Seafood firm shells out on compostable packaging

Dawnfresh Seafoods, is launching an easy peel, jumbo, ready-to-eat prawn in the UK seafood industry's first compostable packaging solution.

Branded under the All Natural Seafood Company, the product is the latest addition to a portfolio that Dawnfresh Seafoods has developed in partnership with a Canadian firm, which shares its name with the brand.

The jumbo white king prawns, cooked-in-shell, are sourced from Thailand, the world's biggest producer of warm water prawns. They are free from artificial colours, phosphate and brine.

The packaging is a complete bio-degradable solution with all the key components including tray, lid, peach pad and c-strap label made from compostable or bio-degradable materials. The tray and lidding material, which has previously been used for dry goods, has been specially developed by Dawnfresh in conjunction with Asda and packaging company RHP for use with wet products.

Andy Stapley, md of Dawnfresh Seafoods, says: "This product offers the consumer the taste benefits of cooked-in-shell prawns, but with the convenience of easy peel. Unlike those supplied by competitors, these prawns have no added water to bulk them out and absolutely nothing added, so offer the consumer a totally natural taste."

The 160g product will retail at £2.78.