Cheese packaging: Directions in 'snack-aging'

Dairy Field, Apr 1998

CANDY IS DANDY, but cheese is pleasing, too. In this era of healthand nutrition-conscious consumers, cheese has established itself as a highly desirable snack food both for adults and children. A number of cheese makers are wisely playing this angle for all its worth, and creative packaging concepts such as playful graphics, recloseable zipper mechanisms and microwaveable packaging for cheese dips have helped reinforce the image of cheese as a fun, healthy, convenient snack.

Bel-Kaukauna USA, a division of Fromage Bel (France), Tarrytown, N.Y., and Sargento Foods Inc., Plymouth, Wis., both have demonstrated a keen awareness of the kids snack market. Sargento has been doing very well with its Mootown Snackers line and recently expanded the line to include String Cheese Twirls - orange and natural-colored mozzarella cheese sticks twisted in a candy cane-like pattern. The sticks are individually filmwrapped and packed in six-count pouches.

Laughing Cow Cheezbits cubes from Bel-Kaukauna have been reformulated for more cheddary flavor and color and re-packaged with kid-friendlier graphics developed by Conerstone Design Associates Inc., New York City. Bel-Kaukauna's director of marketing, Becky Ryan, comments, "The children's market continues to grow rapidly. Companies realize kids play an important role in snack purchase decisions. Recent studies show more than half of all children go grocery shopping with their parents and almost 75 percent choose their own snacks."

The tear-tab wrappers for the individual Cheezbits cubes are supplied by Rexor (France). The cubes are packed in 24-counts. The paperboard trays are supplied by Rock-Tenn, Harrison, Ark.

For more adult-oriented snacking, Specialty Cheese Co. Inc., Lowell, Wis., is offering individual packages of crunchy baked cheese slices in jalapeno, white cheddar and garlic and onion varieties. Each 3/4-ounce box features a lift-up panel allowing shoppers to view the product prior to purchasing. The baked cheese does not require refrigeration and can be used in soups and salads or eaten as a standalone snack.