The paperboard carton couldn't be displayed in the most logical and appealing place: beside the fresh lettuce, without getting hopelessly soggy. So the firm relaunched its product in a flexible pouch that resists water from produce misters. The new pouch is of the stand-up variety, but it also has a hole at the top for peg display. C&H Packaging (Merrill, WI) forms the pouch from a lamination of 48-ga polyester and 3-mil "custom blended" polyethylene with white opaque sealant. It's reverse printed by flexo in seven colors. It costs just slightly more than the carton, says Saco vice president Tony Sanna. Saco workers fill the pouch by hand and use a heat sealing machine to seal it. The 4.5-oz kit sells for $1.99. Saco introduced the new package at the National Produce Marketing Show in October. The firm anticipates the new look will help triple its sales.
