KIND Launches Fully Recyclable Paper Wrapper, Pioneering a New Era in Snack Packaging

The brand's second paper wrapper pilot will be available at select Whole Foods Market stores across the United States

NEW YORK, May 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, KIND® Snacks, the brand known for its delicious and nourishing snacks, introduced its first curbside recyclable paper wrapper pilot in the U.S. This industry-leading innovation marks a significant step in achieving a recycle-ready wrapper for the bars category while the brand continues to make progress towards its goal of ensuring all packaging is designed for recyclability by 2030. Made with pulpable paper, KIND's pilot will leverage a curbside recyclable, How2Recycle pre-qualified paper type. This innovative packaging material will help make it possible for consumers to recycle, enabling them to make a kinder choice - both on the shelf and for the planet.

The KIND paper wrapper will be available exclusively at select Whole Foods Market stores across Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Texas, southern California and select stores in Louisiana, Arizona and Nevada starting May 1^st through October 1^st while supplies last for KIND's best-selling Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt single bars.

"Our collaboration with KIND represents a true paradigm shift in sustainable packaging," says Whole Foods Market Principal Packaging Advisor, Sandra Lewis. "Through their innovative development of this recyclable paper wrapper, they're fundamentally reimagining how snack foods can be packaged. Working together to bring this solution to our shelves represents a significant milestone in our mission to reduce single-use plastics."

This innovation builds upon KIND's first pilot of a paper-based wrapper in 2023, which was an eCommerce trial available exclusively on kindsnacks.com. This initial pilot was instrumental to KIND's progress. It gave the brand a robust foundation of consumer feedback and performance insights, like preliminary shelf life, transit and machinability data. After spending the last year in R&D integrating learnings, KIND and its partners are excited to bring this improved, fully recyclable wrapper to market.  

"At KIND, we're constantly listening to our consumers, and what we hear is clear -- they want products that not only deliver exceptional quality but also align with their values," says Osher Hoberman, Chief Marketing Officer of KIND North America. "This new paper wrapper pilot is a direct result of that feedback. We're proud to continue to lead the industry with bold, forward-thinking and innovative solutions, not just for our packaging, but across our entire product portfolio."

KIND's technical packaging partner, Printpack, was instrumental in developing this latest version, which is a How2Recycle pre-qualified curbside recyclable wrapper. "Developing a recyclable paper wrapper in less than two years demonstrates remarkable progress in sustainable packaging innovation," says Printpack Chief Strategy Officer, David Love. "This breakthrough sets a new standard for sustainable solutions in the food packaging industry and shows what's possible when companies prioritize environmental stewardship."

KIND's ambitious packaging goal, to help make all of its packaging designed for recyclability by 2030, is part of the brand's overall sustainability strategy. This latest paper wrapper pilot will continue KIND's legacy of leading the industry through projects and pilots grounded in science with scalability in mind. To learn more about KIND's packaging innovation and paper wrapper, visit https://www.kindsnacks.com/paper-wrapper.

About KIND® Snacks
Since Day 1, KIND has had a vision for a kinder and healthier world. A world in which people never have to choose between what tastes good, feels good, and does good when it comes to their snacking.

Our iconic KIND® bars – made with real, recognizable ingredients – sparked the growth of an entirely new nutritious and delicious snacking category back in 2004. Now, KIND has a family of more than 80 snacks that offer solutions for a variety of occasions. All of KIND's products lead with a nutrient-dense first ingredient – like nuts or whole grains – and do not contain genetically engineered ingredients, sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners. It's all KINDs of good.

To learn more about KIND, please visit www.kindsnacks.com and join us on TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. 

About Printpack
Printpack is a privately held manufacturer of flexible and specialty rigid packaging headquartered in Atlanta, GA, with manufacturing operations throughout the United States and Mexico. Printpack partners with the world's leading CPG brands to deliver packaging solutions that enhance brand differentiation, shelf life, consumer experience, and sustainability impacts.

 The company's commitment to sustainable packaging innovation is demonstrated through its portfolio of recyclable solutions, including store drop-off recyclable, all-polyethylene structures, and investments in advanced recycling technologies. Printpack's expertise in material science, packaging design, and manufacturing excellence helps brands navigate complex sustainability requirements while maintaining package performance. For more information, visit www.printpack.com. 

SOURCE KIND Healthy Snacks