Pactiv Evergreen
A North American manufacturer and distributor of food, foodservice, beverage, and consumer packaging products.
Last updated August 27, 2026
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Overview
Pactiv Evergreen was a North American manufacturer and distributor of food and consumer packaging products. Its customers included food packers and processors, supermarkets, restaurants, institutions, and other foodservice operators. The company's portfolio covered packaging made from paperboard, plastic, aluminum, molded fiber, foam, and related materials, allowing it to serve applications ranging from fresh and prepared foods to beverages and institutional foodservice. The business was created in 2020 through the initial public offering of Reynolds Group Holdings Limited, bringing together the Pactiv and Evergreen Packaging operations that had previously been assembled within the Reynolds Group structure. Pactiv represented the larger foodservice and food-merchandising packaging platform, while Evergreen Packaging contributed beverage cartons and related paper-based packaging capabilities. Both businesses had substantially older industrial histories. Pactiv's lineage included Packaging Corporation of America, formed in 1959 through the merger of Central Fibre, American Boxboard, and Ohio Boxboard. After Tenneco acquired that business in 1965, successive acquisitions expanded it beyond conventional cardboard boxes into plastics, aluminum, foam, molded fiber, and pressware. The Pactiv name was adopted in 1999 when the business was separated from Tenneco and became independent. Pactiv later expanded through acquisitions and combinations involving Jaguar, Newspring, Prairie Packaging, PWP Industries, the Reynolds foodservice business, Dopaco, International Tray Pads and Packaging, Interplast Packaging, and Spirit. Rank Group acquired Pactiv in 2010, after which the company became part of Reynolds Group Holdings. Evergreen Packaging had been formed in 2007 by combining the Paper Beverage Packaging Division, Blue Ridge Paper Products, and Cherry-Burrell, and it was also acquired by Reynolds Group in 2010. Pactiv Evergreen organized its operations into Foodservice, Food Merchandising, and Beverage Merchandising segments. Its manufacturing and distribution network was described as comprising 53 manufacturing plants, 26 warehouses, and eight distribution centers. In 2021, the company announced the planned acquisition of Fabri-Kal, a producer of foodservice and consumer-brand packaging, for $380 million. The transaction illustrated Pactiv Evergreen's strategy of adding complementary products and strengthening its position in foodservice and sustainable or fiber-based packaging applications. The company faced operational and labor challenges in 2023. It announced the planned closure of its Canton, North Carolina, plant, affecting approximately 1,100 workers, and additional job losses at its Olmsted Falls, Ohio, facility. The same year, reporting alleged that migrant children had been working overnight shifts at a Pactiv Evergreen factory in Illinois, creating significant reputational and labor-compliance scrutiny. Novolex announced in December 2024 that it would acquire Pactiv Evergreen for $6.7 billion. The transaction was completed in April 2025, making Pactiv Evergreen a unit of Novolex and ending its status as an independently traded public company. The business remains associated with large-scale North American food, beverage, and foodservice packaging rather than with a standalone consumer-facing product brand.
History
Pactiv Evergreen's immediate corporate form dates to 2020, when the food and consumer packaging operations of Reynolds Group Holdings Limited were brought to the public markets through an initial public offering. The company combined two principal predecessor businesses: Pactiv, a diversified foodservice and food-packaging manufacturer, and Evergreen Packaging, a paper-based beverage and packaging operation. Although the Pactiv Evergreen name was new, much of the underlying industrial history extended back several decades. Pactiv's lineage can be traced to 1959, when Central Fibre, American Boxboard, and Ohio Boxboard merged to create Packaging Corporation of America. The original business was primarily focused on paper mills and cardboard boxes, and therefore differed substantially from the later company, whose products included plastic, aluminum, foam, molded fiber, and pressware packaging. Tenneco acquired Packaging Corporation of America in 1965. During the following decades, Tenneco expanded the business through acquisitions and broader product development. The purchases of Mobil Plastics Company in 1995 and Amoco Foam Products Company in 1996 were particularly important in establishing capabilities that later became associated with Pactiv. The business was renamed Tenneco Packaging Inc. in 1995 and Pactiv Corporation in 1999. In 1999, Tenneco spun off Pactiv, making it an independent company. Pactiv then pursued a series of acquisitions intended to strengthen its foodservice and food-packaging platform. These included Jaguar in 2002, Newspring in 2005, Prairie Packaging in 2007, and PWP Industries in 2010. The acquisitions broadened its presence across packaging formats and customer applications. Rank Group acquired Pactiv in 2010, placing it within Reynolds Group Holdings Limited, a global packaging group associated with food, beverage, and storage products. After the acquisition, Pactiv's operations were combined or expanded through the addition of the legacy Reynolds foodservice business. The group acquired Dopaco in 2011, International Tray Pads and Packaging and Interplast Packaging in 2012, and Spirit in 2013. Spirit added foodservice products such as cups, cutlery, straws, and stirrers. Evergreen Packaging followed a parallel path. It was formed in 2007 by combining the Paper Beverage Packaging Division, Blue Ridge Paper Products, and Cherry-Burrell into a single packaging company. Reynolds Group acquired Evergreen Packaging in 2010. Its paper beverage packaging capabilities complemented Pactiv's broader portfolio and helped create a more extensive platform serving food and beverage manufacturers. The 2020 public-company formation placed the combined business under the Pactiv Evergreen name. The company divided its operations into Foodservice, Food Merchandising, and Beverage Merchandising. Its stated network included 53 manufacturing plants, 26 warehouses, and eight distribution centers serving customers across North America. In September 2021, Pactiv Evergreen announced an agreement to acquire Fabri-Kal for $380 million. Fabri-Kal's foodservice and consumer-brand packaging products were intended to add scale and complementary capabilities. Pactiv Evergreen later encountered restructuring and labor controversy. In March 2023, it announced the planned closure of its Canton, North Carolina, plant, affecting approximately 1,100 employees, along with 160 job losses at its Olmsted Falls, Ohio, operation. In April 2023, reporting alleged that migrant children had been illegally working overnight shifts at an Illinois factory. The allegation brought attention to labor practices, contractor oversight, and legal compliance within the company's manufacturing environment. On December 9, 2024, Charlotte-based Novolex announced a $6.7 billion agreement to acquire Pactiv Evergreen. The transaction closed in April 2025. Pactiv Evergreen consequently became a Novolex business unit, and its period as an independently listed public company ended. Its operating identity remains centered on supplying packaging to foodservice, food-processing, retail, beverage, institutional, and other commercial customers in North America.
- 2025
Novolex completes acquisition
[1]Novolex completed the acquisition, making Pactiv Evergreen a unit of the packaging group.
- 2024
Novolex announces acquisition agreement
[1]Novolex announced an agreement to purchase Pactiv Evergreen for $6.7 billion.
- 2023
Canton plant closure announced
[1]The company announced the closure of its Canton, North Carolina, facility and additional job losses at Olmsted Falls, Ohio.
- 2021
Fabri-Kal acquisition announced
[1]Pactiv Evergreen announced a planned $380 million acquisition of Fabri-Kal.
- 2020
Pactiv Evergreen is created through a public offering
[1]The company was created through the initial public offering of Reynolds Group Holdings Limited and combined the Pactiv and Evergreen Packaging operations.
- 2010
Pactiv joins Reynolds Group Holdings
[1]Rank Group acquired Pactiv, making it part of Reynolds Group Holdings; Reynolds Group also acquired Evergreen Packaging during the same year.
- 2007
Evergreen Packaging is formed
[1]The Paper Beverage Packaging Division, Blue Ridge Paper Products, and Cherry-Burrell were combined to form Evergreen Packaging.
- 1999
Pactiv becomes an independent company
[1]Tenneco spun off the packaging business, which adopted the Pactiv Corporation name and operated independently.
- 1995
Business becomes Tenneco Packaging
[1]The company adopted the Tenneco Packaging name as its product base expanded beyond traditional cardboard packaging.
- 1965
Tenneco acquires Packaging Corporation of America
[1]Tenneco acquired the predecessor paper and cardboard business and subsequently expanded it through acquisitions.
Products and positioning
A large-scale North American supplier of packaging systems for foodservice, food merchandising, beverage merchandising, food processing, retail, and institutional customers.
Foodservice packaging
Foodservice packaging
Packaging and serving products supplied to restaurants, institutions, cafeterias, and other foodservice outlets. The portfolio includes containers and related disposable service items made from several material types, supporting prepared foods, takeout, institutional dining, and commercial food preparation.
Food packaging
Food merchandising packaging
Packaging for food packers, processors, supermarkets, and other retail-oriented customers. Products span paperboard, plastic, aluminum, foam, molded fiber, and pressware formats used for presenting, protecting, transporting, and serving food products.
Beverage packaging
Beverage merchandising packaging
Beverage-oriented packaging associated particularly with the Evergreen Packaging heritage. The business served beverage producers with paper-based cartons and related packaging formats designed for filling, distribution, shelf presentation, and consumer use.
Foodservice disposables
Foodservice accessories
Ancillary foodservice products including cups, cutlery, straws, and stirrers. These capabilities were strengthened through the addition of Spirit to the Reynolds Group-related foodservice portfolio in 2013.
Fiber packaging
Molded-fiber and pressware products
Fiber-based packaging and serving formats used in foodservice and food merchandising applications. These products formed part of the company's broader expansion beyond conventional cardboard into molded fiber and pressware.
Controversies
2023
Allegations concerning migrant child labor
Reporting alleged that migrant children were working illegally on overnight shifts at a Pactiv Evergreen factory in Illinois. The allegations raised concerns about labor-law compliance, workforce screening, and oversight of employment practices.
Brand decisions
2024
Agree to acquisition by NovolexM&ABackground
Novolex sought to expand its packaging platform through the purchase of Pactiv Evergreen.
Action taken
Novolex announced an agreement to acquire Pactiv Evergreen for $6.7 billion.
Aftermath
The transaction closed in April 2025, and Pactiv Evergreen became a Novolex business unit.
Acquisition value. $6.7 billion (Announced December 2024; completed April 2025)
2023
Close Canton facility and reduce Ohio workforceStrategyBackground
The company announced operational changes affecting two manufacturing locations.
Action taken
Pactiv Evergreen planned to close its Canton, North Carolina, plant and announced additional job losses at its Olmsted Falls, Ohio, facility.
Aftermath
The Canton closure was expected to affect approximately 1,100 workers, while 160 additional employees in Olmsted Falls were expected to lose their jobs.
2021
Acquire Fabri-KalM&ABackground
Pactiv Evergreen sought to expand its foodservice and consumer-brand packaging capabilities through the purchase of Fabri-Kal.
Action taken
The company announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Pactiv Evergreen Group Holdings would acquire Fabri-Kal for $380 million.
Aftermath
The announcement positioned Fabri-Kal as a complementary addition to Pactiv Evergreen's packaging portfolio.
Announced acquisition value. $380 million (2021 announcement)
Recent events
- 2025
Novolex completes acquisition of Pactiv Evergreen[1]
M&A
Novolex completed its $6.7 billion purchase of Pactiv Evergreen, which became a unit of Novolex.
- 2024
Novolex announces agreement to acquire Pactiv Evergreen[1]
M&A
Novolex announced a $6.7 billion agreement to purchase Pactiv Evergreen, expanding its position in food and consumer packaging.
- 2023
Pactiv Evergreen announces Canton plant closure and Ohio job cuts[1]
Other
The company announced that its Canton, North Carolina, plant would close during the summer, affecting approximately 1,100 workers, while 160 additional employees at the Olmsted Falls, Ohio, facility would lose their jobs.
- 2021
Pactiv Evergreen announces Fabri-Kal acquisition[1]
M&A
Pactiv Evergreen announced that a wholly owned subsidiary would acquire Fabri-Kal, a manufacturer of foodservice and consumer-brand packaging solutions, for $380 million.
Sources1 sources
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