At Marca 2026 in Bologna (14–15 January 2026), Smurfit Westrock Italia used the private-label show to spotlight a shift many brand owners are already experiencing: sustainability is becoming inseparable from consumer experience. The company presented Fresko Box as a temperature-controlled shipping solution for premium food, positioned as an alternative to higher-impact insulation materials and framed within a broader move towards paper-based packaging design.
According to Italian trade media coverage, Fresko Box is a patent-pending corrugated kit composed of a base and lid, with dedicated space for eutectic plates (cold accumulators). The performance target communicated around the launch was clear: keep contents within a 2–8°C range for up to 120 hours, while avoiding the use of polystyrene. Fresko Box was described as a ready-to-use kit, so the customer only needs to insert refrigerant plates and products. Two versions were mentioned: Fresko Box and Fresko Box Plus.
The project was presented as a cross-site development effort involving the Anzio design team, the Experience Centre in Pastrengo (Italy) and the European Development & Test Centre in Hoogeveen (Netherlands), and it is manufactured by the Display Division plant in Anzio, near Rome. Smurfit Westrock also pointed to potential extensions beyond food, citing future relevance for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, and even (potentially) frozen goods.
The timing reflects a broader market direction. Insulated shipping has long relied on EPS, but suppliers have been accelerating fibre-based alternatives that aim to protect thermal integrity while improving handling efficiency, often through modular kits and high-impact print surfaces. Smurfit Westrock’s broader eCommerce offer, for example, has positioned paper-based insulated boxes as an alternative to EPS solutions.
What makes the Fresko Box story especially “consumer-oriented” is where the pack ends up: at home. In premium delivery, the shipper becomes part of the brand’s credibility, unboxing, handling instructions and, crucially, disposal. Smurfit Westrock Italia also framed packaging as a marketing lever that can influence consumer choice, not just a back-office procurement decision, an argument aligned with the industry push to make sustainability both visible and functional.
Image Credits: Smurfit Westrock
