It’s not enough for a package to look good. More consumer demand for sustainability, convenience and innovative design makes it increasingly challenging for brands to connect with consumers at point of purchase. Pack Expo International 2012 show’s Brand Zone will help, housing various glass, metal, paper and plastic packaging developments.
Innovative, better-for-you ingredients, cleaner labels and smaller sizes hit a hole in one in today’s bar category, which is growing faster than Phil Mikelson’s swing.
Consider this: Some 59% of Americans report making changes to their diet to improve their health, and 69% are trying to lose or maintain their weight, according to a 2011 International Food Informational Council Foundation study. Nine out of 10 Americans, or about 88%, believe that fortified foods and foods with added benefits have at least some impact on overall health.
PACK EXPO International 2012—Oct. 28-31 at McCormick Place in Chicago—will feature The Brand Zone, an area dedicated to the latest material and container innovations.
The bakery market isn’t just putting around. Bakers are listening to consumers and customers, and are developing healthy products, bolstering nutrition, lowering fat, sugar and sodium, and adding more functional ingredients.
While bakery volumes have been experiencing some heavy divots industry-wide, most bakers in the United States are benefiting from their products in key categories, as well as from their innovations and the strength of their brands.
Watch out, golfing pros! Rookie cookie companies are charging down the green with unique ingredients and varieties, while classic brands are finding new ways to stay relevant within the market.
Cookies are a robust segment within the bakery industry. There are brands that have been around for decades and have become household names, but there are also many up-and-coming brands that offer unique flavors for niche markets and are set to become the next class of pros.
The DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation and Ameristar from the Institute of Packaging Professionals recognize Pepperidge Farm’s new packaging designs for Goldfish thin breads. The pouches act as a source reduction of 65% in packaging material.
Take a tour of Hudson Bread’s production facility, near the Big Apple. Among its many features, the 60,000-sq.-ft. plant sports a brand new stress-free production line that’s helping to keep pace with product demand.
Hudson Bread, North Bergen, N.J., is rather a paradox. Starting out in 1994 as a small, fully artisan bakery owned and operated by president/chief executive Mariusz (Mark) Kolodziej, Hudson Bread became a favored producer, as its scrumptious baguettes, boules, rolls, brioche, buns, Ciabattas, Pullman loaves and much more gave it plenty of momentum to grow and expand.
It used to be practically nonexistent to really recycle bags and film wraps. Rigid containers led the way on the recycling front. But a new study indicates that it’s much more than possible. More than 91% of the U.S. population can actually recycle plastic bags locally and nearly 75% of people living in the U.S. can recycle other types of flexible plastic wraps in their communities.