New meat packaging solution captures top DuPont Packaging Award

WILMINGTON, Delaware, USA – Innovative vacuum-packaging that reduces food waste by keeping meat looking and staying fresh longer took top honors in DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation. Retail packaging that boosts shelf appeal, a robust packaging recycling project and modular industrial packaging that cuts waste and cost captured gold honors.

Several leading brands – Heinz, Kraft, Pepperidge Farm, Cadbury and Unilever – also took home diamond, gold or silver awards in the 24^th DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation, the industry's longest-running, global, independently judged celebration of innovation and collaboration throughout the value chain.

The 2012 Diamond winner exemplifies the role packaging plays in helping to feed a growing population around the world. “FreshCase? packaging technology for meat, selected by the jurors as this year's Diamond winner, addresses the important effort to help ensure food maintains its nutritional value and freshness,” said William J. Harvey, president of DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers. “In the face of a growing population with limited resources, food waste from spoilage must be greatly reduced, and innovative packaging solutions will play a critical role in that story.”

An expert panel evaluated 200 entries from 21 countries and awarded one diamond winner, five gold winners and 10 silver winners based on "excellence" in one, two or all three categories: Innovation, Sustainability and Cost/Waste Reduction.

“The common thread was a focus on collaboration,” said lead DuPont Awards juror Brian Wagner, vice president, Packaging Technology Integrated Solutions, a HAVI Global Solutions Direct Company.  “It wasn't just one company doing it by themselves; they leveraged their suppliers strategically. There was a real focus on consumer insight on the impact of packaging at shelf and throughout the user experience.”

See the complete list of winners, images and insights from jurors.