Award-Winning Veggie Bag

The Flexible Packaging Assoc. has awarded Cryovac a Silver Award for its Microwaveable Vegetable Bag packaging design and concept for Mann Packing. The package is self-venting so fresh vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and blends can be cooked inside the bag. Steps such as washing, cutting and transferring to a microwaveable container are eliminated for the consumer.

The package not only eases consumer use, but it also enhances product presentation in the retail market. Mann Packing found the rigidity of the laminate package enabled it to sit upright and prominently display the vegetables for the consumer. An anti-fog coating placed only in the window and not in the seal area allows product viewing without compromising the strength of the hermetic seal.

Cryovac Div., Sealed Air Corp.

Shrink Label System Delivers Distinctive Beer Can

Designed to appeal to upscale consumers who typically equate quality beer with bottles, Killian's^w Pub Barrele features the latest in roll-fed shrink technology. The barrel-like ridges of the can required that the laminated, high-gloss BOPP label shrink securely over the entire can body, rather than just the can top and bottom as is done for traditional necked-in, straight-wall cans.

To solve these and other problems, Coors turned to B&H Labeling Systems, inventor of the patented Endura shrink labeling process. B&H Labeling was honored for its work on the barrel can label by the 2000 AmeriStar and the WorldStar Package awards competitions.

B&H Labeling Systems.

Tuna Salad Kit

Chicken of the Sea International recently unveiled a Family Size Tuna Salad Kit, which contains premium, no-drain tuna in a vacuum-packed foil pouch. Other pouched components in the paperboard carton include a proprietary blend of mayonnaise or salad dressing and dry seasoning. About a year ago, the company introduced a Tuna Salad Kit for the foodservice sector.

The shelf-stable Tuna Salad Kit for retail is available in four varieties: salad dressing and sweet pickle relish, savory smoked flavor, mayonnaise and onion and reduced-fat mayonnaise. Suggested retail price is $2.79 per kit.

About 75% of tuna purchases are used for making tuna salad, according to industry estimates. In independent research tests, about 88% of consumers said they would purchase the new Tuna Salad Kits.

PET Bottle with 'Icy' Look

United Distillers & Vintners (UDV), Stamford, Conn., switched from glass to a PET bottle for its TGI Friday's On the Rocks line of single-serve, ready-to-drink cocktails. The former 200-ml glass container was round with vertical flutes. UDV wanted the new PET version to feature a pattern that would resemble pieces of ice.

Supplied by Schmalbach-Lubeca (S-L), the PET container features random patterns of ice cube shapes, which were hand-etched onto the mold surface. To achieve a solid glass-like feel, S-L selected a 30-g preform to keep the container walls thick and solid, yet enable efficient blow molding processes. A third challenge was to engineer an indexing feature that would orient the bottles for labeling without disturbing the aesthetics or negatively effecting the stability.

Schmalbach-Lubeca, Plastic Containers USA. WRITE IN 236