New Squish’ems! applesauce-based fruit snack is packaged in a flexible,
squeezable stand-up pouch with a built-in straw and kid-friendly,
resealable cap that makes on-the-go consumption nutritious and fun.
The hot-filled, twice-pasteurized fruit snack uses a proprietary,
multilayer film laminate from Hosokawa Yoko Co.
(www.hosokawa-yoko.co.jp) that facilitates high-quality, eight-color
gravure printing on the outer layer, as well as excellent barrier
properties and shock- and pressure-resistance. The pouch design is a
CDF (www.cdf1.com) Cheer Pack, a squat and compact, side-gusseted
package that is easy for little hands to grasp.
Totally kid-centric, the package incorporates a patented, anti-choking
cap from Gualapack S.p.A. (www.gualapack.it). Not only does the cap
exceed the 31.75-mm inside diameter of the Consumer Product Safety
Commission’s (www.cpsc.gov) small parts cylinder (SPC), making it
difficult for children to swallow, but it is also designed with vents
and holes on the top so that if it is accidentally ingested, it won’t
obstruct the throat.
Colorful, cartoon-like graphics by Design Smith (905/927-2600) decorate
the pouch, with illustrations of fingers around the sides of the
package inviting kids to grasp and squeeze. The Dole brand logo is
positioned prominently on the front of the pouch, along with vibrant
fruit illustrations.
The 90-g Cheer Packs are filled on equipment from Gualapack at Dole
co-packer Eco-Container Corp.’s (www.eco-container.com) Vancouver, BC,
facility. Pouches are packed four and 16 to a die-cut paperboard
carton, supplied by Cascades (www.cascades.com).
Peter Stewart, senior business development manager for Dole Canada,
relates that the product was launched last year in Canadian retail and
club stores and, if successful, will be an option for all other Dole
units worldwide.
