Top Editors ... Packaging for Convenience

Title: Packaging for Convenience
Date: 20/02/2007
Autor: By Claire Rowan

Never has the drive ror convenient products been greater as consumers have less and less time to prepare food and live in increasingly smaller households, and packaging has to keep pace with this growing demand
All packaging forms are expected to experience double digit growth between now and 2010, and demand for smaller packs for more convenient products are one of the biggest drivers of this growth, according to Euromonitor in its new report The World Market for Consumar Packaging. Ever busier lifestyles, the growing number of single households and an increase in disposable income are boosting the sales of prepared and convenience food, and smaller portion sizes.
In a number of Western countries smaller packets of butter and spreadable fats are increasing in popularity, with sales of 250g sizes outpacing those of 500g. In frozen ready meals, 750g bags of frozen vegetables are taking over from 1 kg bags. In France, individually wrapped products were recently introduced by Kraft for its Regal brand of coffee; while in Belgium, Procter & Gamble has introduced Pringles Minis: a pack of five individually wrapped packs of miniature Pringles snacks each containing 118 calories. Dried pasta manufacturers are also innovating in the area of convenience, says Euromonitor, by following these trends and offering individually wrapped small packs within bigger packs.
This move to convenience products is amply demonstrated by the ullimale in single-serve convenience producís such as Osear Mayer's Fast Franks: a juicy hot dog, wrapped in a soft bun, which is ready to eat after just 35 seconds in the microwave. Individually wrapped in a specially-designed microwaveable paperboard Iray thal uses Graphic Packaging's innovative QuiltWave active microwave packaging, the Fast Franks are available in meat wieners and beef franks varieties.
"Osear Mayer invited us to join the Fast Franks development team, and when we shared the QuittWave technology with them, it was the catalyst that helped translate the concept into a marketplace reality," said John Gerslner, senior account executive at Graphic Packaging. "This technology, coupled with proprietary Kraft dough technology, heats the bun so that it is soft and warm straight from the microwave oven."
Also ready for eating after just one minute in the microwave is Advance Brands' Fast Fixin' brand of On the Go Cheese Burgers, launched in the USA.
These are packed in 20.4oz bags of six individually wrapped full size burgers in a bun, ready for heating, according to Mintel International's Global New Products Database, which tracks new product launches in all categories throughout the world. In France, Mintel spotted Chancerelle's Connétable brand of Salade Hareng Pommes á l'Huile (a herring salad with potato and oil), packed in a 160g resealable pot equipped with a handy fork for eating on the go.
UK bakery, Warburton's, worked with T Freemantle to perfect its new all-in-one rolls, which are conveniently pre-filled with cheese. All in One Riddlers are designed to offer a convenient solution for those very busy mothers looking for an interesting option for school lunchboxes. Each pack contains four individually wrapped products in a two on two format, and incorporates an easy open tear strip with re-close facility along with the All in One Riddlers branding on all sides.
T Freemantle supplied Warburton's with its slim line autoloader automatic cartoner, which packs the wrapped products into the retail carton at a rate of 160 per minute, with a capability to run up to 320 per minute.

Hot beverages
Packaging innovation has also opened the door to greater convenience in the hot beverage sector where Mailway Packaging Solutions has created a bespoke production line for Mars Drinks', part of Masterfoods, Moment du Chocolat drink. Currently being launched in the UK, Moment du Chocolat is a microwaveable, long life, ready lo drink, Belgian hot chocolate. It features a 'cup in cup' mechanism that keeps the outside of the cup comfortably warm, but not too hot, after microwaving and combines fhe benefits of aseptic packaging
with those of an appealing and easy to hold design.

"Moment du Chocolat offers consumers the chance to enjoy the premium café experience without having to leave their home or office," said Simon Mellor, from Mars Drinks, who explained that the paper cup also features a rail top, which has not been used in long life drinks packaging before. "Key to the product is the packaging, which needed lo reflect café quality while al the same time provide the kind of slrenglh and durabilily required from long life, microwaveable products."

EDV Packaging has just picked up the Foodservice & Packaging Institute's Award for Innovation in the Manufacturing Process for its microwaveable cup technology used by Gallina Blanca for its BV brand of Caldo para beber (drinking soup) in Spain. The PP/EVOH/PP cup can withstand sterilisation lo give the ambient soup products a 12 month shelf life. It is decorated with a rotogravure printed, shrink sleeve and features an injection moulded rigid overcap to assist in stacking as well as provide a drinking spout - making the soups easy to consume on the move.

RPC Bebo Nederland and RPC Containers Halstead have joined forces to develop a new pack format also for ambient, wet soups that offers the optimum in consumer convenience along with barrier protection.
The new ambient pack format comprises a thermoformed cup and injection-moulded overcap, which is easy to open and microwaveable. The cup is made from co-extruded and thermo-formed in PP/EVOH/ PP to give the soup a shelf life that is comparable to traditional soup packs, and its rounded design is said to provide sufficient durability to withstand high filling temperatures.
RPC Halstead developed the PP injection-moulded, recloseable lid, which features a convenient drinking spout with a sip hole cover, to facilitate easy stacking. Consumers just have to remove the water-tight inner seal and replace the lid before microwaving. Crucially, the cup is compatible with standard in-car cup holders, to allow soups to be enjoyed safety and conveniently on the go!

Flexible packaging
If it is to be useful for convenient applications, flexible packaging has to provide consumers with easier and safer opening and reclosing mechanisms, and manufacturers have been fast to respond.
Payne has experienced significant demand for its Vaktape Plus easy opening solution for hermetically sealed packaging as manufacturers of cheese, fish and meat recognise its value in terms of both convenience and safety. The system can be used with products in a relained atmosphere, modified atmospheres, vacuum and pouch packs and, according to Payne, is unaffected by moisture or chilling. Applied to the packaging film during the wrapping process, which ensures a low cost and mainlains pack integrily, Ihe Vaktape features a heaf aclivaled adhesive that ensures that the tape adheres to the packaging throughout its lifecycle.
Etik Ouest's latest easy opening and closing solution for flexible packaging is designed for frozen food applications such as bags of frozen vegetables, rice, or other small items. The consumer just has to pull at the specially adhesed label to reveal an opening from which to pour the frozen contents of the bag. Once a portion has
been emptied out, the bag can be resealed and put back in the freezer. According to Etik Ouest, its new Etik Tack Congelation is the safest and cheapest solution for opening and resealing of bags for frozen applications.
Amcor Flexibles' recloseable Amcor TapeTop packaging solution is being used for the first time for fresh produce as UK supermarket retailer, Tesco, has opted for the bags for its own label range of five Unwashed Salads, packed by Langmead Farms. The 60g recloseable bags contain salads such as Rocket, Lamb's Lettuce, Red Salad, Baby Leaf with Watercress & Rocket, and Crisp Leaf, and are each fitted with Amcor TapeTop's pre-cut band that allows multiple reclosure of the pack. The band is attached with a hotmelt adhesive supplied, in this case, by Henkel and can be positioned anywhere on the bag. The bags are made from 35 micron OPP with anti-mist technology, which enhances the visibility of the salads on shelf, and are flexo printed in seven colours.
Zip-Pak of the US has also innovated recently with the introduction of a zipper that calls on colour technology along the length of the zipper to demonstrate to consumers that the bag is completely closed. One side of the zipper profile is tinted, while the other side is translucent. When the consumer closes the package, the colour shows through the translucent profile, indicating that the pack is fully sealed. The Color Reveal technology can be used for sliced deli meats, cheeses, and prepared foods.


This article was reproduced with permission from Food & Beverage
International (copyright Haydon Jackson Publishing Ltd)
www.foodandbeverageintemational.com
Food & Beverage International September 2006