instore - July 2017 - 10

equipment & packaging

With today's consumers busier than ever and constantly on the go,
they are increasingly supplementing or replacing meals with convenient snacking options.
In fact, reporting from Technomic, a top food industry research and
consulting firm, says 83 percent of consumers snacked on a daily
basis in 2016. That's up from 76 percent in 2014. As the snacking trend
continues to accelerate, so does the popularity of the supermarket
perimeter. With that comes a growing expectation from shoppers to
find more snacking options in the deli.
A key barrier to delivering more snacking options with fresh foods in
the deli and prepared foods sections is proper packaging. This was
addressed at IDDBA 17, where members of the Show & Sell Committee,
representing Tyson Foods, Rich Products and a leading retailer,
enlisted the help of Milliken & Company, in conjunction with Display
Pack, to create the "Pick Your Plate" plastic packaging concept.
"Our research shows there
is a substantial growth
opportunity for snacking
within the deli and prepared
foods department," says
Amber Langston, channel
marketing manager for
Tyson Foods and a IDDBA
17 Show & Sell Committee
member. "Currently, the
majority (58 percent) of
shoppers look to center
store to fulfill their snacking
needs, while the deli only
captures 18 percent."
The packaging concept
features a rigid plastic tray
with four wedge-shaped
cavities in which consumers
can place individual 10- or
20-ounce lidded tubs of prepackaged hot or cold food.

Snacking concepts
The concept gives consumers the flexibility to choose as many
portions as they want, as well as the size of the individual portions. It's
also ideal for a number of meal or snacking occasions. The concept can
be used for a snack run at work for employees, a light or robust lunch
to bring home or back to work, a quick bite on the go, fresh snacks
for teenagers, petite meal options for seniors with smaller appetites,
custom choices for picky childer and more.
It also offers advantages for store operations. With this solution,
employees in the deli and prepared foods departments need not worry
if a package is hot-case approved. Using one type of packaging for both
hot and cold foods also helps
to simplify the supply chain
and reduce inventory. Flexible
packaging also accommodates
a variety of food options.

"Our research
shows there is a
substantial growth
opportunity for
snacking within
the deli and
prepared foods
department."

"This conventional packaging
design is suitable for a wide
range of fresh, prepared foods,"
says Kristi Robey, culinary
manager for Rich Products.
"In addition to prepared foods,
desserts and other bakery
items would work well with the
packaging. Basically, if it can be
sold as a smaller portion, it can
be included in this concept."

Amber Langston, Tyson Foods

Milliken recommended its NX
UltraClear polypropylene for
the tubs and lids. The clear
material displays the food to its best advantage and connotes high
quality and purity to discerning shoppers. It is also the first plastic to
combine glass-like clarity for improved aesthetics with temperature
resistance for heating and reheating.
The plastic is engineered to handle hot-fill applications, warming under
heat lamps and microwaving. Plus, it is equally well suited for packaging cold foods such as salads, fresh deli items and desserts.
Milliken says it turned to Display Pack to produce the concept.

Milliken recommended its NX UltraClear
polypropylene for the concept's tubs
and lids.

The tray makes it easy to
carry multiple containers,
and doubles as a plate.
Alternatively, shoppers
can choose a single container without the tray. All components of
the design, including the tray, are microwaveable, which helps end
consumers avoid the inconvenience of having to transfer the food to
another dish.

10 * JULY 2017 * instore

"We believe the concept of selecting individually packaged items
to customize a snack or small meal is the first of its kind in the fresh
prepared food arena," says Andy Blackmore, director of sales and
marketing for Display Pack. "The Pick Your Plate collaboration has
produced an innovative concept that will open retailers' and food
manufacturers' eyes to the close relationship between fresh prepared
foods and high-quality packaging."

MILLIKEN & COMPANY

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