Barrier IML extends shelf life of famous cheese spread

Norwegian food manufacturer Kavli has been manufacturing cheese spread since 1924 when the company’s founder, Olav Kavli, put his first cheese spread on the market. Since then, the product has become a global success.    

Some time ago, Kavli opted to redesign the packaging for its popular cheese spread. The brand had three objectives: lure consumer with attractive  packaging; extend the shelf life of the famous cheese spread to nine months; and create a lid that fits on three different product formats. To meet this, Kavli has tapped Verstraete IML.

Jan Van Iseghem, Regional Sales Manager Europe, Verstraete IML said that IML packaging can be manufactured and decorated in one fell swoop. This significantly reduces production costs: stocking blank packaging is superfluous and storage and transport costs become a thing of the past. This consumes less energy and emits less CO2. To meet its objectives, Kavli opts for the Barrier IML’s plastic packaging which acts as a barrier or packaging that forms a barrier between the contents in the packaging and the external elements that could affect these contents.

Verstraete IML combines high quality IML look and feel options with the barrier properties of a multi-layered IML film. Barrier IML not only extends the shelf life of the food product; the ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) layer in the IML label also helps maintain the flavor and aroma. It makes preservatives unnecessary as well. Verstraete IML has two types of IML labels: oxygen barrier IML labels and light barrier IML labels. Kavli opted for the thin wall, oval, oxygen barrier IML packaging and provided the design for the packaging itself.

For this project, Kavli works together with injection molder RPC Superfos and IML label manufacturer Verstraete IML. RPC Superfos designs, develops and manufactures innovative plastic packaging solutions. Moreover, it is Europe’s largest manufacturer of plastic packaging using injection molding techniques and is part of the listed packaging group, RPC Group PLC. RPC Superfos Nordic has a long standing relationship with Verstraete IML.