Snac World - February 2018 - 36

Sized to Succeed
Single-serve, portion control and healthy
trends are shaping the packaging world.
by Nico Roesler

words in food are not limited to the
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diets grow, so too does the
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demand for personalized packaging that is easy to
take on the go and fits well into any lifestyle.
These trends create a slew of challenges for
packaging equipment manufacturers and snack
food processors who must create products that
reach a wide range of consumers. One area that
has seen the most growth is single-serve and
portion-controlled packaging. "The health-andwellness trend will continue to fuel the demand
for smaller bags of healthy snacks," said Mark
Lozano, sales manager, TNA North America. "For
a lot of consumers, portion control has become
the chosen path to reduced weight and a healthier
lifestyle, and small, single-serve bags are a convenient way to achieve this."
At the same time, the rise of single-person
households in the US is having a huge impact on
the way people shop and eat. In particular, Mr.
Lozano said, millennials are preferring single-portion
snack foods over traditional sit-down meals, as
these are more convenient ways to get the nutrition
they need.
To address this trend, snack manufacturers are
producing a wider variety of flavors and portion sizes,

SNAC WORLD 2018

so product runs can sometimes be shorter, according to Jeff Almond, industry manager, snack food
packaging, Heat and Control. "This makes changeover time a bigger factor," he said. "We are also
seeing a continued trend in specialty packages such
as block-bottom and four-sided seals for premium
products."
There are some questions when it comes to
packaging better-for-you products: How is shelf life
affected? How is production speed affected?
The past year has included an explosion of new
technologies aimed at creating premium, clean, efficient, user-friendly and smaller packaging.

SMALLER, FASTER, STRONGER
Portioned biscuits are taking the market by storm,
according to Andreas Schildknect, product manager,
Bosch Packaging Corp. But many snack producers
are finding it difficult to adjust their production lines.
"Some assume the cost of automation for smaller
packs - and, therefore, higher speeds - will be
high, while others are set in their ways, having used
plastic trays or end-fold wrapping for some time,"
Mr. Schildknect said. "Dedicated brand owners
might be concerned about flexible packaging providing sufficient product protection or whether the
packaging process is gentle enough for their crackers and cookies."
The trends toward flexibility and smaller product
SNAXPO OFFICIAL SHOW ISSUE

TNA

Latest generations
of vertical form/
fill/seal machines
can package many
styles of snacks with
increasing speed
and efficiency.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Snac World - February 2018