PET Food Processing - March 2021 - 64

PACKAGING

" All packaging formats
must now consider
the demands of
e-commerce. "
Sal Pellingra, ProAmpac

Left: Today's
packaging materials
must be engineered to meet
requirements for
shelf life, maintain
product flavor, hold
in product moisture,
grease and odor, all
while being
sustainable.
ProAmpac

Right: In addition
to the ability to
print branding on
all sides including
the bottom, other
packaging features
important to manufacturers include a
tight seal, venting
and resealable closures for consumer
convenience.
Mondi

premiumization will get noticed by those seeking it.
" We've seen tremendous shelf space changeover during
the last year, " said Maxwell Davis, business unit manager,
Americas, PTI. " The increase in market share for wet, fresh
and specialty foods has been a real driver in aisle expansion
in most big box stores. "

Making products stand out

One of the fundamental strategies of package design is the
use of graphics to make the product " pop " at the point of
sale. How that is done, again, depends on the brand identity
and the target market, but the importance of visuals is as
important as ever.
" Graphics play a large role in differentiation and we are
seeing an uptick in paper-touch and soft-touch treatments
to provide a unique look and sensory improvement for the
consumer, " Pallingra said. " For example, a more natural
look or print finish for the package would support a wellness-focused brand, while a more premium product might
seek a soft-touch matte esthetic. "
As packaging technologies improve, another way to spur
a sale or a second look at the point of sale is through engaging features.
" Interactive packaging is also growing to help consumers
ensure they are buying the right product by logging into a
smart app, " Pallingra added. " Smart apps provide options
for loyalty programs, information, and discounts on other
product offerings within a brand family. "
If color and graphics turn a consumers' head, information on the package can seal the deal, making storytelling a
facet of effective packaging strategy to connect brands with
pet parents.

Packaging production is a factor

Those who design packages must also think of their own
operations. These days, the need to maximize labor and reduce costs are part of packaging decisions.
" COVID-19 has forced many manufacturers, including

PET FOOD PROCESSING | March 2021 | www.petfoodprocessing.net

pet food companies, to address labor challenges in new
ways, " said Mark Navin, vice president of sales, Spee-Dee
Packaging Machinery, Sturtevant, Wis. " The workforce is
flexing more than ever, which means that automation and
line efficiencies are becoming even more important. We
continue to be asked to do more with less. "
In response, Navin said Spee-Dee has been replacing
more complex systems with flexible machines that allow
customers to increase throughput.
" These simpler, more intuitive, machines can be operated and maintained by a broader range of the workforce
which can also improve line efficiency, " he said.
Likewise, Craig Souser, president and chief executive officer, JLS Automation, York, Pa., said labor issues are necessitating packaging innovations.
" Labor challenges have reached a crisis level with many
of our customers, " he shared. " They cannot adequately staff
existing lines and cannot look to grow their businesses as
new lines are not feasible given the lack of production staff.
We see this to be especially true on new line considerations
where automation is being added to reduce the labor requirement as much as possible. In addition, we are seeing
a trend for more flexible solutions so that more products
- SKUs - can be run on any given line, which pushes the
automation to be more flexible and minimize or ideally
eliminate changeover time. "
Davis agreed that line efficiencies play into the way packages are designed and produced.
" Especially at the highest operating speeds, the downstream knock-on effects in packaging, seal quality, or other
defects function as exponentials, " he said. " The faster your
equipment operates, the more important packaging quality, product consistency and fill accuracy becomes. We're
seeing increased importance of dynamic cost analysis that
accounts for more than just the typical labor and raw materials inputs. "
Finally, it's a team effort to successfully create and deploy
a packaging strategy in the pet food market.
PFP

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PET Food Processing - March 2021

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