Marking this milestone year, the competition also expanded its global footprint with the introduction of international Gold and Silver honorees in some categories, reflecting the growing worldwide influence and innovation of the flexible packaging industry.

This year’s competition saw 108 package submissions, resulting in 360 entries, as some packages competed across multiple categories. Ultimately, 28 exceptional packages were honored with 36 Achievement Awards.

Special thanks are given to the 2026 competition judging panel: Fred Crowe, managing partner, Crowe and Associates LLC; Lisa McTigue Pierce, executive editor, Packaging Digest; and Dr. Yoorae Noh, assistant professor, Michigan State University (MSU) School of Packaging.

Crowe brings decades of industry experience to the judging panel and now serves as a consultant. Pierce has covered the packaging industry as a media journalist for more than 40 years. As an assistant professor at MSU, Noh teaches and conducts research in plastics and packaging, focusing on engineering solutions to improve plastic recycling and plastic waste management.

Reflecting on the judging experience, Crowe remarks on both the collaboration and creativity on display throughout the competition. “It’s been a real pleasure getting to know the other judges and working with the two of them over the last couple of days, and seeing the ingenuity and engagement of converters, their customers, and their suppliers,” he says. “They’re bringing incredible ideas to execution. I’ve learned a lot—even after being in the industry a long time and consulting to it. It’s been an interesting and rewarding experience.”

The competition placed a strong emphasis on design trends, sustainability, and printing innovation. “You almost can’t have a package design these days without considering sustainability,” Pierce notes. “A couple of the design trends I observed included matte finishes with metallization and varnish. Several entries featured matte with varnish, and there was one entry that incorporated all three.”

Crowe echoes the pace of advancement in the flexible packaging industry. “The amazing thing to me is the execution that has taken place and how dramatically it has progressed over the last two or three years,” he says. “You see a significant amount of new technology being brought to the forefront, along with creativity—not only from converters, but also from product development teams—finding ways to solve these challenges.” Noh adds, “After reviewing all the entries, the great designs we saw demonstrate a strong strategy toward supporting the circular economy.”

The 2026 award recipients in the snack, bakery, and confectionery industries include:

Gold Achievement Awards

Harry Potter Butterbeer Goldfish
Award: Gold Award – Shelf Impact
Manufacturer: Printpack
Website: printpack.com
End-User/Customer: The Campbell’s Company
Plant: Grand Prairie, TX
Designer/Design Firm: Sterling Design – NYC
Key Suppliers: Printpack; SGK Pre-press; and Sterling Design – NYC

In 2025, Pepperidge Farm embraced the magic of Harry Potter Butterbeer season with its own twist. Between March 1 and May 31, consumers could purchase exclusive, limited-edition Harry Potter Butterbeer Goldfish as part of the celebration. The package showcased a rich midnight blue backdrop adorned with shimmering golden Harry Potter imagery across the entire bag. With a crimped top closure that shows off the metallized interior, each package was like a small, beautifully wrapped gift impossible to miss on the shelf, the judges say. 

Koeze Classic Mixed Nuts Pouch
Award: Gold Award – Printing
Manufacturer: Nosco
Website: nosco.com
End-User/Customer: Koeze
Plant: Pleasant Prairie, WI
Key Suppliers: HP Indigo 20000 Press and Electroinks; Karlville Thermal Laminator; Nobelus Soft Touch Laminate; and Nosco Packaging Advisor, Bill Nimmer

The Classic Mixed Nuts Pouch for Koeze delivers a refined, tactile experience with strong shelf and e-commerce appeal in the gourmet snack category, the judges note. Designed with the consumer in mind, this pouch features a 1.5 mil clear film with a high-barrier 3.0 mil EVOH layer, laminated with 48-gauge soft-touch Karess film from Nobelus for a luxurious matte finish. A clear window provides product visibility, while vibrant graphics span 14 SKUs, demonstrating the flexibility of digital print. Printed with HP Indigo ElectroInks on an HP Indigo 20000 press and laminated using Karlville thermal technology, the pouch aims to unite protection, premium aesthetics, and performance.

Lekkers Minis Stand-up Pouch
Award: International Gold Award – Shelf Impact
Manufacturer: Emirates Printing Press, L.L.C.
Website: eppdubai.com
End-User/Customer: Olmec Sweet LLC
Plant: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

This Lekkers Minis stand-up pouch is a standout example of high-performance flexible packaging that delivers a premium, multisensory consumer experience, the judges say. Engineered with a 3-layer laminate structure, enhanced by laser scoring, a Velcro zipper closure, and a registered matte varnish, the pouch is both visually striking and functionally advanced. It offers reclosability, barrier protection, and a bold, premium aesthetic, tailored for modern snack packaging needs. The structure consists of 20µ Tr. BOPP with registered matte + 18µ metalized BOPP (BCT) + 60µ LDPE Tr. with laser scoring and a front zipper.

Mi Tierra Tortilla Strips, 9.9-oz.
Award: Gold Award – Shelf Impact
Manufacturer: Printpack
Website: printpack.com
End-User/Customer: Barcel
Plant: El Marqués, Querétaro, México
Designer/Design Firm: Barcel

The three packages comprising the Mi Tierra collection feature a laminated structure made of metallized BOPP with a matte finish, aiming to create an elegant visual experience. The family of packages showcases design elements inspired by Mexico's rich pre-Hispanic iconography and uses intricate cultural motifs that celebrate authentic Mexican heritage. Each flavor variant features unique design elements that maintain collection cohesion while allowing individual product differentiation.

PepsiCo Doritos Flamas 7 to 4-Color Transition
Award: Gold Award – Printing
Manufacturer: Bryce Corporation
Website: brycecorp.com
End-User/Customer: PepsiCo Frito-Lay
Plant: Searcy, AR
Key Supplier: Sun Chemical Corporation: inks

Bryce Corporation collaborated with PepsiCo to transform the Doritos Flamas packaging from a 7-color expanded gamut to a 4-color flexographic printing process. This bold design, featuring vibrant flames and bright colors, was reproduced, preserving color integrity and brand identity. The innovative approach pushed the boundaries of color management, reducing ink consumption and improving press efficiency while maintaining the Doritos look, marking a significant achievement in flexible packaging sustainability, the judges say.

Silver Achievement Awards

Clusters Peanut Crunch Stand-up Pouch
Award: Silver Award – Shelf Impact
Manufacturer: Emirates Printing Press, L.L.C.
Website: eppdubai.com
End-User/Customer: Cibo Vita Inc.
Plant: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

A premium stand-up pouch with reclosable zipper, constructed using a 2-ply laminate of machine direction oriented polyethylene (MDO-PE) and white opaque PE. The structure aims to offer excellent stiffness, durability, and shape retention for an upright display. The pouch features reverse and surface printing and is protected with a full matte coating for a refined, soft touch finish.

Goldfish Halloween Cheddar Flavor with Glow-in-the-Dark Ink
Award: Silver Award – Shelf Impact
Manufacturer: Printpack
Website: printpack.com
End-User/Customer: The Campbell’s Company
Plant: Grand Prairie, TX
Designer/Design Firm: Sterling Design – NYC
Key Suppliers: Printpack; SGK Pre-press; and Sterling Design – NYC

For its Halloween-themed fun-size Goldfish crackers, Pepperidge Farm incorporated glow-in-the-dark (GITD) ink. The signature Goldfish logo, along with two playful trick-or-treating ghosts, was enhanced with this special ink treatment. By merging Halloween-themed appeal with engaging functionality, the package aims to create a memorable brand experience that delights children and adults alike. The result is packaging that elevates an ordinary snack into an interactive moment and strengthens brand connection through playful innovation, the judges note.

Hershey's Kisses Pokémon Collaboration
Award: Silver Award – Printing
Manufacturer: TC Transcontinental Packaging
Website: tctranscontinental.com/en-us/packaging
End-User/Customer: The Hershey Company
Plant: Catoosa, OK
Key Supplier: TC Transcontinental Packaging

This limited edition program wraps classic Hershey's Kisses in approximately 9 micron aluminum foil printed with 151 unique designs—one for every original Kanto region Pokémon—while retaining the brand’s standard. The graphics strategy places the Pokémon artwork on the underside of the candy for a reveal as consumers unwrap each piece, and many cone panels feature a red/white Poké Ball motif, so the act of unwrapping feels like “opening” a Poké Ball. Hershey extended the collectible idea with a Collector’s Case that holds all 151 designs and a Hersheyland online tracker that lets fans log which foils they’ve “caught.” The program was available for a limited time in 10.1-oz. Share and 34.1 oz. Party bags, while supplies lasted.

Kind Recyclable High Barrier Paper Bar Wrap
Award: Silver Award – Technical Innovation
Manufacturer: Printpack
Website: printpack.com
End-User/Customer: Kind/Mars Inc.
Plant: Rhinelander, WI

The Kind Recyclable High Barrier Paper Bar Wrap is the first paper bar wrap sold in the U.S. that delivers both performance and sustainability. Developed by Printpack in partnership with Kind, the structure provides the barrier required to protect nut-based bars while offering consumers a more sustainable disposal option. In addition to the required barrier protection for food safety and quality, the wrapper can be accepted in curbside recycling streams, thereby advancing both packaging functionality and environmental responsibility.

PepsiCo Frito-Lay Lay's Fest Packaging
Award: International Silver Award – Shelf Impact
Manufacturer: Bryce Corporation
Website: brycecorp.com
End-User/Customer: PepsiCo Frito-Lay
Plant: Searcy, AR
Key Suppliers: Cyber Graphics: plates and Sun Chemical Corporation: inks

Bryce Corporation collaborated with PepsiCo on the Lay's Fest packaging that was crafted to maximize shelf impact by using bold, thematic artwork and vibrant color schemes that bring a fresh twist to the traditional Lay's design. Each flavor aims to feature a unique visual identity, which adds personality and storytelling to the packaging. The designs use bold colors and dynamic illustrations to capture the eye and spark immediate curiosity, the judges say. The Lay'sFest edition aims to bring fresh energy to the Lay’s portfolio, using distinctive designs that command attention and create excitement in the snack aisle.

Planters Nut Duos ProActive PCR Paper Touch Pouch
Award: Silver Award – Technical Innovation
Manufacturer: ProAmpac
Website: proampac.com
End-User/Customer: Planters, a Hormel Foods brand
Plant: Terrebonne, Québec, Canada
Designer/Design Firm: ProAmpac Design & Sample Lab (DASL) in collaboration with Hormel Foods packaging engineering
Key Supplier: ProAmpac

The Planters brand partnered with ProAmpac to transition its nut portfolio from a multi-layer conventional stand-up pouch to a package with a tactile paper-touch finish that incorporates up to 15% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content. By combining ProAmpac’s ProActive PCR films with Signature Surfaces Paper Touch technology, this pouch delivers high oxygen and moisture barriers to protect product freshness while enhancing sustainability. Consumers experience the look and feel of natural paper without sacrificing performance, and brands benefit from shelf appeal that emphasizes quality and environmental responsibility. The result is a premium pouch that balances durability, sustainability by using recycled materials, and engaging sensory design, the judges comment.

Regenie's Pita Brittle
Award: Silver Award – Printing
Manufacturer: GOpak
Website: gopakflexibles.com
End-User/Customer: Regenie's All Natural Snacks
Plant: Delafield, WI

Regenie’s Pita Brittle features bright, inviting colors and eye-catching metallic embellishments that make the brand name shine, the judges say. Designed for convenience, the resealable zipper allows consumers to enjoy snacking at home or on the go. This unique hand-cut pita snack aims to offer an indulgence with gourmet taste and exceptional crunch. Each chip delivers a perfect balance of sweet and salty, accented by a subtle nuttiness that satisfies every craving, the judges add. This packaging, produced by GOpak, complements the product.

Related: Flexible packaging economic impact report released