Chocolates use edgy packaging design to sell bold flavors.
Linda Casey, Contributing Editor -- Packaging Digest, 1/1/2008 2:00:00 AM
Hebert Confections, LLC, has added Bites to its Fully Loaded® line of upscale chocolate products, which feature various inclusions—the candy, brownie and cake pieces, fruits and nuts often mixed into ice cream and candy—and fresh fruit flavors such as blueberry and orange. The line, launched in April 2007 with the Fully Loaded Inclusion bars, optimizes the candy's texture by putting the inclusions on the outside of the bars. The bars were followed fudge that has additions such as nuts, berries, and chips both inside and out. “We offer premium chocolate with an edge,” says Hebert Confections' CEO Tom O'Rourke. “We've patterned ourselves as the Ben & Jerry's of chocolate—a premium base with fun inclusions.”
The company gets some of its edge from its bold packaging. “We have a little bit of fun,” O'Rourke explains. “The only objection we've ever heard about our packaging is 'Gee, isn't that a little bit busy?' In the chocolate aisle, that's a good thing because it's usually just a sea of brown.”
The packages feature aboriginal patterns in addition to names that are both fun and descriptive. Boasting about the company's creative in-house marketing department, O'Rourke states: “Gary Dow is our director of marketing, and he's our packaging designer. He's as good as it gets in the industry. There's also one person who works with him, but Gary does all the design and mockup work.” The packaging also is designed to protect the candy's flavors and extend its shelf life. Inclusion bars come in 2.75-oz packs; bites are individually foil wrapped then packed in 5.1-oz bags. Both candies are made on Hebert Confections' bar-molding line. The inclusion bars are packaged in-line on a Doboy (www.doboy.com) horizontal flowrapper, which operates at a reduced speed of 102 bars/min to match the bar molding line's speed. According to O'Rourke, the company chose the servo-driven wrapper because it can change over quickly to different product sizes. “This particular bar [the Fully Loaded inclusion bar] has been preprogrammed as a preset [product item] in the Doboy system,” says O'Rourke. “We have the ability to enter in twenty different product programs.”
Date codes are printed onto the bar wrappers using a Markem (www.markem.com), Model 9840 coder and then the bars are assembled into a 12-piece promotional package that is packaged in protective sleeves. The candies are manufactured using the same bar-molding line as Fully Loaded bars, but they are wrapped off-line using two separate Sapal (www.sapal.com) wrappers that run at approximately 110 bites/min.
“By using the PLC on the wrapper, we're able to count the pieces to fill the correct amount of bites per package,” states O'Rourke. “This allows us to carton directly on-line.” The cartons are conveyed through checkweighing before being sealed and date-coded.
Teledyne DALSA is a world leader in the design, manufacture and deployment of digital imaging components for the machine vision market. Teledyne DALSA image sensors, cameras, smart cameras, frame grabbers, software, and vision solutions are used...
more
SATO is a pioneer and leading global provider of integrated Automatic Identification and Data Collection solutions that leverage barcode and RFID technologies. SATO manufactures innovative, reliable auto-identification systems and offers complete...
more
ECONOCORP, INC. is a leading worldwide manufacturer of ECONOSEAL cartoning, trayforming, and casepacking caters to moderate volume users and features simplicity in design, operation, and maintenance. ECONOSEALS handle paperboard and corrugated...
more
QuickLabel Systems makes and sells digital color label printers and barcode label printers for use by manufacturers of foods, beverages, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and more...
more
Bosch Packaging Technology, Inc. is one of the world's leading suppliers of packaging machinery. Our diverse portfolio of packaging machines, including the well known Doboy brand, includes robotic automation with pick & place robots (delta robots)...
more
Hitachi America Ltd., Industrial Components & Equipment Division, supplies a broad range of industrial products and services. The division supplies sophisticated industrial equipment, components and services for application in pharmaceutical...
more
Markem-Imaje is a trusted world manufacturer of product identification and traceability solutions, offering a full line of reliable and innovative inkjet, thermal transfer, laser, print and apply label systems and RFID-based systems. Markem-Imaje...
more
Videojet is a world-leading manufacturer of marking systems, fluids, and accessories for the product identification industry. Videojet printers apply high-quality alphanumeric codes, logos and graphics to nearly any surface at virtually any line...
more
Fogg is a world leader in the design and manufacture of rotary filling, rinsing, capping and enclosure systems for free flowing and viscous liquids. Fogg serves a growing number of dairy, spirits, water, food and beverage, pharmaceutical and...
more
Markem-Imaje is a trusted world manufacturer of product identification and traceability solutions, offering a full line of reliable and innovative inkjet, thermal transfer, laser, print and apply label systems and RFID-based systems. Markem-Imaje...
more
Microscan develops barcode and machine vision products that help manufacturers reduce costs, increase yields, improve product quality, and comply with regulations. Designed for precision applications, Microscan's line of 1D and 2D barcode readers...
more
National Bulk Equipment dry material handling systems for packaging and processing operations, include: bulk bag fillers, bulk bag unloaders, bulk container dumpers, bulk container fillers, and bulk mixing, weighing, and conveyance systems. NBE...
more
Plastic Ingenuity is the national leader in providing the best solutions in thermoformed packaging, tooling and extrusion services. A member of the Thermoforming Institute, and a multi-plant manufacturing operation with facilities across North...
more
Thermo Scientific Product Inspection and Processing equipment protects your brands by ensuring the quality, accuracy, efficiency and safety of your products. With more than 50 years of making sure little things don't turn into big problems, we know...
more
DOMINO is one of the world's largest manufacturers of digital printing solutions and is publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange. Our products are used for date coding, product marking, serialization and variable printing. Among our customers...
more
The packages feature aboriginal patterns in addition to names that are both fun and descriptive. Boasting about the company's creative in-house marketing department, O'Rourke states: “Gary Dow is our director of marketing, and he's our packaging designer. He's as good as it gets in the industry. There's also one person who works with him, but Gary does all the design and mockup work.” The packaging also is designed to protect the candy's flavors and extend its shelf life. Inclusion bars come in 2.75-oz packs; bites are individually foil wrapped then packed in 5.1-oz bags. Both candies are made on Hebert Confections' bar-molding line. The inclusion bars are packaged in-line on a Doboy (www.doboy.com) horizontal flowrapper, which operates at a reduced speed of 102 bars/min to match the bar molding line's speed. According to O'Rourke, the company chose the servo-driven wrapper because it can change over quickly to different product sizes. “This particular bar [the Fully Loaded inclusion bar] has been preprogrammed as a preset [product item] in the Doboy system,” says O'Rourke. “We have the ability to enter in twenty different product programs.”
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
