Natupol Terra: A Corrugated Bumblebee Hive for Sustainable Agriculture

Koppert provides growers with pollination hives that they strategically place throughout their fields to improve crop yields through natural pollination. The hives were housed in plastic boxes with internal plastic components. In keeping with its mission, Koppert sought to transition to more sustainable materials for the hive’s structure. The agricultural sector is also facing increasing environmental and regulatory demands, which means growers are under pressure to balance productivity with compliance and increased sustainability.  

Our team set out to create a fully corrugated pollination hive that would provide the same (if not improved) performance.

As part of Smurfit Westrock’s commitment to circular, fiber-based innovation, our teams worked with Koppert to eliminate plastic components and engineer a durable, functional structure using corrugated materials. We collaborated to develop Natupol Terra, a recyclable, fiber-based pollination hive. The solution offers growers a more sustainable alternative to traditional hive formats without sacrificing field performance.

Early trials with berry growers confirm that Natupol Terra delivers the same pollination performance as existing hive solutions while significantly improving the sustainability profile through material choice and end-of-life recyclability. The innovation received awards, winning Gold at the Czech & Slovak Packaging Awards (Obal Roka 2025).