Sealed and delivered

Dairy Field, Jan 2003 by Petrak, Lynn

PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY

For many manufacturers, resealable packaging is an open-and-shut case.

When it comes to food and beverage packaging, just how much work has been taken out of the consumer's hand? Plenty, from the looks of it.

Consumers who consistently indicate that they are crunched for time and looking for convenience have certainly gotten their wish in recent years, as manufacturers have introduced easyto-open, resealable packages for an array of products. Everything from baby wipes to Beer Nuts(TM) now comes in reclosable convenience-driven packaging, and dairy foods are no exception.

Such packaging provides numerous benefits to the at-home user. Consumers no longer have to transfer unused products to separate bags or containers for storage. Generally, product remains fresh in resealable packages, whether it is zippered cheese pouches or quart milk bottles with twist-off caps. On average, resealable packages of dairy products don't cost that much more than traditional packages, as manufacturers have often absorbed much of the expense.

Reclosable packaging is not a new feature, but it is only in the past few years that food companies have taken advantage of this technology in such large numbers, fueled by consumer demand for convenience and time savings. Reclosable flexible bags and pouches, often based on press-to-close or zipper-slide technology, can be found throughout the supermarket, on applications such as bagged salads, standup packages of frozen meats and a host of packaged cheeses.

Packaging suppliers, keeping a close eye on consumer demands, have responded to the momentum for resealable features. Manufacturers of zip closures, zipper clip systems, zippercompatible films, tear tabs and specialty tapes, among other packaging components, have helped drive the expansion of resealable products in consumer goods. In addition to keeping pace with new technology and applications, suppliers also work with manufacturers and equipment suppliers to create systems that can maintain high-volume, high-speed output.

Dairy manufacturers that have invested in such technology believe the technology is worth the effort. "Our research tells us that consumers are looking for convenience in both products and packaging, and Sargento is a leader in providing convenience in cheese and cheese packaging," remarks Barbara Gannon, spokesperson for Sargento Foods Inc., Plymouth, Wis. According to Gannon, the company has regularly explored and applied resealable concepts to its line of cheeses. "Since innovation is a key factor in our success and strategic growth, we are always looking at new packaging configurations and evaluating if they might perform well for our product lines."

Dairy-based companies also recognine that development of resealable features dovetails with other convenience-driven aspects of their products "The move of consumers looking for convenience is evident in requests from our customers. The demand for reclosability comes with the offering of convenience of the pre-sliced or pre-shredded or grated cheeses," notes Jamie Rauscher, director of marketing for BelGioioso Cheese Inc., Denmark, Wis., which offers reclosable features on its cheese packages.

Keeping it Zipped

Of the many types of resealable packages, zip bags are one of the more prominent forms. Indeed, the old childhood adage of "XYZ" just might apply to industry manufacturers who are increasingly examining zip technology for their product lines.

Zip bags can encompass several technologies, most commonly resealable pouches based on the press-andclose concept. Several cheese manufacturers sell products in such packages, including shredded, cubed, sliced and even brick cheese varieties. BelGioioso decided to add the feature to its products based on feedback from customers in all parts of the chain, from consumers to retailers to foodservice operators. "The zip bag has been available for over a year. It was the idea of providing a convenient product such as pre-sliced that the decision for a resealable package came about," says Rauscher. Currently, BelGioioso offers zip bags for its 8-ounce packages of sliced Asiago, mild Provolone and sharp Provolone.

Lincolnshire, III.-based Saputo Cheese USA also recently decided to utilize press-to-close bags for some of its products. About six months ago, the company introduced new resealable packages for 8-ounce, pre-sliced single packs of Lorraine cheese. The press-toclose feature was a natural for an exact weight product, says vice president of marketing Steve Josen. "The technology has been around a couple of years. We have a good business with Lorraine cheese, and our customers were asking us to provide more exact weight and resealable packages," he says.

Sargento has long recognized the potential of zip bags as a value-added option. In fact, the company first launched press-to-close resealable packages for shredded cheese in 1986. "We were the first perishable foods company to offer this feature and held a three-year exclusive on it for shredded cheese. At the end of three years, other shredded cheese products began using the technology, and now it is standard on most shredded cheese and sliced cheese," says Gannon, adding that innovation has always been part of the company's heritage. "Our founder, Leonard Gentine Sr., was the first to develop machinery for modified atmospheric packaging as well as the originator of pre-shredded cheese and consumer-sized packages of Italian-style cheeses."