Ceepackaging

Analysis

Carton packaging for beverages has enormous potential

From 10th to 13th March 2009 in Cologne, Anuga FoodTec will provide the food and beverages production industry with a unique opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of the complex world of packaging.

In Germany around half of non-carbonated soft drinks sold by the trade still come in carton containers. The overall alcohol-free beverages segment, however, also has meanwhile been relying
extensively on PET packaging. Carton packaging has lost
market shares to PET in recent years in the fruit juice drinks and still water segments. One reason for the popularity of the PET bottles, according to drinks packaging industry experts, is the
German packaging ordinance. The pro-carton voices point
out the good ecological balance sheet and attractive material properties of carton packages, which also are important selling points in other markets. This is why it always is emphasised to bottlers
of high-quality drinks with longer shelf lives that the compound of carton, polyethylene and aluminium used in the beverage containers are especially well-suited for preserving aromas, vitamins, colouring and nutrients. The producers also see
opportunities on the market for the ever-popular
convenience products. Consumer demand for ease of use is being satisfied with many packaging formats and volumes — and with improved closure solutions. Screw-on caps have been a standard feature of
carton packaging for a long time, and they are
found on most containers of non-carbonated soft drinks and of milk and milk products. The carton manufacturers also know that even portion-size drinks for consumers on the go are no longer downed in
a single gulp. That is why more and more
small-format containers with screw-on caps are appearing in stores. But these improvements alone are not enough to compensate for the market shares lost to PET. As a result, manufacturers must open
up new markets in which carton packaging has not
previously been used.

Moving away from the standard product
Here, companies such as Tetra Pak, SIG Combibloc, and Elopak are responding to the fact that the food industry is facing a new challenge. And the engine of growth is sputtering in several areas here too: Standard products in saturated markets offer the possibility of only slim profit margins. In demand here are innovations that can generate profits and lend the products a new look. And this calls for companies to rely not only on their own spectrum of products, but also on production technologies and packaging. Those who would like to enjoy long-term success need solutions that satisfy the wishes of consumers and the trade.

Tetra Pak has responded to this situation. In 2003, as an alternative to food in cans and jars, the company introduced carton packages called “Tetra Recart”, which can be sterilised in an autoclave. And this year the company is expanding its
offerings of these products. A new line of packaging and two new package sizes are now available worldwide, providing customers of this undisputed market leader from Sweden with an even larger selection of innovative alternatives to cans and jars.
Food producers that fill such packaging now have two options to choose from: The Tetra Pak R1, which features speeds of up to 24,000 packages per hour, and the new Tetra Pak R2, a production unit with a smaller capacity of up to 6,000 packages per hour. The Tetra Pak R2 forming, filling and sealing machine represents an affordable introduction to Tetra Recart technology, offering easy access to Tetra Recart as an innovative platform for new products.

Luc Bruneel, export manager of Belgian food company La Corbeille, explains: “The Tetra Pak R2 lineis the latest innovation in the sector. In addition to various bean products, we are now producing several soups.“ The new 500 ml and 340 ml package sizes are also available worldwide. Within the Tetra Recart Midi family, they supplement the 390-ml package that is currently on the market. Italian food producer Columbus was the first to use a Tetra Recart 500 Midi-package, in order to cover the demand for 500-ml tomatoes and vegetable products in Europe. A Tetra Recart 340 Midi has been launched on the market in Brazil.
“Retailers like the rectangular form because it saves lots of space,“ says Bruneel. The rectangular shape of the Tetra Recart enables retailers to reduce shelf space by up to 40 percent and present an attractive “wall of products” to consumers, he adds, in addition to being easier to handle in stores, thanks to their light weight and ease of transport.

Entering new product categories
Food producers are using the attractive, modern packaging as a means of entering new product categories and of lending fresh appeal to existing product assortments. And pet food also is being offered
successfully in carton packages. Current market
research results indicate that consumers prefer carton packaging as an alternative to cans, jars and other types of packages because they are easy to use and feature an efficient form. What’s more,
the Tetra Recart package has an attractive
environmental profile because it is lightweight, efficient to transport, and consists mainly of carton — a renewable resource.

The carton manufacturers are counting on, among other things, the increasing health and nutrition consciousness among consumers, which has paved the way for the food industry and trade to develop
products that offer more value. In 2007, for example,
about half of all new products introduced worldwide in the liquid dairy segment were so-called “added-value” products. Products with the “plus factor” offer a chance to justify a higher price and
therefore boost profit margin.

Chunky or lumpy products also can be filled into aseptic carton packaging. These filling technologies essentially are based on working with composite jackets that are individually formed, sterilized
and filled on the filling machine. After the
filling is completed, the package spout is sealed with ultrasound above the fill level. This filling technique makes it possible to aseptically fill milk products containing firm pieces of real fruit
or cereals in the package.

Floating bits of fruit
The Inner Mongolia Mengniu Dairy Industry, one of China’s market leading dairy producers, was a pioneer in this regard and developed the product concept together with SIG Combibloc. Bai Ying, General
Manager for Liquid Dairy Products and Vice
President of the Mengniu Group: “Offering high-quality, efficiently produced products is the prerequisite for surviving in a highly competitive market. Product differentiation and added value play a
key role. This is where the new product concept
proves its value. Specially developed stabilisers allow the bits of real fruit to float in the milk.“ The UHT milk with fruit bits is positioned as a premium drink that offers consumers new drinking
and taste experiences by means of its special
rheological properties. The primary target group is modern consumers who are open to nutrition and the nutrients the product contains, enjoy new experiences, and are seeking added value. Given this
background, the “milk+bits” concept opens up a
solution for many added-value products. Meanwhile, UHT milk products with rice and wheat cereals are available on the Chinese market in single-serving carton packages.

The fast track to the goal
Flexibility and efficiency are the most important criteria when it comes to making packaging technology competitive and keeping system costs stable. Manufacturers need systems that are efficient in
all aspects of service while guaranteeing stable
costs. A filling machine is not an independent unit, but rather a part of a system of interlinked components that must be exactly coordinated with one another. As a reaction to the demand for speed
and efficiency, the packaging industry offers the
highest output, lowest levels of loss due to waste, and remarkable flexibility in terms of formats and volume — for all package sizes. This flexibility makes it possible to handle a broad range of
products with a single filling machine, which
results in highly efficient utilisation of machine capacity utilization and is thus linked to great investment security for the company using the machine. When working with package sizes with volumes
of up to 500 ml, it is possible to aseptically
fill up to 20,000 packages per hour. With package sizes from 500 to 1,100 ml, up to 15,000 packages can be filled in one hour.

Whatever their respective approaches may be, carton manufacturers are now expanding classic aseptic food filling and have developed — like Tetra Pak with its Tetra Recart — heat-resistant carton
packaging systems as an alternative to glass and
preserves jars. These composite solutions are especially well-suited for packaging for products containing large bits of vegetables, fruit, for example, and for ready meals and soups. More than 15
customers already are using Tetra Recart for
products including vegetables, beans, tomatoes, soups and sauces. There is no doubt: this market continues to have great growth potential for carton manufacturers.

Anuga FoodTec is jointly organized by Koelnmesse GmbH and the German Agricultural Society (DLG). It will take place from 10 to 13th March 2009 in Halls 4 to 7 and in Halls 9 and 10 at the Cologne
exhibition centre.