Zip-Pak adds fragrance to its closures

Recognizing the persuasive influence of scents, resealable closure company Zip-Pak has effectively harnessed the “power of smell” with its recent introduction of Fragrance-Zip, a new zipper closure solution designed to emit a customized aroma upon initial and subsequent openings of a flexible package.

“Scent is a far more powerful influencer than most people realize,” commented Dr. Jose Septien, New Product Development Manager for Zip-Pak Europe. “Our sense of smell engages memories, stirs emotions, alerts us to dangers, and creates heightened awareness. With Fragrance-Zip, we’ve opened the door to a completely new dimension of interactive consumer packaging. And with so many diverse aromas to work with, we’ve just begun to explore the broad range of applications for this type of packaging feature.”

The scent is embedded in the reclosure during the manufacturing process. By working in close partnership with several fragrance companies, Zip-Pak can duplicate virtually any desired aroma, enabling a package to replicate a desired scent whenever opened. This versatile fragrance option can be incorporated into any style of resealable Zip-Pak closure.  

Since introducing the new fragrance fastener, a number of consumer brands have expressed significant interest. Currently, Zip-Pak is working with a marketer of coffee in capsules that are sold in flexible packaging. Because the coffee itself is encapsulated, a coffee aroma is not released when the pouch is opened. With Fragrance-Zip, the precise aroma of each flavor can be integrated into the closure, delivering a welcoming, familiar coffee smell every time the consumer opens the package.

Zip-Pak is also experimenting with a variety of chocolate-based aromas to accent flexible packaged food products given the inherently positive properties associated with the smell of fresh chocolate. Pet products are yet another category showing interest in the application, as many domestic animals have a heightened sense of smell.

Presently, Fragrance-Zip is available to customers throughout the European and Asian markets. The company plans to introduce the fragrance closure to North and South American markets in the near future.

Fragrance fasteners are the latest in the line of resealable closures that Zip-Pak calls Sensory Feedback Fasteners; they feature performance characteristics that appeal to a consumer’s sense of sound, sight, smell or touch. Earlier this year, Zip-Pak introduced Sensus, a high-performance sealing feature that provides both audial and tactile feedback to assure the consumer that their package has been firmly sealed.

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