Get Started Today!

Shipping temperature-sensitive products shouldn’t come at the expense of the environment. Great Northern Packaging provides biodegradable shipping coolers that protect your goods while reducing landfill waste. Our Green Cell Foam coolers deliver the thermal performance your business needs — without the environmental burden of traditional EPS foam.

Green Cell Packaging Foam products offer environmentally responsible production protection:

  • made from high-grade, non-GMO cornstarch
  • naturally anti-static, with natural desiccant properties
  • biodegradable and compostable
  • closed-cell foam, available in 2.3 to 4.8 pound densities
  • corrugated design for optimal cushioning and load stability

Ideal for single-use coolers, and an excellent choice for pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, supplements, specialty foods and other perishable products.

    First Name *
    Last Name *
    Company *
    Phone
    Email *
    Location *
    How do you prefer to be contacted? (select only one of the following)
    Will the order be shipped to this location? *
    Ship-to Location *

    TYPE OF PACKAGING * (select all that apply)

    In addition to packaging, do you have any retail display needs?
    Order Quantity *
    Existing Customer *
    One-Time Order or Ongoing *
    Please tell us any additional information that you have that would be helpful *

    Compostable Foam Packaging for Perishable Products

    Styrofoam is a type of plastic that is not biodegradable and takes many years to break down. Biodegradable foam packaging, made from cornstarch, offers an eco-friendly alternative. It is compostable, anti-static, and ideal for pharmaceuticals, specialty foods and other perishable products.

    The Sustainable and High-Performance Alternative to EPS Foam

    Styrofoam — also known as EPS foam — has been the go-to material for perishable shipping for decades. While lightweight and insulating, EPS foam poses a significant environmental problem. It is not biodegradable, difficult to recycle and contributes to overflowing landfills and ocean pollution.

    Designed to match and often exceed the performance of EPS foam, our biodegradable shipping coolers offer the following benefits:

    • FDA-approved for food contact: Certified safe for shipping perishables.
    • Reduces landfill waste: Safe for industrial composting and backyard disposal.
    • Superior product protection: Maintains cold chain integrity for sensitive goods.
    • Customizable to fit your needs: Built to exact product dimensions for maximum efficiency.
    • Fully compostable and biodegradable: Made from non-GMO cornstarch that breaks down naturally.
    Great northern's 2024 sustainability report

    Key Features of Our Biodegradable Coolers

    Explore the many features of our Green Cell Packaging Foam products.

    Our coolers are built from Green Cell Foam, a renewable material derived from non-GMO U.S. cornstarch. Unlike petroleum-based EPS, Green Cell Foam is sustainable, compostable and biodegradable. When disposed of properly, it breaks down safely in commercial composting facilities or backyard compost piles, leaving no harmful residues behind.

    Performance matters when shipping perishables. Our insulated shipping boxes maintain temperature control for up to 48 hours, ensuring pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, gourmet foods and meal kits stay fresh and safe during transit. Independent lab testing confirms that Green Cell Foam’s insulation performance equals — and often surpasses — traditional EPS foam.

    We understand trust is essential in regulated industries. That’s why our products come with multiple certifications and approvals, including:

    • FDA-approved for direct food contact.
    • Compostable under ASTM D6400 standards.
    • Biodegradable in industrial and home composting environments.

    With Great Northern Packaging, you get packaging that meets the highest safety and sustainability standards.

    Every product has unique shipping requirements. That’s why we offer custom-fit biodegradable shipping coolers tailored to your exact dimensions. Customization improves protection and reduces void space and waste, optimizing both cost and sustainability.

    Our biodegradable coolers are trusted by industries where performance and compliance are nonnegotiable, including:

    • Pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals: Maintain sustainable cold chain packaging integrity for medications, supplements and sensitive compounds.
    • Specialty and gourmet foods: Confidently protect fresh seafood, chocolates, cheeses and baked goods.
    • Meal kit delivery: Keep ingredients farm-fresh while meeting customer demand for eco-friendly packaging.
    • Electronics: Anti-static and stable, it’s ideal for delicate shipments of electronics and technology.

    Get Started With Custom Eco-Friendly Shipping Coolers

    At Great Northern Packaging, we combine sustainability, performance and convenience. Our biodegradable shipping coolers are designed to simplify your sourcing process while ensuring safe delivery of sensitive goods.

    Ready to replace EPS foam with a better solution? Contact Great Northern today to request a quote and discover how our biodegradable coolers can support your business — and the planet.

    What Makes Great Northern Different?

    Consultative

    We provide valuable packaging expertise for our customers to optimize the supply chain and stand out in the retail environment.

    Learn More See it in Action
    Creative

    Work with our award-winning design team to create impressive packaging that protects your products and makes your brand stand out.

    Learn More See it in Action
    Cost-Effective

    Our solution-focused engineering teams develop functional packaging that helps our customers achieve their ROI targets.

    Learn More See it in Action
    Reliable

    We keep our projects on track for success by staying within budget and meeting deadlines so you know when your packaging will be ready.

    Learn More See it in Action
    Responsive

    We're always available to discuss timelines, project specifications and more - reach out today to talk to our team about your packaging needs.

    Learn More See it in Action
    Quality

    All of our work is completed in-house, allowing us to ensure the highest quality for everything we manufacture.

    Learn More See it in Action

    Great Expectations

    Great Expectations is more than a tagline, it is an attitude. At Great Northern, customer challenges are met by an undying spirit to doing what others can’t or won’t. It’s in our DNA. And it is what our customers have come to expect with Great Northern.

    How can we exceed your expectations?

    Contact Us