From Waste to Wisdom: How Culimer USA Transformed Their Waste Footprint with Scrapp

When premium seafood importer Culimer USA faced mounting packaging regulations and sustainability pressures, they turned to Scrapp's waste intelligence services. With better data, clearer insight and actionable recommendations, their packaging teams are ready for more accurate quantification of their impact beyond the shelf.

The Challenge: Complex Packaging Meets New Regulations

Culimer USA imports high-quality frozen seafood and sushi ingredients across North America. They currently hold Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certifications and working towards B-Corporation status. The company is dedicated to high-quality products while minimizing its impact on the environment.

With EPR regulations launching in Oregon, California, and Colorado, customers of Culimer USA wanted greater insight into the impact of the packaging Culimer utilizes. Culimer USA needed to quickly understand their waste footprint and prepare for sustainability reporting.

The Solution: Data-Driven Waste Intelligence

Scrapp's comprehensive approach went beyond theoretical recyclability to analyze actual end-market outcomes. Using their database of tens of thousands waste programs, Scrapp provided unprecedented visibility into Culimer USA's packaging reality in the North American markets.

Key actions included:

• Waste footprint analysis: Used Scrapp's end-market data to analyze the entire waste footprint of Culimer's product line across the US from theoretical to practical recycling rates, as well as accessibility.
• Infrastructure optimization: Offered recommendations on how to improve recycling rates by optimizing packaging formats for existing waste infrastructure.
• Custom reporting: Built a custom, co-branded report for stakeholders to use to make a more informed waste reduction strategy and highlight areas to reduce the impact of packaging (economically and environmentally) for ESG reporting.
• EPR preparation: Worked closely with the team to organize and streamline the data requirements that will be pertinent for EPR reporting in various US states, if Culimer is classified as a producer.
• Standards compliance: Adhered to GS1 standards throughout the process to track the inflows and outflows of waste at the GTIN level, offering interoperability with the rest of the supply chain.
• Sustainable packaging assessment: Scrapp compared Culimer's packaging against traditional seafood packaging to allow the team to understand the impact of the changes they have already made.

The analysis revealed that while Culimer's packaging was mostly recyclable, actual recycling rates were significantly lower due to contamination and infrastructure limitations outside of the companies control. Multi-layer films protecting seafood freshness were particularly problematic, with many recycling programs unable to process these materials due to low secondary material value and complexity.

The Results: Measurable Impact and Industry Leadership

Scrapp's platform delivered impressive outcomes across multiple metrics:

• Identified Polyethylene-coated trays account for 10.5% of waste footprint
• 54% recyclability improvement possible by shifting to uncoated compostable trays
• 37% reduction in landfill waste achievable through material transitions
• Full EPR compliance readiness with automated reporting capabilities

The partnership positioned Culimer USA as a sustainability leader in the seafood industry. Major grocery chains now cite the sustainable packaging innovations as a purchasing factor, turning environmental responsibility into competitive advantage.

"The Scrapp Initiative is a good example of Culimer USA's commitment to continuous improvement and environmental stewardship. By tackling the challenges identified in this project and implementing innovative solutions that align with customer expectations, we aim to help lead the seafood industry toward meaningful progress and a more sustainable future."

Renee Perry, VP of CSR & ESG at Culimer USA

‍

You can see the full impact of Culimer's sustainability efforts in their impact report. Find us on page 18!

Understand Your Waste Footprint Today

Culimer USA's transformation demonstrates how technology-enabled waste intelligence can turn packaging challenges into opportunities. With EPR regulations expanding and consumers demanding sustainable solutions, proactive companies are gaining competitive advantages while reducing environmental impact and legislative risk.

Ready to unlock similar results for your organization? Don't wait for regulatory deadlines and high waste costs to force reactive changes.

Book your 15-minute chat with the team to learn more →

Discover how Scrapp's comprehensive waste intelligence platform can transform your sustainability strategy by transitioning your company to zero waste, ensuring EPR compliance, and driving meaningful cost savings - just like it did for Culimer USA.

‍

‍

Check out our other industry-first reports and reach out to the team if you would like one for your organization!