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Packages for dairy foods also incorporate Packaging foods in “on-the-go” containers is a trend. The Laughing Cow Cheese Dippers are sold singly and in sustainability, flexibility, technology and safety. five-count paperboard cartons. Cheese is portioned in one compartment and breadsticks in another.

By Hallie Forcinio, contributing editor

ith a projected compound annual growth rate to flexible packaging and “locavorism,” which relies on nearby of 2.9% through 2022, demand for food pack- sources of ingredients and materials to reduce transportation aging reflects growth in the U.S. food industry distances and carbon footprint. W overall, according to Food Packaging Trends Lightweight flexible packaging is a popular choice for dairy- & Advances, a report published in September 2015 by PMMI, based snacks, and it is especially well-suited for segregating The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, single servings such as Sargento Natural Blends Cheese Snacks Reston, Va. Globally, growth is even stronger. from Sargento Foods Inc., Plymouth, Wis. Each 80-calorie With a projected 5.3% annual growth rate, the report posi- cheese stick resides in an easy-peel thermoform-fill-seal pouch. tions the dairy category mid-range, stronger than snack foods, To simplify handling at point of sale, two strips of cheese sticks but not quite as robust as meat and related products. are loaded into a 12-count secondary pouch. Innovations in dairy food packaging address each of the BelGioioso Cheese Inc., Green Bay, Wis., takes a slightly five trends identified in the report: sustainability, flexibility, different approach to flexible packaging, using pouches that convenience, technology and safety. With respect to conve- hold three bite-size pieces of the company’s Fontina Snacking nience, dairy-based snacks use packaging with easy-to-open Cheese. A secondary package, a 6-ounce pouch, holds eight and close features. Packaging formats like portion-control are 0.75-ounce, 70-calorie portions. also popular. Renewable plant-based containers are a reality in Europe where RPC Promens Consumer Nordics, Kolding, , More sustainable has developed a 1-liter milk bottle made entirely from a bio- Sustainability is spurring demand for lightweight packaging, polymer produced from sugar cane. Skånemejerier AB, a and recyclable and/or renewably sourced materials. It also is dairy in Malmö, , has adopted the white blowmolded boosting interest in transitioning from heavier rigid packaging Modul bottle for its nonhomogenized milk products.

Packaging Outlook.indd 42 5/24/16 9:51 AM Updated graphics reinforce identity A redesign positions Jersey cow milk Another redesign involves shredded Boston, replaces a package with a more products made by Promised Land, Dallas, Locatelli Pecorina Romano cheese from industrial look and won a Bronze Award as a premium line. Colorful graphics not The Ambriola Co., West Caldwell, N.J. in the Food Category of a competition only communicate the brand’s indulgent Imported from , the cup-packed sponsored by the National Association core, but also identify seasonal flavors. shredded cheese adopts elements from the of Container Distributors, Glen Ellyn, Ill. New typefaces, color palettes and the brand’s wedge product. Inspired by the aesthetic of rustic imported more modern, Art Deco design of the clear, “We decided to take the highly oil bottles, the 8-ounce custom recyclable polyethylene terephthalate recognizable outer coating of our Locatelli container elevates the brand with rounded bottle reflect the evolution of the brand’s wheel and apply that graphic to our grated angles, a more grippable elongated neck overall look and feel, while staying true to cups,” said Ambriola CEO Phil Marfuggi. and a custom red or brown overcap that the heritage of its glass bottle. Ergonomic An ergonomic bottle designed by Berlin covers a fine mist sprayer. A custom shrink- improvements address consumer Packaging, Chicago, for Olivio Spray sleeve label provides maximum real estate complaints related to spillage. Butter from Olivio Premium Products, for brand messages.

“Sustainability is a vital consideration throughout all our operations including our packaging, where we always seek to choose a solution with minimal impact on the environment,” said Armina Nilsson, sustainability manager at Skånemejerier. The Modul bottle is available with a choice of closures and a pre- applied four-sided label.

More convenient Demand for convenience drives interest in single-serve and on- the-go packaging, particularly for snacks. Other convenience fea- tures include dispensing closures, easy-open/reclose structures and dual-compartment packaging for mix-in products like the Chobani Greek yogurt Flip line from Chobani LLC, Norwich, N.Y. A variation of the dual-compartment package for The Laughing Cow Cheese Dippers serves the on-the-go consumer and addresses rising demand for dairy-based snacks. Most (73%) U.S. consumers snack on-the-go, according to The Snacking Occasion, a study published in 2014 by Mintel, London. This behavior is strongest among young millennial consumers, with 85% eating snacks on-the-go. The single-serving Cheese Dippers positions a creamy cheese dip in one compartment and crunchy breadsticks in the other. “Parents are looking for on-the-go snacks that not only their children can enjoy, but they can love as well,” said Dan Waters, Skånemejerier is pioneering use of a 100% biopolymer container chief marketing officer at Bel USA, Chicago, the parent for milk. Substituting petroleum-based feedstocks with sugar cane is company of The Laughing Cow. “We have seen the popularity considered to be a more sustainable option. of dipping options increase recently, and we saw an opportunity to leverage the trend and satisfy our consumer’s needs with this new product,” he added. tion of All in One Fondü from Emmi AG, Lucerne, . Another package designed for on-the-go snacking is the The bowl concept, which began as a collaborative project between EasySnacking container from RPC Superfos, Taastrup, Ardagh and students at the University of Twente, Enschede, Denmark. It features a one-piece injection-molded spoon in the The , was developed at Ardagh’s R&D Center in lid and a space-saving stackable design. Ideal for products such Crosmieres, . as ice cream and yogurt, the container is available in two sizes – “Together with Emmi and the Fraunhofer Institute in 210 milliliters (7.1 ounces) and 300 milliliters (10.1 ounces) – and Germany, we tested special food-safe lacquers to allow the bowl compatible with microwaves, dishwashers and freezers. It was a to be heated either in a microwave or a traditional oven and to finalist in the Best Convenience/‘On-the-Go’ Packaging catego- be kept at the right temperature above a candle at the table,” said ry in the World Food Innovation Awards organized by FoodBev Woep Möller, chief commercial officer, Ardagh Group, Metal. Media Ltd., Bath, U.K. The multilayer lidstock includes an AluFix Retort Pro mem- Another award-winning package is a metal bowl with a foil brane from Amcor Flexibles, Zurich, Switzerland. Sealed onto lid that can be used in microwave and conventional ovens. The a metal ring for secure closure, the lidstock maximizes product package, from Ardagh Group, Dublin, Ireland, speeds prepara- protection and shelf life, yet opens quickly and safely.

Packaging Outlook.indd 43 5/24/16 9:51 AM than a paperboard carton of the same Robots are another way to maximize volume and can be filled at high speeds. flexibility and automate manual pick- With integral “straw,” the flexible pack- ing, packing and palletizing opera- age eliminates the need for accessories tions. For cheese packing applications, such as a straw or cup. In addition, the QComp Technologies Inc., Greenville, squeezable pouch maximizes evacu- Wis., offers the stainless steel, wash- ation of the milk. When empty, the down-compatible Solo Case Packer pouch compresses into a small mass for cell. Features of the modular, turnkey efficient, low-cost disposal. Production system include compliance with RIA occurs on a diecutter-equipped hori- and ANSI safety requirements, gentle zontal thermoform-fill-seal machine product handling and inspection and running a high-barrier coextrusion data collection capabilities. A com- such as BNX film from Valfilm USA, mon frame is said to simplify installa- Findlay, Ohio. tion and startup. Single-point guide rail Emmi’s All in One Fondü kit consists of Barton Group licenses the SqueezyStraw adjustments and quick-change tooling a metal bowl, peelable membrane seal, pouch technology. Licensing and royalty and funnel guides expedite changeover. tea light and cradle to hold the warm bowl fees are based on volume. Another robotic option from QComp of fondue. The bowl can be heated in a “There is a one-time $25,000 licens- Technologies relies on the YuMi collabor- microwave or conventional oven. ing fee. In the most popular sizes, the ative robot from ABB Inc., Auburn Hills, royalty is $0.005 (1/2 cent) per pouch on Mich. The dual-arm robot safely works in The package earned Ardagh and volumes of 50 million pouches a year,” close proximity with a human operator Amcor a 2016 Alufoil Trophy in the said Lew Barton, CEO of Barton Group. and requires about the same amount of Consumer Convenience category. No licensing agreements had been space. Features include a built-in control- “This concept is a clever combina- signed as of press time, but Barton antic- ler, 14 axes of motion, easy-to-deploy pro- tion of a number of packaging elements ipates “commercial product launch- gram, and camera-based inspection and to create a highly original product,” es later this year or early next year. vision guidance options. said Louis Lindenberg, global packag- [Upcoming] machine trials…include ing sustainability director for Unilever, products for a few potential customers. Innovative technology Guildford, U.K, who served as head One large Midwestern dairy is plan- In addition to greater use of robotics and judge for the competition, sponsored ning on attending the trials based on modular equipment design, technol- by the European Aluminium Foil its interest in the SqueezyStraw pouch ogy advances include active or “smart” Association, Düsseldorf, Germany. for several…products including milk, packaging features, recycling-friendly He concluded, “Fondues can be time yogurt, iced tea and lemonade.” labels for polyethylene terephthalate consuming and messy due to the complex- containers, enhanced materials and ity of setting them up. But here we have More flexible in-mold labeling. White Wave Foods a product where all the packaging works Modular design and easy setup and Co., Denver, is one of the first users of together to make the concept work.” changeover maximize the flexibility of injection-molded containers with in- An inverted, wedge-shaped pouch the Tetra Pak A3 ice cream filler from mold labels, now offered in the United with a valved fitment and flip-top clo- Tetra Pak Inc., Denton, Texas. Capable States by Greiner Packaging, Pittston, sure enables one-handed, spoon-free of an output of up to 300 ice cream cones Pa. The in-mold-labeled polypropylene dispensing of sour cream from Daisy per minute, the six-lane machine fea- cup holds 150 milliliters (5.1 ounces) of Brand, Dallas. When opened the first tures three enhancements: WhiteWave’s soy yogurt. time, the cap is twisted off, the tamper- • A cone dispenser capable of han- Technology advances aren’t limited evident pull tab is removed and the cap dling a range of cones and cups to equipment and smart packaging. An is replaced. Squeezing the 14-ounce • An accurate, easy-to-operate choc- innovative material for flexible pack- package dispenses sour cream in a drip- olate sprayer aging consists of a sealant skin layer free manner since flow halts as soon as • A lid dispenser made of a state-of-the-art, high hot- squeezing stops. During and after dis- The modules can be supplied sepa- tack resin and a specially formulated pensing, the valve prevents air ingress rately for easy upgrading of existing core layer, which provides stiffness and helps protect product freshness. equipment. Reduced waste, fewer stops and toughness. The result is said to be Enhanced convenience, lower costs and faster speeds boost efficiency and superior runnability on high-speed and reduced material consumption ensure consistent product quality. The vertical form-fill-seal equipment, leak combine in a new flexible packaging ability to produce different products on resistance at a thinner film gauge and concept from Barton Group, New York one machine cuts costs. lower downtime. Called Sure Seal, City. Transparent film makes it easy to “Our pilot tests show that customers these dairy pouch films from Liqui- see the product and remaining contents. can save up to 69,000 Euros per year Box Corp., Richmond, Va., won a Silver Ideal for single servings, an 8-ounce on the cone dispenser alone, thanks to Achievement Award for Technical Stand Up SqueezyStraw pouch costs reduced wastage,” said Peter Lindstrom, Innovation from the Flexible Packaging less than $0.04 per unit, about $0.02 less category director at Tetra Pak. Association, Annapolis, Md.

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