Pushing 106 years old and sporting a monocle, spats, and a top hat, Mr. Peanut has played a significant role over the last century in elevating the Planters snack-nut brand to iconic status. Now, with the company’s new 16-oz peanut-shaped PET jar, Planters has another ownable brand asset to help drive recognition on-shelf. Designed as a nod to the product within, the shapely bottle also uses 8% less plastic versus Planters’ previous 16-oz bottle, a conscious change made to help meet parent company Hormel Corp.’s commitment to reduce its product packaging.
According to Planters Associate Brand Manager Allie Abney, the redesign of the packaging for Planters’ three Dry Roasted Peanut varieties was initiated to introduce a “flavor-forward” look that showcased the premium snack. “The peanut-shaped design was inspired by two drivers: how do we use less plastic than our previous bottle, and how do we successfully remind shoppers of the delicious, premium peanuts inside the bottle?” she says.
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The biggest design challenge for Planters and its proprietary packaging supplier was finding a way to reduce the amount of plastic in the bottles while still enclosing the same amount of peanuts inside. “We addressed this through design innovation and by making the bottle slightly taller than before to compensate for the curvier peanut profile,” Abney explains. She adds that only minor modifications to Planters’ existing packaging machinery were required to accommodate the new package.
The 8% reduction in plastic was achieved through the new bottle shape and a change in material distribution. In total, the peanut-shaped package will save an estimated 220 tons of plastic per year, adding to the 757,000 pounds of packaging already saved by Hormel in 2021.
Along with a new hourglass shape, the updated Planters Dry Roasted Peanuts package also got a new label—peanut shaped as well—designed to emphasize the line’s distinctive flavors. The bottle is being used for three varieties: Honey Roasted, Salted, and Sweet & Spicy.
To develop the graphics architecture for the new label, Planters worked with creative agency Jones Knowles Ritchie. Explains Abney, “The new packaging puts flavor first, spotlighting one super-sized peanut rather than a pile of peanuts, so snack nut fans can easily see the detail and appetite appeal of each respective flavor.” Color-coded color blocks differentiate flavors, with gold for Honey Roasted, red for Salted, and a dep red for Sweet & Spicy. Mr. Peanut is still front and center, the dapper mascot positioned alongside the oversized nut.
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The label, from a proprietary supplier, is made from crystallized PET and is gravure-printed in eight colors. Because the new label has a smaller surface area than the wraparound one used previously, consumers are better able to see into the jar, to view the flavored peanuts inside.
The new package was launched in stores nationwide in September, supported with in-store displays, online advertising, and social media.
Concludes Abney, “Our new packaging allows us to truly stand out with a unique ‘shell’ that is just as premium and satisfying as the delicious Planters Dry Roasted Peanuts housed within. Now snack lovers can enjoy their favorite peanuts in an even better, crave-worthy bottle that puts flavor in the spotlight.”
