instore - August 2016 - (Page CI12)

Packaging: Container innovations are clearly in your favor By Stephanie DeCamp hether you're trying to go green or just save some, packaging innovations for your commissary's fresh and prepared foods are continually presenting themselves these days. As far as design, the biggest developments have been in stability and sustainability - not to mention presentation. And with packaging priorities starting to change just as fast as the trends that govern them, manufacturers are racing to save the day, much to the advantage of the commissaries that need them. So whether your goal is to capitalize on the transparency movement or if you're simply just trying to get your food to its retailer in one piece, chances are that your solution is already here. W Reseal and recycle One of the newest approaches to an old problem comes from Clear Lam Packaging: foamed APET and rPET rollstock. Made of triangle No. 1 foamed polyester packaging, in appearance and weight it's seems to be a lot like recyclable Styrofoam, and it's designed to reduce shipping weight and work with existing recycling programs. ice PET lidding films, designed to peel and reseal to its clear PET trays without the need for scissors or other tools to open the product. "It's amazing how many times I've heard that (a consumer won't buy a product if the packaging is too hard to open) in my career - it's a real issue," Forowycz says. "A lot of food companies sometimes don't recognize that the initial experience the consumer has with their product is the package, and not the food inside of it. So we work a lot to really improve that." A second advantage to this line is that it can withstand high-pressure pasteurization (HPP), the latest method of ensuring a Listeria-free product without using any chemical preservatives, additives or heat to extend its shelf life. "It's a tricky thing to develop plastics for," Forowycz says, "because under that high of an "Triangle No. 1 packages are the polyester packages most recycled in America, and we're making them lighter - and we're doing so by foaming them," says Roman Forowycz, chief marketing officer for Clear Lam Packaging. "Everybody sort of knows that Styrofoam is bad for the environment, but this is different - it's polyester that's foamed. It's recyclable, and you save up to 50 percent of the shipping weight. And when you do that, you're also eliminating fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Clear Lam has also developed SealCho- 12 * AUGUST 2016 * commissary INSIDER PHOTO: CLEAR LAM amount of pressure, these resealable packages typically rupture. Or if they're permanently sealed, then you need a knife or scissors to get into it, and it's not consumer-friendly." Clear Lam has also expanded its existing peel-and-reseal lidding film program, now producing films that seal from underneath the packaging instead of on top, which helps maintain moisture and prevent staling. But its main advantage over similar peel-and-reseal films, Forowycz says, is that it can maintain a full reseal even when done over small amounts of water and fat contamination. It's a different technology employed that appears to have little wrinkles when applied, he says, but it's designed to replace rigid lids and shrink bands, and can also reduce shipping weight by up to 30 percent. "So with products like meats and cheeses," Forowycz says, "if a consumer pulls it out and it smudges up over it, it can still seal over. That's very unique compared to what others are doing." Design and durability While Sabert Packaging also has an entire line of compostable 'green' products, its latest packaging developments have focused on bakery and grab-and-go containers that spotlight presentation and shipping stability. "Our snack and bakery collections differ a little bit;, but both are really packaging for on-the-go lifestyles,

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of instore - August 2016

instore - August 2016
Editor's note - Allergens: A new way to connect
Table of Contents
News - On our radar
Spotlight - By the numbers: Deli sandwiches
Cover story - Allergen awareness
Specialty insights - Consider: Dips and spreads
Commissary Insider - August 2016
Feature: Dealing with allergens
Food Safety: Reusable Plastic Containers vs. corrugated packaging (Part 2 of 2)
Product Spotlight: Sandwich wraps — making a comeback?
Packaging: Container innovations are clearly in your favor
Operations and logistics: Less-than-truckload shipping
Feature - Changing perceptions
Product knowledge - Need to know: Dessert cakes
Equipment & packaging - Latest Innovation: Combination ovens
Merchandising - On Display: Tailgating season
Product Trends - First to Market
Product Showcase
Ad Index

instore - August 2016