Specialty pouches stand out for specialty diet brand

The STANDCAP Pouch landed another U.S. application, this one as a premade pouch pack for a start-up condiment line aimed at the Ketogenic diet crowd.

The Guy Gone Keto line of Ketogenic diet-friendly condiments is, as far as Thom King knows, the first use of the premade version of the STANDCAP Pouch in the U.S.
The Guy Gone Keto line of Ketogenic diet-friendly condiments is, as far as Thom King knows, the first use of the premade version of the STANDCAP Pouch in the U.S.

Adopting a lifestyle that includes a diet of 70% fats, 20% protein, and 10% cruciferous (grown above the ground, not below) vegetables, while eliminating grains, fruits, and all sugars, isn’t for everybody. But for a significant and growing number people globally, this Ketogenic diet—or “lifestyle” depending on who you speak to—has generated great results in weight loss and health. The guy who wrote the book on the diet, “Guy Gone Keto,” is Thom King. He is, quite literally, a guy who has “gone keto” in taking to the Ketogenic lifestyle.

“With the Ketogenic lifestyle, your body becomes what’s called fat-adapted; it stops burning carbohydrates as its primary fuel, and starts actually burning fats,” he says. “Your body adapts quite well and functions more efficiently when burning fat. Benefits include increases in brain functionality and help in combating metabolic disease and obesity, plus it lends a hand in controlling seizures and diabetes.”

King also happens to be President of Icon Foods, Portland, OR, an ingredient supplier specializing in all-natural, certified-organic, GMO-free, soy-free, and allergen-free sweeteners to replace sugars and support food manufacturers in sugar reduction. The consumer brand name associated with Icon is Steviva, a stevia-plant-based sweetener. But the company more recently introduced the ingredient KetoseSweet+, a sweetener that can be enjoyed without affecting blood glucose or insulin levels.

At least in part to demonstrate KetoseSweet’s efficacy as a viable sugar-alternative in consumer products, Icon recently introduced a line of products—namely steak and barbecue sauces, ketchup, and similar condiments—aptly named Guy Gone Keto. The move flung the ingredient company into the role of a start-up food CPG, and it needed to package the product not only for shelf appeal and impact, but also practicality in logistics.

“This isn’t my first run at retail. Since we knew we’d be doing a lot of direct-to-consumer to start, we knew we were going to be shipping a lot,” King says. “We wanted to build brand equity before we even got to the retail environment. First, it gives us a competitive advantage once we do hit the retail shelves, and secondarily, we’ll have a first-mover’s advantage of being, as far as I know, the only condiment delivered in a stand-up pouch like this one. We were looking for a flexible stand-up pouch that performed well in terms of weight and breakage in direct-to-consumer channels.”

One requirement was that the package selected for this condiment product had to withstand being hot-filled. The STANDCAP Pouch using Volpak  technology, exclusively licensed in the U.S. by converter Glenroy, is heat tolerant to 190°F, giving Guy Gone Keto and Icon the ability to hot-fill in a flexible package.

“I actually saw the STANDCAP Pouch in Packaging World magazine in a Daisy Brand sour cream application and began researching it after that,” King adds. (You can watch a video about the Daisy application from Packaging World at pwgo.to/3937.) “Now that we’re growing that brand equity, and we’re being shared on social media like we are, I think the packaging will just sell itself in retail because of its shelf presence.”

In terms of shelf impact, eye-tracking studies within a retail environment performed by Clemson University and research firm Package InSight showed that the STANDCAP Pouch was noticed 40% faster and viewed 53% longer than rigid packaging.

The premade pack
The company turned to graphic artist Roberta Souto, a veteran in designing for Icon brands, to design the label. She wanted to convey a message that struck a personalized, small-batch chord, hence the Guy Gone Keto (Thom King) likeness.

Holding 14 oz. of product, the STANDCAP Pouch itself is a multilayer, reverse-printed film lamination that incorporates a proprietary layer of clear, high-barrier film designed to protect the integrity of the product and extend shelf life. The product-contact layer provides a heat-sealable surface designed to be compatible with the closure and adds to overall pouch strength. The clear, high-barrier layer provides oxygen and moisture resistance. The exterior layer protects the reverse-printed ink and plays a role in burst strength. Other layers of the pouch provide further burst strength, rigidity, and puncture resistance. Total film thickness is approximately 5 mils.

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