Zoono Group (ASX: ZNO) has signed an exclusive five-year agreement with Mpact Operations to incorporate its antimicrobial technology into food packaging across South Africa and Namibia.
Zoono Group (ASX: ZNO) has signed an exclusive five-year agreement with Mpact Operations -- the largest paper, plastics, and recycling company in southern Africa -- to incorporate its antimicrobial technology into food packaging across South Africa and Namibia.
The partnership, executed through Zoono's food supply chain partner OSY Group, covers corrugated board-based packaging used for grapes, stone fruit, and berries, with an initial purchase order expected in December.
Minimum purchases over the term total NZ$5.1 million (approximately A$4.65m), with Mpact granted exclusivity for the application of Zoono and OSY's shelf-life extension products on those packaging formats within its markets.
Expanding Global Food Packaging Footprint
The agreement marks the latest milestone in Zoono's expansion strategy following its ++exclusive supply deal++with the UK division of a major European food packaging manufacturer earlier this year.
It also follows several years of testing and validation of Zoono's antimicrobial formulations and OSY's application technology across diverse product types, producers and supermarket chains.
Zoono said the Mpact deal reflects the growing commercial adoption of its solution and the success of its model of partnering with established packaging manufacturers to integrate antimicrobial capability into their production lines.
The Zoono-OSY system, which extends the shelf life of fresh produce by preventing microbial spoilage without transferring chemicals to the food itself, complies with international Food Contact Material Regulations and has been validated for safety and efficacy in extending freshness, reducing waste, and improving consistency in supply chains.
Zoono said even a one-day extension in shelf life can cut food waste by up to 50% for certain products, producing meaningful cost savings for retailers and reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with discarded produce.
Commercial and Environmental Impact
Mpact, which operates 38 manufacturing and recycling facilities across southern Africa, collected more than 588,000 tonnes of recyclable packaging in the past year and is pursuing sustainable innovations to enhance its closed-loop production systems.
Integrating Zoono's antimicrobial solution into corrugated packaging will help Mpact's customers -- including exporters and supermarket suppliers -- maintain product quality through longer transport and storage cycles.
Zoono said its technology provides packaging producers with a competitive advantage and supports global efforts to reduce food waste, which the United Nations estimates at over US$2.6 trillion annually.
The agreement, Zoono said, aligns its antimicrobial expertise with Mpact's sustainability leadership, creating a new platform for reducing food waste and advancing environmentally responsible packaging solutions.
Zoono and OSY plan to extend their technology into other packaging formats beyond corrugated board and continue forming strategic partnerships with leading global manufacturers.