This summer Dairy Enterprises Inc., Orrville, Ohio, marketer of Smith’s Dairy Products Co., improved the packaging on its Smith’s Premium Ice Cream containers. The improvements included a snap-on lid, bold graphics to make identifying flavors faster in the freezer, kosher certification, and a contoured carton design that makes scooping easier.

Penny Baker, marketing director for Ruggles (Smith’s other premium ice cream brand), said this was a dramatic change in packaging for Smith’s ice cream. The old brick-style container had a zip pull tab. She said findings from a focus group indicated an overwhelming dislike for the old style, citing that it was hard to open and didn’t have a tight enough seal for storage. This new design alleviates those concerns. Baker said, the new two-piece scround package is easier to open and scoop, and the snap-on lid has a tight seal to keep ice cream fresh longer.

Because the new container design had already been implemented into the Ruggles brand, it made for an easy changeover for Smith’s, said Baker. The company’s packaging supplier is Burd & Fletcher.

IPL Inc. introduced its new Trustpack container emphasizing packaging safety with its new tamper-evident system. The container is ideal for use with grated and specialty cheeses. It has an integrity indicator, located on all four corners of the lid, ensuring foods are free from contamination and tampering, according to IPL. The new skirtless flange design significantly reduces the risk of contamination on the production line, increasing confidence in product safety. The container is also film-seal-ready and continues to be leak-proof after the first opening.

Keeping the consumer and retailer in mind, the design incorporates a distinctive shape and a large in-mold labeling (IML) decoration surface that appeals to consumers. The lid design makes it easy to open in one single motion. There is also a sustainable advantage to the new design. The square shape optimizes space utilization by maximizing the number of containers on a pallet compared to round containers of similar size. The container is 100% recyclable and reusable.

Airlite Plastics Co.'s E651, a 6-ounce full-wrap in-mold labeled (IML) polypropylene cup, is designed for yogurt. The packaging provides shelf appeal by combining a unique design with high-quality IML graphics. The E651 has a 302-diameter round top that tapers into a 2-1/4-inch by 1-3/4-inch rectangular bottom. It uses L302W flat lids.

The cup offers a unique shape that provides two broad panels — front and back — for branding, product information and nutritional facts. The IML graphic quality is said to be eye-catching and covers the full sidewall of the container. The contoured cup is easy to stack and store.