Boston, MA – North Coast Seafoods, a leading East Coast processor, importer, and provider of sustainably sourced, premium-quality seafood, has achieved another industry first – introducing a 100% recyclable, reusable, and scalable packaging solution that not only meets rigorous sustainability goals but also ensures exceptional product integrity, freshness, and performance. This represents a groundbreaking step forward in overall sustainability for the company and the seafood industry as a whole.
For over a decade, North Coast Seafoods has been on a mission to find high-quality, sustainable, and recyclable alternatives to conventional, non-recyclable packaging. The breakthrough finally came through a collaboration with Australia-based Disruptive Packaging.
In their quest, North Coast’s primary challenge was that recyclability alone was not enough. Their ideal packaging solution also had to meet strict performance standards for durability, leak-proofing, and temperature control while remaining scalable across the company’s extensive operations.
After numerous iterations, North Coast has ultimately selected Unicor®, rolling out this innovative packaging across its operations since June 2024. This marks a “first” in the U.S. seafood industry and a significant advancement in minimizing the environmental impact of the seafood supply chain.
Alongside their continued partnership with third-party sustainability organizations and fishery improvement projects (FIPs), identifying a recyclable packaging solution and scaling it across their customer base has been a key focus within North Coast’s sustainability objectives.
Benefits and attributes that make Unicor® the ideal solution for North Coast Seafoods and its customers:
- Composed of up to 70% calcium carbonate and 20-30% HDPE (high-density polyethylene)
- 100% closed-loop recyclable, meaning it can be recycled indefinitely without losing its quality
- Exceptional cold-chain performance, ensuring optimal freshness and temperature control
- Waterproof, leakproof, and resistant to chipping and flaking
- Incredibly durable, passing all required strength, protection, and durability drop tests, and fully compliant with airline packaging approvals.
As Earth Day 2025 approaches, North Coast Seafoods is proud to highlight this milestone and next step in its ongoing commitment to sustainability, stewardship, and responsible operations. By transitioning to 100% recyclable and reusable packaging, the company is taking bold action to reduce waste and lower its environmental footprint while contributing to a more renewable and eco-conscious supply chain.
Looking ahead, North Coast is eagerly working closely with its seafood partners and customers to expand the use of this sustainable packaging solution. Ultimately, this effort reflects the company’s dedication to innovation, collaboration, and integrity —values that will continue to guide North Coast as it drives positive change within the seafood industry.
For more information about North Coast Seafoods and their partnership with Disruptive Packaging, please visit: https://www.northcoastseafoods.com/blogs/sustainability/north-coast-seafoods-launches-recyclable-packaging
About North Coast Seafoods:
Founded in 1957, North Coast is a family-owned, Boston-based, quality-obsessed Seafood company committed to providing a consistent supply of the highest quality, sustainable seafood to the finest restaurants, retailers, food services, educational institutions, and home cooks around the country. North Coast is dedicated to sharing the joy of extraordinary seafood while remaining “Anchored with Integrity.” For more information, please visit www.northcoastseafoods.com.
About Disruptive Packaging:
Disruptive Packaging is revolutionizing the packaging industry with Unicor®, an Australian-engineered and patented solution that is a direct replacement of conventional waxed cardboard and polystyrene packaging. Unicor is composed of between 65-70% Earth-based materials, with 1:1 recyclability in a closed-loop system, or can be recycled in a recycling facility or program. Supplying a variety of producers of seafood and fresh produce globally, Disruptive Packaging strives to create a circular economy that is better for business and the world. To learn more about Disruptive Packaging, please visit www.disruptivepackaging.com
