The U.S. Department of Agriculture granted the Park City IceWater brand permission to be labeled as “artesian water from glacier ice.” And Wasatch did its homework to find just the right packaging for this pristine water.
Craig Binks, the company’s chief operating officer, notes, “This water flows from the aquifer to the plant at a cold 41 degrees Fahrenheit without seeing the light of day. It comes straight out of the ground chemical-free. We have a unique product, and we wanted a unique package.”
Binks adds, “The pouch requires 75-percent less energy to produce and 95-percent less landfill compared to PET bottles. We chose Ampac Flexibles as our pouch supplier because they produce high-quality pouches.”
The proprietary pouch structure developed by Ampac combines PET and biaxially oriented nylon with a coextruded organoleptic inner layer to protect water flavor, odor, and color properties. The inner layer also helps safeguard against structural failure of the pouch.
Binks explains, “It was important to have a package that had tight seams and didn’t split. Our quality control department has subjected it to a variety of drop tests to make sure that the package was up to our quality standards.”
Ampac gravure-prints the fronts and backs of the pouches in five colors, featuring purple and white snow-capped mountain peaks.
Ampac’s SmartSpout dispensing system combines components from Seaquist Closures—a polyethylene base fitment with a spout and a silicone valve, topped off by a Seaquist EZ Turn cap. The patented, tamper-evident system features an enlarged cap for easy grasping and turning.
Wasatch is very pleased with the new package. Says Binks, “It’s so easy to slip a couple of pouches into your pockets when you are skiing or biking, for example. They are durable and can conform to your body. You also can freeze the pouches, use them as portable ice packs, and drink the water later. And when you are done, you have flat, empty pouches than can be disposed of easily.” —Judy Rice
