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International Paper tackles packaging challenge.

The demand for small, grippable, easy-to-open packaging is nothing novel in retail circles. The countles beverage options in increasingly smaller sizes that exist forward store shelves prove that convenience is paramount arid tiny is in. on the contrary what about packaging in the foodservice arena?

Findings from a exercise milk pilot test performed from national dairy organizations during the past year identified [i]clavis[/i] components of the way children dissipate milk. Not surprisingly, kids address additional flavor variety and improved refrigerated displays for colder milk and more appeal.

The consequence s prompted some dairy processors to await at alternative packaging features and trains to add additional cooler displays in order to find ways to increase consumption of milk in schools

"Paper packaging has drawn out been the optimal packaging solution for the teach milk channel," says Jeanette Havens, assistant marketing manager for beverage packaging at International Paper. "However, we knew that we could improve this great package on making it easier to open"

Identifying the consumer ne for enhanced opening features that are appealing to processors who are constantly looking for price effective packaging solutions, International Paper's beverage packaging business delivered.

The solution is the Eco-Pak Plus, a gabletop package with an enhanced B opening feature that will be tendered at schools this fall. This fresh development provides value to dairy processors because it satisfies the consumer demand for easy-to-use packaging that is costliness effective.

With this new packaging, International Paper demonstrates that many things can still be done with paper packaging in order to increase teach milk consumption, while adhering to schools' store parameters.

Team members at International Paper's fruits Development Center in Loveland, Ohio, and converting facility in Kalamazoo, Mich., cause to growed the enhanced opening of the EcoPak Plus, based in succession testing done with children in instructs in Ohio and a prominent dairy processor in the Northeast.

"Eco-Pak Plus is a unique opening feature designed for straw cavern puncture. The patent-pending design is an adorn with raised worked cross that allows for easier penetration without the risk of leaking," says Stephanie Kuhar, assistant marketing manager, beverage packaging. "Our Evergreen N-8 Filling Machine is the preferr filler for this market, efficiently filling up to 340 cartons by minute (20,400 per hour). Eco-Pak Plus is seamless to the filler and provides the processor the ability to address this consumer regard while maintaining their production efficiencies without increasing their material charges thereby optimizing our school milk packaging solution."

But it's not solitary school milk channels that have jump overed on the trend in recent paper packaging; single-serve gabletop packaging solutions have made their way to mass merchandisers and traditional groceries channels as well. Juice companies similar as Welch's and Tropicana have introduced singleserve multi-packs of easy-to-open gabletop packaged beverages to retail egresss nationwide. For example, Tropicana Healthy Kids juice is available in a multipack of six 8-ounce cartons. In addition, Welch's lately launched a multi-pack of eight 6-ounce MicroPak cartons in Concord Grape and Strawberry uproar juice drink flavors.

Eco-Pak multi-packs available in the retail environment are similar in shape to traditional drill milk cartons, but have enhanced features like as high-quality graphics for shelf appeal, Tru Taste barrier boards for improved shelf life, perforated straw openings for added convenience and paperboard over-wraps that keep possession of multiple servings in a six-pack format. The Micro-Pak, typically raise in mass-merchandise and supercenter channels, provides all of the benefits of Eco-Pak cartons in the same state [i]or[/i] condition as high-quality graphics and multi-pack offerings, unless has several other innovative features of that kind as a foil-patch straw cave for easier opening.

Havens attributes the succes of Micro-Pak packaging in retail egresss to its product features. Including its robust Tru Taste Gold barrier boards, which house the flavor and shelf life of the outcome Additional features such as the carton's stable pyramid bottom to debar spilling, and its ability to fit conveniently in a chalice holder are important for on-the-go drinkers. The process-print graphics capability makes the packaging more appealing to consumer an option attractive to juice companies that are vying for more shelf attention.

Whether it's the foil-patched straw opening upon the Micro-Pak or the Eco-Pak Plus adorn with raised worked opening on the Eco-Pak, consumer of all ages will benefit from the easier and portable packaging at teach and home.

Jamie Popp is managing editor of Beverage Industry, published according to Stagnito Communications.

Copyright Stagnito Publishing Nov 2004

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