With the annual tradition of the U.S. Presidential turkey pardon, few pause to think about the packaged turkeys that will be presented to the American chief executive before Nov. 22.
However, the packaging experts at Sealed Air’s Cryovac® brand food packaging have these birds top-of-mind. For the past 35 years, Sealed Air’s Cryovac brand has been the packaging partner charged with protecting the whole turkeys the First Family receives annually.
The inventor and leading supplier of the modern vacuum bag for fresh and frozen turkeys, Sealed Air’s Cryovac brand was selected by the National Turkey Federation (NTF) in 1978 as the packaging partner for the Presidential turkeys, an honor the brand has maintained ever since.
A combination of proprietary materials and packaging technologies led to the development of the Cryovac L-bag for turkeys, which is used for the Presidential turkey because of the package’s ability to prevent freezer burn in frozen birds and enhance freshness in both fresh and frozen product.
Today, the Cryovac L-bag, which was first introduced more than 50 years ago, packages frozen turkeys in retail poultry cases nationwide. In addition to performance, the vacuum bags containing the First Family’s turkeys offer visual appeal, featuring holiday-themed printed designs that incorporate the message: “Happy Holidays, Mr. President.”
“The fact that our business continues to provide the packaging for turkeys presented to the President and his family on Thanksgiving is evidence of our commitment to developing and enhancing the most advanced food packaging technologies in the industry,” says Don Smith, marketing director for poultry, Sealed Air’s Cryovac brand food packaging. “Whether the customer is the leader of the free world, or just another family sitting down to give thanks this holiday season, we know our package helps to deliver the freshest and tastiest Thanksgiving bird possible.”
