’s commercial plant for PEF becomes operational. The retailer claims to be the first supermarket chain in the world to introduce PEF packaging for own-brand products.

Related: Avantium signs offtake deal with luxury brand LVMH 

Avantium is currently building the world’s first commercial plant at a Dutch site in Delfzijl for 5,000 t of furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), the key building block for PEF, with commercial-scale production expected to start in the second half of 2024. Once this has been established, PEF production will be scaled up to plants of 100,000 t/y and more for large-scale manufacturing of FDCA and PEF through technology licensing.

Avantium chief executive Tom van Aken said with Albert Heijn as a partner, his firm could expand the PEF value chain to meet the growing global demand for circular and renewable material solutions.