Food & Beverage Packaging back issues from October 2008:
Beware the downside of downsizing.(Consumer Insights)
Oct 01, 2008; ... One of our shoppers summed things up by saying: "Prices are soaring, and packages are getting smaller. I think we are in a pickle." The packages she is talking about are those that have slimmed down as a way of passing on cost increases, not the cute little cans of Coke for ...
Explosion of health-related icons represents opportunity.(Retailer Perspective)
Oct 01, 2008; ... Icons or symbols have become vital components of labeling, particularly when they pertain to health claims, and they are currently becoming the focus of a great deal of debate, as well as activity, that may well lead to some important changes. Consumers, in search of the ...
Canada's rush to judgment on BPA is too rash.(Regulatory Analysis)
Oct 01, 2008; ... Several months ago, two Canadian agencies--Health Canada and Environment Canada--published a draft risk assessment for bisphenol-A (BPA). It declared that the substance is "toxic" within the meaning of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. The agencies proposed to reduce ...
Bag steams potatoes before mashing.(PACKAGE OF THE MONTH)
Oct 01, 2008; ... The Ore-Ida unit of Heinz has come up with a significant advance on the steam-in-bag concept. Steam n'Mash is frozen potato cubes that the consumer heats and softens by microwaving them inside their pouch, then mashes to the desired consistency. The stand-up pouch, converted by ...
Caps releases powder into water.(New Packages: INNOVATIONS / TRENDS
Oct 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Anew "functional beverage" has vitamin supplements and other ingredients stored in its cap, ready to be released upon consumption. Activate drinks from Rising Beverage Co., Los Angeles, feature a cap that, when twisted by the consumer, cuts an ...
M&M'S go upscale, and so does package.(New Packages)
Oct 01, 2008; ... Anew, extra-fancy version of M&M's comes in an extra-fancy package. M&M's Premiums are deluxe versions of Mars Inc.'s iconic candy, in larger-than-normal nuggets with exotic flavors like mocha, raspberry almond and triple chocolate. The packaging is a tapered ...
Tray speeds lasagna heating.(New Packages)
Oct 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A tray for Wal-Mart house brand frozen lasagna that cuts microwave cooking time in half has won an award from the Institute of Packaging Professionals. Wal-Mart switched its Great Value Lasagna to a MicroRite tray from Graphic Packaging Int'l, ...
Correction.(New Packages)(Correction notice)
Oct 01, 2008; ... In last month's issue, the explanation of how the Oh Boy! Oberto beef jerky package is made should have said "Huhtamaki manufactures the package, trade-named Velocity, by shaping PP [polypropylene] ...
Prices, recalls affect consumer attitudes.(Packager News: BUSINESS
Oct 01, 2008; ... Concerns about food recalls, rising prices for food and gasoline, and other situations are leading to changes in consumer attitudes and behaviors, according to recent studies and surveys. Gas prices are inspiring consumers to cut back in food-related purchases in several ways, ...
TerraCycle, a company that turns used or excess packaging into accessories like handbags and other products, has struck a partnership with Kraft Foods.
Oct 01, 2008; ... TerraCycle, a company that turns used or excess packaging into accessories like handbags and other products, has struck a partnership with Kraft Foods. Kraft is sponsoring a program that will pay two ...
Unilever has sold its Bertolli line of olive oils and vinegars to Spanish company Grupo SOS SA.
Oct 01, 2008; ... Unilever has sold its Bertolli line of olive oils and vinegars to Spanish company Grupo SOS SA. The $925.9 million deal also includes the sale of the Italian Maya, Dante ...
Dr Pepper Snapple Group.
Oct 01, 2008; ... Dr Pepper Snapple Group has announced plans to build a $120 million manufacturing and distribution facility in Victorville, Calif ....
National Conference of State Legislatures.(Conference news)
Oct 01, 2008; ... Joe Hackney, speaker of North Carolina's state House, has been elected president of the National Conference of State Legislatures. Hackney ...
Dairy Farmers of America.
Oct 01, 2008; ... Dairy Farmers of America, the largest U.S. dairy cooperative, has formed a new ingredients and contract ...
McCormick & Co. has completed the acquisition of the assets of the Lawry's seasonings business from Conopco Inc., an indirect subsidiary of Unilever.
Oct 01, 2008; ... McCormick & Co. has completed the acquisition of the assets of the Lawry's seasonings business from Conopco Inc., an indirect subsidiary of Unilever ....
Asda.
Oct 01, 2008; ... A new milk bottle being sold by Asda supermarkets in the United Kingdom consists of 91% recycled material. The GreenBottle has an outer ...
Conagra trays to use post-consumer resin.(Packager News)
Oct 01, 2008; ... ConAgra has announced an initiative to incorporate post-consumer recycled plastic into the trays used for most of its frozen foods. The initiative, announced in August, entails trays with 30% to 40% post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET). These monolayer trays, supplied ...
Kid-ad initiative lauded, criticized.(Packager News)(Brief article)
Oct 01, 2008; ... Food and beverage companies have made progress in restricting the marketing of unhealthy products to children, according to a recent federal report. But consumer groups criticized the report, saying the feds depend too much on self-policing by companies with varying standards. ...
Packaging a big part of General success: General Mills has emerged as one of the best-performing big food companies in a tight economy. Here's how packaging helps.(Corporate Strategy: FOOD PACKAGER OF THE YEAR)(Cover story)
Oct 01, 2008; ... General Mills is general, all right. The $13.7 billion company has a product portfolio so diverse that an entire big wall in the visitors' center in its Minneapolis headquarters is covered with the names of its products. The "Mills" part, of course, reflects the Big G cereals, like ...
Portion packs cater to on-the-go consumers: when it comes to keeping an entire fleet of innovative packages in formation, General Mills runs a tight ship.(Packaging Innovations: FOOD PACKAGER OF THE YEAR)(Cover story)
Oct 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] General Mills has designed a spectrum of packaging innovations that catch the consumer's eye, sustain a product's freshness and minimize environmental impact. The only thing tougher for a company than designing a good package is designing a good one that ...
Raising the bar on granola--and elsewhere: packaging operations across General Mills' diverse portfolio are constantly upgraded through broad, companywide principles.(Plant Operations: FOOD PACKAGER OF THE YEAR)
Oct 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] General Mills has a diverse product portfolio that's loaded with unique products. But its operational imperatives are the same as everyone else's: Make things faster, cheaper and better. To that end, the company has implemented broad strategies for ...
Break me off a piece of that high-end market! Middle-end chocolate manufacturers are moving into the luxury chocolate niche. How is packaging being designed to reflect brand quality?(CANDY / CONFECTIONS)
Oct 01, 2008; ... Oh, how sweet it is. Even in turbulent economic times, the high-end chocolate market is a major profitable segment of the $17-billion-a-year U.S. candy industry. And it's expected to almost double over the next five years, according to a Mintel report. While middle-end chocolate ...
Get rid of tools on the line.(Machinery Matters)
Oct 01, 2008; ... I love tools, all kinds of tools. Hand tools and power tools, old tools and new tools. On a packaging line, though, they can make me crazy. Let's begin with a definition: Tools are implements used to aid in performance of a task. They include things like wrenches and ...
Light weights put heavy demands on labelers: thinner materials, faster speeds and more versatility all mean big challenges for labeling equipment.(LABELERS)
Oct 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If there's one point on a packaging line at which some of the most challenging trends in packaging converge, it's the labeler. Faster throughput? Check. More changeovers? Check. Thinner materials, for both labels and containers? Check and double ...
Flexing to meet performance goals: end users are cutting costs and film manufacturers are responding with simpler, stronger films.(FILMS/FLEXIBLE PACKAGING)
Oct 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In the past, when a packager wanted to increase the barrier of a flexible package, he would use a thicker film or switch to a high-performance film that was sophisticated, expensive and multi-layered. However, with costs increasing and sustainable ...
Packaging company's got it in the bag: from materials to machinery, Automated Packaging Systems offers options for both fresh and frozen food packaging applications.(COMPANY CAPABILITIES)
Oct 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Automated Packaging Systems has been a world leader in designing and manufacturing bag packaging systems for more than 45 years, and is the original inventor of Autobag bagging machines and pre-opened bags. Today, it manufactures genuine Autobag brand ...
Iconotech puts control in end user's hands: how changing case printing technology can save a company money.(COMPANY CAPABILITIES)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Witching from preprinted cases to a generic case-printing program saves companies significant dollars and resources. Converting short to medium runs to generic corrugated allows packagers to consolidate stock-keeping units (SKUs) into common case sizes and access the power of quantity ...
Swiss team develops: pathogen growth-inhibiting film.(Supplier News: NEWS / TECHNOLOGY / PEOPLE)
Oct 01, 2008; ... Ateam of Swiss chemical engineers has developed a film coated with nanoparticles of silver and calcium phosphate, which can be used in both food processing and packaging to inhibit pathogen growth. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The team, led by Wendelin Stark, assistant ...
EskoArtwork (www.esko.com) has acquired Mikkelsen Graphic Engineering Inc. (www.mgeus.com).
Oct 01, 2008; ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] EskoArtwork (www.esko.com) has acquired Mikkelsen Graphic Engineering Inc. (www.mgeus.com). MGE's operations will ...
Klockner Pentaplast Group.
Oct 01, 2008; ... The Klockner Pentaplast Group (www.kpfilms.com) has appointed Dr. Hans-Joachim Kogelnik as president and chief operating officer of the ...
Packaging Strategies.
Oct 01, 2008; ... Packaging Strategies (www.packstrat.com) has released a report, Biopolymers for Commodity Packaging, for purchase on its website. The study offers an overview of the most significant biopolymer technologies, the ...
Goodman Packaging Equipment.
Oct 01, 2008; ... Goodman Packaging Equipment (www.goodmanpkg.com) has hired Randy Spahr as its executive vice president. He currently serves as vice chairman of the Packaging ...
Enercon.
Oct 01, 2008; ... Enercon (www.enerconind.com) has added Owen Schmidt as inside sales manager. He will provide customers with service, support and ...
Sealed Air (www.sealedair.com) has opened Packforum Americas in Atlanta.
Oct 01, 2008; ... Sealed Air (www.sealedair.com) has opened Packforum Americas in Atlanta, a 28,000-square-foot dynamic innovation and learning center that brings the food processing, supermarket ...
Michael Rubenstein, chief growth and innovation officer of Alcan Packaging (www.alcan.com), has been named by PrintAction Magazine as one of Canada's Top 50 Most Influential People in Graphic Communications.
Oct 01, 2008; ... Michael Rubenstein, chief growth and innovation officer of Alcan Packaging (www.alcan.com), has been named by PrintAction Magazine as one of Canada's Top 50 Most Influential People in ...
Report analyzes container and packaging industry.(Supplier News)
Oct 01, 2008; ... Datamonitor has published Containers & Packaging: Global Industry Guide, which includes data on market size and segmentation, profiles of leading companies and textual analysis of key trends and competitive landscape. Highlights include: The global containers and packaging ...
Rohm and Haas (www.rohmhaas.com), Nordmeccanica Group (www.nordmeccanica.com) and Paperplast Int'l (www. www.paperplast.it) are collaborating to help packaging converters.
Oct 01, 2008; ... Rohm and Haas (www.rohmhaas. com), Nordmeccanica Group (www.nordmeccanica.com) and Paperplast Int'l (www. www.paperplast.it) are collaborating to help packaging converters by speeding ...
Mettler-Toledo Safeline.
Oct 01, 2008; ... Mettler-Toledo Safeline (www.mettlertoledo.com) launched an educational website, www.contaminationdetection.com. It features new stories on product contamination, information on ...
Uncertain times call for certain strategies.(Editor's Note)
Oct 01, 2008; ... Before I went grocery shopping last weekend, I joked to my husband that I was off to stock up on macaroni & cheese and bologna. "Really?!" he asked. Like most Americans, I'm worried about the economy. And, like most U.S. consumers, I'm waiting to see what all this credit mess ...
Five more reasons to come to pack expo.(Upcoming Events)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Pack Expo 2008, the U.S.'s largest packaging show, will take place Nov. 19-23 at McCormick Place, Chicago. The show will feature five different pavilions: Containers & Materials Pavilion: The largest selection of containers and materials in the Western Hemisphere will showcase ...
Calendar.(Calendar)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Oct. 20-23 InterBev/IBWA Convention & Trade Show, Sands Expo Center, Las Vegas. 703-934-4700; www.interbev.com Oct. 21 Hot Topics in Food Packaging: Barriers with Brains, Pearson Convention Center, Brampton, Ontario. 519-821-1246, ext. 5019; ...
Plastic on track for fast growth in produce packaging.(Data Watch)
Oct 01, 2008 ... Corrugated boxes will continue to be the primary form of packaging for fresh produce, but plastic containers will experience the fastest growth in the segment, according to a report from The Freedonia Group. The expected gains for plastic will result from continued favorable ...
Packaging helps brands compete by targeting new channels.(What We Need Is ...)
Oct 01, 2008; ... The alcoholic beverage business is extremely competitive, as well as global. Manufacturers represent large international companies. The distributors, in many cases, are national in scope and size, too. As a small company, we don't have the resources to compete. So we have to ...