Ice cream may be a well-established segment of the dairy industry, but with new flavors and packaging options constantly arriving on the market, it’s anything but stodgy. In fact, new packaging options are award-winning.
A 140-milliliter (4.7 fluid ounces) ice cream mini cup from Froneri Brazil earned a Gold Award in the DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation. Designed for the on-the-go consumer, the injection-molded cup combines thin-wall thickness, fast cycle time and in-mold labeling. A reclosable polypropylene (PP) lid features a detachable spoon molded into it.
Demonstrating a strong commitment to responsible packaging, Froneri did not add a film layer to separate the spoon, nor were additional materials needed since the design repurposed 26% of the lid weight for the spoon.
Now in its 29th year, the DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation is the industry’s longest running, independently judged celebration of innovation and collaboration.
The awards “demonstrate how creative, committed and agile the packaging industry is in addressing global issues and consumer needs,” said Bernard Rioux, global packaging leader, DuPont Performance Materials.
IMDA honors 2 dairies for their in-mold labels
In-mold labeling appears to be gaining ground for frozen treats, with two winners in the 2017 IMDA Awards, sponsored by the In-Mold Labeling and Decorating Association, Skokie, Ill.
Dairymaid cuts package weight by 10%
Dairymaid, Olifantsfontein, South Africa, earned a Gold Award in the Thin Wall Packaging category. Advanced injection-molding technology cuts packaging weight 10% and reduces its carbon footprint. The in-mold label for 1.5- and 1.8-liter tubs (about 51 to 61 fluid ounces) of Dairymaid Country Fresh ice cream covers the entire lid. The streamlined seamless design catches the eye, displays a user-friendly “open here” flag in the corner and stacks securely for more stable transport and denser retail shelf stocking (up to 25% more product).
The package was produced in conjunction with label supplier Constantia Verstraete IML, Maldegem, Belgium, and injection molder Dairypack Tubs, a division of Polyoak Packaging, Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban, South Africa,
IML package solves a problem for Sno-Balls to Go
A Silver Award for Best Label Design in the 2017 IMDA Awards competition went to Sno-Balls to Go from New Orleans Famous Sno-Balls to Go LLC, New Orleans.
The in-mold-labeled packaging delivers a tighter closure and better print quality than the paperboard cup and lid used when the to-go version of the colorful, intensely flavored soft shaved ice product was introduced in 2011.
“It’s a very wet product, so paper cups didn’t hold up too well,” said Chris Cuadrado, managing partner at New Orleans Famous Sno-Balls to Go. Sealing also was an issue. “Keeping air out of the package improves shelf life,” he added.
Cuadrado and his colleagues viewed a variety of graphics options for the shaved ice maker’s first foray into in-mold labeling. The chosen design features contrasting matte and ultra-gloss finishes, which highlight the details of the artwork and intensify the colors. It also runs as a drop-in replacement on the Sno-Balls to Go filling line.
The PP container and lid from Berry Plastics, Evansville, Ind., with in-mold labels from Verstraete IML remain unfazed by freezer conditions and attract attention on store shelves.
“In-mold labels are extremely resistant to moisture and major temperature fluctuations,” said Peter Paelinck, business development manager for North America at Verstraete IML.
“The feedback from customers and retailers has been fantastic,” Cuadrado said. “Everybody loves it. There’s no limit to what we can do, even metallic effects are possible. The new in-mold-labeled packaging looks amazing.”
