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Ecolean comes to America

Country Pure Foods will be the first U.S. company to use the Ecolean Air Aseptic packaging—betting that the stand-up pouch’s unique shape and environmental benefits will resonate with consumers.

Ecolean will debut its Air Aseptic packaging in the United States this fall when Country Pure Foods launches its Essential Pour juice line in the lightweight, sustainable flexible packaging. Photo courtesy of Ecolean.
Ecolean will debut its Air Aseptic packaging in the United States this fall when Country Pure Foods launches its Essential Pour juice line in the lightweight, sustainable flexible packaging. Photo courtesy of Ecolean.

Ecolean is finally making its way to the United States. The Helsingborg, Sweden-based company’s eye-catching, lightweight, sustainable, aseptic flexible packaging has been popular in Asia and Europe for the last 20 years. Now Ecolean is preparing for its U.S. debut. Akron, Ohio-based Country Pure Foods will use the Ecolean packaging to rebrand its line of juice drinks in the fall in an effort to differentiate its products on the retail shelf and grab the attention of consumers with the packaging’s unique shape and environmental benefits.

In September, Country Pure Foods, which primarily manufactures and distributes about 40 types of juices nationally, will launch Essential Pour, its rebranded line of ambient, high-acid, ready-to-drink fruit juices and juice concentrates, which includes orange, grape and apple juices, in the 1 L Ecolean Air Aseptic packaging. 

Stand-out features

Switching from aseptic brick cartons, Country Pure Foods was drawn to the Ecolean Air Aseptic for its bold design and low environmental impact. The stand-up pouch features a distinctive pitcher-like shape with an air-filled handle that stands out on the shelf. In addition, the lightweight, flexible packaging uses 50 to 60 percent less raw materials than conventional liquid food cartons and bottles and is recyclable. The Ecolean Air Aseptic also flattens completely, which takes up less space in the recycling bin and allows consumers to squeeze every last drop of the product, helping to reduce food waste. All of these traits will help the Essential Pour line resonate with consumers, according to Joe Koch, vice president of marketing for Country Pure Foods. 

“What intrigued us was that it’s unique in the United States. The design is certainly interesting and appealing. It challenges everything that’s out there in packages today,” Koch says. “It’s also got an environmental story that’s appealing to us as well. We understand that taking care of the environment and being responsible with our packaging is something that’s not only important, but it certainly becomes more and more important each year to our country and to our customers. We felt that between the uniqueness of the package — the feel, the touch, the look of the package — combined with the lightweight and the environmental aspects, that it just seemed like a good opportunity for us to give this a try.”

Even though the Ecolean Air Aseptic is light and thin, it is made up of a multilayer co-extrusion film that protects the product so that it can travel long distances, handle harsh environments and withstand long-term storage. The packaging consists of up to 35 percent calcium carbonate (chalk), a widely available natural resource that provides the strength, stiffness and white color to the Ecolean Air Aseptic. The remaining 65 percent includes polyethylene and polypropylene. Ethylene vinyl alcohol is used for the gas barrier, while carbon black provides the light barrier. Food and beverage manufacturers have the option of integrating the SnapQuick reclosing device, which is made of PET. Once a package is opened, SnapQuick allows a consumer to reclose the package simply by folding the top and pressing the two plastic buttons together.

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