Stick-pouches have been in existence since the 1970s, but it wasn't until 1998 when General Mills introduced Go-Gurt, grab-and-go yogurt in a tube, that the package design caught on in the U.S. In Japan and Europe, stick-pouches were already established by the late 1980s and early 90s, says Neil Kozarsky, president of T.H.E.M. (Technical Help in Engineering and Marketing), which specializes in providing packaging solutions to the food, beverage and healthcare marketers in the U.S. These three-side-seal alternatives to traditional pouches not only stand out because they look different, but they also save about 35 percent on the cost of film when compared to a pouch. Read more...
A unique, new ink technology lets energy drink marketer Hobarama, LLC extend its BAWLS Guarana brand to a 16-oz can that replicates the tactile feel of its trademark 'bumpy,' cobalt-blue bottle. BAWLS Guarana, now distributed in about
40 states, is a non-alcoholic, premium carbonated beverage with a citrus-infused, cream-soda flavor that uses the stimulant properties of the Amazonian guarana berry to provide an energy-drink kick. Over the last decade, the BAWLS brand has gained a devoted following among niche groups such as computer gamers, not just because of its taste, but also because of its distinctive packaging. Read more...
Private-label grocery brands go upscale
French-style flatbread with ham, caramelized onions and Gruyere cheese. Organic milk. Mustard-crusted ahi tuna nicoise. Sound like the menu at an upscale restaurant? Think again. It's the new wave of store brands, which traditionally evoke images of canned green beans and generic packaging. Supermarkets are sprucing up their private labels, adding upscale brands to boost customer loyalty and their bottom lines. Kroger recently teamed with Disney for a private-label line aimed at children. Publix has added a gourmet line and an environmentally focused brand in the past five years, doubling the number of store-brand products. Read more...
German project to create meat analysis RFID
Researchers in Germany are developing radio frequency identification (RFID) technology that will measure and transmit the quality and condition of meat as well as enable processors to identify products throughout the supply chain. The research comes as new regulations oblige processors to track ingredients from their immediate suppliers and the products to their retail or distribution points. Read more...
Private-label food and beverage sales set to soar past
$56 billion by 2011
Leaving behind the nondescript packaging and "generic" identity of a decade ago, private-label or store-brand food and beverage sales are soaring, according to Private Label Food and Beverages in the U.S., a new report from market research firm Packaged Facts. The report estimates 2006 sales at more than $48 billion, and projects that sales will top $56 billion by 2011. Dairy and grain foods lead the pack, with 2006 U.S. retail sales reaching more than $7 billion and $5 billion respectively. In the beverage category, store-brand bottled water and energy drinks top the list, with bottled water growing by more than
12 percent. Only the juice segment showed an overall decline during the same period. Read more...
Sales of wine with screw cap closures surge in U.S. market
U.S. sales of wine with screw caps have increased 24.6 percent according to research released yesterday by ACNielsen at the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento, CA. Initial results from ACNielsen's nationwide research project on consumer purchases of wines with screw cap closures were announced in April 2006 at AIWP's "The New Innovators" press conference in New York City. ACNielsen's latest scan data again shows strong growth, with screw cap closures winning market share as consumers learn of the closure's inherent value based on quality control and convenience. According to ACNielsen, sales of wines with screw cap closures surged 24.6 percent, 2.3 times faster than the total 750-ml bottled wine category. ACNielsen found white wines, imports and wines priced $8 to $11.99 to be the most developed within the screw cap segment. Read more…
Regulatory developments
FDA updates health claim for calcium and osteoporosis
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to allow new claims on foods and dietary supplements containing calcium and Vitamin D to show their potential to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. The proposed rule would allow manufacturers to include new information on their food and supplement labeling and to eliminate certain other information. The proposed rule would amend this existing health claim by allowing for claims of a reduced risk of osteoporosis with the consumption of both calcium and vitamin D. The proposed rule also would eliminate certain requirements that were a part of the required claim language in the existing calcium and osteoporosis health claim. Read more...
New products
Tribloc line
A bottle sterilizer/rinser, a unique netweight filler with a tube design that requires no product tank and a fully electronic capper are introduced by the co. as a turnkey tribloc installation to handle a wide range of viscosities for a variety of sauces and salad dressings, including mayonnaise. Read more...
Weightpack, North America, Inc.,
804/598-4512. www.weightpack-na.com
Decontamination process
Predis™ debuts as a decontamination process for packages and sensitive products distributed in refrigeration, like dairy drinks. Read more...
Sidel, Inc., 678/221-3000. www.sidel.com
RFID pucks
To maintain and improve process and machine efficiency, the Smart Puck® system has been co-developed to include molded pucks with pockets holding RFID tags, a customized version of the extrusion-based Simpli-Flex® conveyor beam and an RFID reader within the beam that reads the tags as containers are conveyed. Read more...
Simplimatic Automation, 434/258-5017. www.simplimaticautomation.com
Advantage Puck Technologies, Inc., 814/664-4810. www.adv-puck.com
White Papers
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