Pushing the boundaries in flexible packaging

INNOVATION and achievements in design, materials, structure, and graphics are impacting the way products are packaged, sold, and used by consumers. For 56 years, the prestigious FPA Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards Competition has honoured the advancements in flexible packaging materials, graphics and printing, sustainability, and functionality and technical innovation

The winning packages and entries of the 2012 industry competition include outstanding advancements that are pushing the boundaries of flexible packaging. Of the 126 flexible packaging entries submitted, 25 packages from 19 companies were honoured within one or more categories including Packaging Excellence, Printing Achievement, Technical Innovation, and Environmental & Sustainability Achievement.

Pop star

Presented to a Gold Award winning package ranked by the judges as having contributed most to the advancement of the industry, the Highest Achievement Award went to “Orville Redenbacher’s Pop Up Bowl” (ConAgra Foods, Phoenix Packaging), which is a significant improvement over the traditional paper microwave popcorn package format.

Allowing new usage occasions by providing improved utility for the user, the patent pending design delivers to consumers a microwave popcorn package that transforms into a stable, wide mouth bowl that can be shared and used on the go without spilling. It is the most complex lamination ever produced for high volume microwave popcorn packages.

Gold awardees

Packaging Excellence winner “Heinz Dip n Squeeze” (Manufacturers: Heinz North America, and Curwood, Incorporated – A Bemis Company, www.bemis.com and Multivac, www.multivac.com) is a dual-function package allows for both dipping and squeezing and addresses consumers’ unmet needs: a package that is easy to open, easy to use, less mess, right-sized and simple. The final package is bottle shaped with a wide, rigid flat base for stability when dipping host foods and a tear feature with a laser score at the top of the package for opening and squeezing. It gives the consumer choice, more control over opening and end use, less mess, right-sized with 3 time the amount of a 9g packet and reduces the work to set up and go. More resilient to abuse in the shipping environment, it can take on higher loads of shock and still be robust enough to sustain its package integrity whileZoom Kobe Venomenon VI 6