The entity sought to rethink how Chilean salmon reaches the consumer in highly competitive markets such as the United States, incorporating new perspectives on design, sustainability, functionality and efficiency.
CMPC announced the winning projects of the second version of its Innovation Competition in Packaging, which in its 2025 edition focused on the salmon industry with the aim of promoting sustainable, functional biopackaging solutions aligned with new consumption trends in the United States, the main destination market for Chilean products.
The call, addressed to designers, creatives and entrepreneurs from different parts of the world, who had to propose new packaging formats using cardboard produced by CMPC Biopackaging, was developed in the North American country in alliance with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), through its program MITdesignX, the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) and the Chilean salmon farming company Multi X, and also received the support of ProChile and of SalmonChile, through its Salmon Technology Institute (Intesal).
After an evaluation process of the final projects that successfully completed the process, carried out by an interdisciplinary jury, which considered criteria of sustainability, logistical efficiency, structural design, consumer experience and consistency with the product's premium positioning, three winning projects were selected.
The first place was for Longitude 9°, developed by the team IAMCLIMATE, composed of Jacopo Conti, Noufou Sasso and Marco Galli, project that stood out for a vertical three-compartment packaging system that optimizes transport, reduces waste and facilitates individual consumption, also incorporating a circular approach that allows the package to be given a second life for composting.
As part of the recognition, the winning team will receive a trip to Chile, where they will be able to visit on-site the production processes of CMPC Biopackaging and explore potential future collaboration spaces with the company and industry actors in salmon farming, as well as a prize of USD $2,500.
The winners said they felt proud of having obtained first place in the competition, and emphasized that Longitude 9° is more than a simple box, it is an adaptable packaging language that turns packaging into a cultural and environmental statement.
"The project received first place for its ability to merge design, engineering and storytelling in a scalable and market-ready system," they highlighted.
The second place was awarded to "Skin", del diseñador italiano Tommaso Ceschi, a project that proposes a fully recyclable corrugated cardboard packaging, with a minimalist aesthetic and an optimized structure for logistics, assembly and display in retail points thanks to its innovative lid and slots that evoke the scales of salmon. For Ceschi, who received a prize of USD $1.500, the competition was a passionate moment of work and reflection. "It was a wonderful journey that allowed me to reach this" result, but above all, enjoy and learn something new," he said.
The third place went to "Fjord", by Saiva Datta Kollipara (India), a proposal inspired by the Patagonian fiords that conveys origin, calm and authenticity, the design aims to position the product against the competition by prioritising productive and logistical efficiency. After receiving a USD $1.000 recognition, Saiva stated: "Designing packaging solutions took me out of my comfort zone and being able to present my proposal and reach this stage has been wonderful. Through all the enriching workshops" and the nights of work, I have left this competition as a better designer.
For the Innovation Manager of CMPC Biopackaging Corrugados, Felipe Morales, this competition is a reflection of how the company is seeking innovative solutions together with consumers and the dynamics of the destination markets, and the main actors in each sector. "That we close successfully our second edition of the Innovation in Packaging Competition shows that we are developing a collaborative work that seeks" Accompany our customers in the development of packaging solutions based on natural fibers, capable of responding to both environmental challenges and the demands of highly competitive markets. By opening this challenge to designers from different countries, we incorporate diverse perspectives from very different cultural and consumer contexts, which allows us to generate concrete learning and provide strategic value to the chain. chilean salmon exporter, especially in key markets such as the United States," closed.
