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Send to KindleDean Foods pours into extended shelf life
A new labeler was added for Pourables though Dean’s wouldn’t elaborate on the vendor or filling operation. Through its communications agency Dean’s did say that no new filling equipment was necessary. Instead new change parts accommodate product filling.
“The product has done very well for us and we’re evaluating national distribution of it” says Nieto. “It appears to be a product/package that’s growing the refrigerated salad dressing segment and we believe it gives us a competitive advantage. There are a couple of [similar] regional products but to my knowledge there’s no national brand of refrigerated salad dressing that’s pourable and has an unusually long shelf life.”
Tapered milk bottles
Under its licensing agreement with Nestlé Dean’s sells NesQuik in about two-thirds of the United States. The milks are filled at facilities in Murray KY and Jacksonville FL.
While Nieto wouldn’t comment on the molding or filling processes industry sources say injection-molded preforms are stretch-blown into the newer 32-oz bottles (one is shown p. 80) on a 16-station machine from Sidel (Norcross GA).
The 16-oz flavored milks are sold in three flavors with the chocolate flavor also available in a low-fat version. As previously reported (see PW Jan. ’00 p. 66 or www.packworld.com/go/ nesquik) bottles are made and filled at Ryan Foods the Murray-based Dean’s company.
The equipment used there includes two Sidel Combi SRU 12/24 T machines and one 16/45 T machine. The designations refer to the number of molding stations/filling heads. When the bottles were introduced in ’99 Dean Foods became the first company in the world to use the SRU 12/24 T ultraclean blow/fill/seal system. The equipment sterilizes preforms that are stretch-blown and filled in a sterile environment to achieve the extended shelf life.
“We’ve been transitioning from paper[board] to plastic containers but we still have paper in the market” says Nieto. “That started last spring. Sales in the bottle have increased and the bottle is clearly viewed as superior by consumers because it’s convenient to handle and easier to drink from.”
Packaging matters
Dean’s successful Milk Chugs are also part of Nieto’s NRP group. While Milk Chugs rolled out in ’97 their processing technology has evolved. Initially the milks offered a traditional 14- to 21-day shelf life. Last year the company used its proprietary technology to lengthen shelf life to the 40- to 45-day range. Processing technologies and packaging materials allow the intermediate shelf life Nieto says.
“The intermediate shelf life is used only for a limited market on the West Coast” Nieto notes. “The vast majority of our Milk Chugs’ business and capacity is still focused” on traditional shelf life. “Where the ISL Chugs are in distribution they’ve done well” he says.
“With Milk Chugs the package is an integral part of the brand.”
The company recognizes that the sales success of these products invites copycats. “We expect competitors to follow our packaging innovation” says Nieto. Last spring Dean Foods introduced another product with a long shelf life: Dips-For-One a four-pack of 2¾-oz single-serve chip dips in thermoformed polypropylene cups with foil-laminated lidstock sold in an attractive SBS sleeve. The product has a shelf life that exceeds 100 days (see Packaging World March ’00 p. 112 or www.packworld.com /go/dipsforone). Shelf life is similar to Dean’s other refrigerated dips sold in a more traditional resealable container/lid combination.
In an effort to continue to introduce new products Nieto says Dean’s “is working to develop both processing and packaging technologies. We need to have products with a minimum of 40 to 45 days of shelf life. We’ve looked at [alternative] materials for longer shelf life and our purchasing department always likes to work with more than one vendor.”
He continues “We’ve invested in new technologies machinery and upgrading facilities. I can’t talk about them because we view packaging as being critical to our success. Packaging innovation is at the core of our major new product successes at Dean Foods. And while I don’t think the company’s view of packaging has changed I think we’ve recognized with Milk Chugs and Dips-For-One how powerful packaging innovation can be in developing new products” Nieto asserts.
See the sidebar that goes with this story: Suiza agrees to buy Dean Foods
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