Beverage

Target VP: experiences inspire great design

Compelling design gives consumers what they want before they know they want it, says Minda Gralnek, vice president and creative director for Target Stores. Target and SuperTarget reflect this philosophy in the design of store brands, and the company’s recent development of the Wine Cube carton offers one example of this thinking.

June 11, 2007

Industries: Page 458

Beverage

The outlook for aseptically processed low acid beverages in pet bottles

After many years the flood gates are about ready to be opened: Aseptically processed low-acid beverages in PET bottles produced in the U.S. will finally be a reality. Look out America! Anyone who has followed the saga of aseptically processed low-acid beverages in PET bottles knows that this is a story that would be challenging to describe in a just a 750-word column. Consider this the abridged version.

June 11, 2007

Closures

Teen skin care products pack inspiration

Teen Everyday Skincare System (TESS) was created a little more than a year ago, with its skincare products for teen girls developed by entrepreneurial moms and their teenage daughters, as well as with input from teen girls in focus groups around the country. To appeal to teen girls required not only good products, but also cheerful, modern packaging.

June 11, 2007

Beverage

MSU's school of packaging awarded new instruments

A digital burst tester, universal material crush tester, and an internal bond tester were awarded to Michigan State University’s (MSU) School of Packaging from the International Corrugated Packaging Foundation (www.careersincorrugated.org).

June 11, 2007

Flexibles

Pickle packs debut

Retortable single-serve barrier cups have generated a number of headlines lately. First was cat food, then tuna for humans, and now, from Mt. Olive Pickle Company of Mt. Olive, NC, pickles.

June 11, 2007

Flexibles

Better pack for Betta Foods

Betta Foods, Australia’s largest manufacturer of ice-cream cones and specialty confectionery products, is introducing a resealable feature on its Natural Real Fruit Flavored Liquorice AllSorts and Liquorice Bullets candy packages.

June 11, 2007

Flexibles

Produce in compostable trays debuts on earth day

Four Seasons Produce Inc., Ephrata, PA, one of the largest independent produce wholesalers in the United States, began using compostable produce trays made of palm fiber from Earthcycle Packaging (www.earthcycle.com) for its entire organic packaging program. The repackaging was officially launched on Earth Day, April 22. Palm fiber trays compost in less than 90 days.

June 11, 2007

Closures

High-style glass wine bottles

Australian vintner Angove has repackaged its Nine Vines rose wines in premium 750-mL flint glass bottles supplied by O-I (www.o-i.com), with metal screw caps from AusCap (www.auscap.net) and pressure-sensitive labels provided by Collotype (www.collotype.com).

June 11, 2007

Beverage

Coors' label shows beer temperature

A thermochromic label that debuted in May indicates when Coors beer is at the optimal drinking temperature.

June 11, 2007

Blisters/clamshells/thermoforming materials

Detector/checkweigher deliver QC for bakery

Crepe Cuisine, Penzance, Cornwall, England, a manufacturer of bakery goods for supermarkets, caterers, and wholesalers throughout the UK, has installed a new combination metal detection/checkweighing system from Avery Weigh-Tronix Canada (www.averyweigh-tronix.ca).

June 11, 2007

Consumer packaged goods

U.S. machinery purchases stabilizing: PMMI

A 1% growth in U.S. packaging machinery purchases this year “reflects a cautionary reaction to the uncertainty of the U.S. economy, rather than decisions based on financial imperatives,” according to the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (www.pmmi.org).

June 11, 2007

Blisters/clamshells/thermoforming materials

Baking soda label acts as a freshness timer

WS Packaging Group (www.wspackaging.com) has solved a long-standing consumer conundrum of knowing when to replace the Arm & Hammer-brand Baking Soda refrigerator air filter.

June 11, 2007

Flexibles

Deli-quality sandwiches in microwave packaging

Madison, WI-based Oscar Mayer, a unit of Kraft Foods, has teamed up with Graphic Packaging International, Inc. (www.graphicpkg.com) to launch Oscar Mayer Deli Creations refrigerated, modified atmosphere-packaged sandwiches in GPI QuiltWave™ microwave receptor trays.

June 11, 2007