Brenham, Texas-based Blue Bell Creameries is one of the few ice cream manufacturers in the country that relies on its own direct store delivery system and personnel rather than sending its frozen treats through central distribution centers. Naturally, the many Blue Bell route sales representatives who stock supermarket freezer cases in parts of 23 states provide feedback on how packaging performs as they go about their duties. And for some time now they noted that there could be improvements made to the popular 12-count loose-fitting pre-made polyethylene bags that have been used historically. What’s more, the folks in sales and marketing were convinced that the on-shelf appearance of the product would be improved if the secondary packaging got an upgrade.
Route sales representatives and the sales/marketing team weren’t the only ones who found shortcomings in the bag format. Facilities project manager Russell Halfmann explains how the loose nature of the 12-count units presented challenges in automating the case packing operation.
