Rolling out under the John West brand, the launch builds on Thai Union's product innovations across France and Italy, and signals a broader format shift across its branded portfolio

BANGKOK, July 2, 2026 — Thai Union Group PCL, a global seafood leader, today announced the launch of the industry's first shelf-stable tuna product in a recyclable mono-material pouch, developed in collaboration with packaging supplier Mondi. It brings new recipes and a more convenient format to consumers without compromising on recyclability, a technical challenge that has limited flexible packaging in the seafood category for decades.

The new pouch debuted last month in the U.K. and Ireland under John West, one of Thai Union's leading European brands, sold as Stir & Serve. It is now on shelves at Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Asda, and Ocado, with further retailer expansion planned across 2026.

The ready meal and meal kit industry continues to boom across Europe, as desire for convenient, quick and easy to use products holds mass appeal. The launch of Stir & Serve allows John West to enter this market, with hearty pieces of tuna served in popular dinnertime flavors. For ultimate convenience, the pouch format dominants within this sector, conventionally made from aluminum foil and mixed plastic layered pouches that cannot be recycled in standard streams. The launch of Stir & Serve allows John West to be a step ahead, with a recyclable format.

The launch contributes to Thai Union's SeaChange® 2030 commitment to have 100% of branded products use sustainable packaging across all formats, alongside canned innovations such as John West's ECOTWIST®. The company reported 91% progress at the end of 2025.

Erwan Vilfeu, President, Ambient Branded at Thai Union Group, said: "We’re seeing new consumer segments that are increasingly hungry for lighter, more convenient formats. Stir & Serve proves that a recyclable pouch can deliver the shelf life and quality consumers expect, but in a format that opens new meal occasions with delicious new recipes. It builds on the innovation journey we began with Petit Navire's Et Hop! in France and Mareblu's Frigo in Italy, and it sets the standard for the rest of our shelf-stable portfolio as we extend the format to more brands."

Inside the pouch

The new pouch is made from polypropylene, which can be disposed of in many existing recycling streams throughout Europe. Advanced film technology, with protective elements measured in nanometers rather than millimeters, delivers the oxygen and moisture protection needed to keep the tuna shelf-stable for 18 months at room temperature, replacing the aluminum foil layer that has historically made retort pouches difficult to recycle.

The film was developed by Mondi for shelf-stable food applications and engineered with Thai Union for seafood retort processing across project sites in Portugal, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Stir & Serve is the first to bring the format to market on a commercial scale.

The pouch is light and compact by design, with under 7 grams of packaging material per 300 grams of product. That contributes to a smaller transport footprint, reducing fuel use and emissions across the supply chain. The 18-month shelf life also helps reduce spoilage at retail and in the home, addressing food waste alongside the packaging advance.

A simpler way to put dinner on the table

The John West Stir & Serve pouch opens easily and is positioned as a two-minute meal solution that can be stirred through pasta, rice, or noodles.

Each pouch contains between 42-46 grams of protein depending on the flavor, and two servings per pouch with less than 300 calories per serving. The tuna inside each pouch is MSC-certified skipjack prepared using a specialized process that produces larger pieces of fish for a more substantial protein centerpiece at dinnertime.

Four flavors are available at launch: Tomato & Basil, Soy, Ginger & Honey, Mild Curry, and Spicy Mexican. All four are free from artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. Once opened, the pouch can be stored in the fridge for up to two days, supporting use across multiple meals. The launch extends John West from its established lunchtime position into the evening meal, part of a wider Thai Union effort to bring shelf-stable seafood into more flexible meal occasions.

The mono-material pouch technology will continue rolling out across Thai Union's branded portfolio through 2026, with Et Hop! and the first four Chicken of the Sea pouch products transitioning to the recyclable format by the end of 2026. Additional launches, including under John West in the Netherlands, are planned to follow.