Paperboard consumer packaging leader Graphic Packaging International (Graphic Packaging) is celebrating after winning a prestigious European Carton Excellence Award.

The trophy, presented in front of industry luminaries at the ECMA Congress in Krakow, Poland, was awarded to Graphic Packaging for their work with McDonald’s in creating a more sustainable replacement for their previous fresh salad box.

McDonald’s molded fiber bowl with a plastic lid has been replaced by a recyclable, one-piece paperboard pack, helping the fast food giant fulfill its target of sourcing 100% of its guest packaging from renewable, recycled or certified sources by 2025.

The new salad box is hexagonal in shape, making it distinctive and memorable, with strong aesthetics, helping to present the salads in an attractive and appetizing way. This visual appeal is further enhanced by the fact that the boxes can be printed on all sides and in full color, which was not possible with the molded fiber bowls previously used.

In addition, the new packs’ one-piece construction with an integrated lid increases convenience for the consumer. They can be easily opened and resealed without any likelihood of the lid being misplaced or separating from the bowl.