Food packaging comes in many varieties and types of materials: glass (bottles), plastic containers, cans, boxes, stand-up pouches (flexible packaging) just to name a few.
When discussing food packaging here, I want to discuss stand-up pouches (a layman term I’ve heard often is “food bag” or “food pouch”). The reason for this is that I get a lot of inquiries about this type of flexible packaging, and it is one of the fastest growing forms of packaging in the industry. Stand-up pouches are used primarily for grains and snack foods, but the variety of food types that use stand-up pouches are increasing everyday.
(Bags used for frozen vegetables, for example, which are different than stand-up pouches, are still under the umbrella of “flexible food packaging”.)
When deciding on food packaging there are an exhausting amount of options. Just the variety of films (plastics) used can make a person’s head spin.
But any good manufacturer or packaging sales professional can help you navigate through the all the technical terms and confusing acronyms.
There are things, however, that you can consider ahead of time that will make the process of purchasing food packaging a lot smoother.
The Top 5 Priorities for Food Packaging Should Include the Following:
1.
Barrier Protection
(Desired Shelf-Life)
2.
Style and Size
(Aesthetics, Functionality)
3.
Volume
(Minimum Quantity)
4.
(Quality and Cost)
5.
Extra Features
(Aesthetics, Consumer Convenience)
1. Barrier Protection
Does your product require a long shelf-life? Of course everyone would want their product to have the longest shelf-life possible, but it’s important to have an idea of the minimum amount of shelf-life that you require. The reason for knowing this is because longer shelf-life = stronger barrier protection = higher cost for the packaging.
Barrier protection is concerned primarily with oxygen and moisture (water). These two are the biggest culprits involved in food spoilage, so keeping oxygen and moisture out of your food packaging is extremely important for improving the longevity of your food product.
“Transmission Rates” are the rates at which the packaging industry measure the amount of oxygen and moisture that pass through the packaging in a 24 hour period (usually in grams or cc, per 100 square inches per 24 hours).
WVTR – Water Vapor Transmission Rate or MVTR – Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate
OTR – Oxygen Transmission Rate
Barrier protection can be determined by multiple factors:
- the thickness of the films **
- the materials the films are made from
- the amount of layers of films used to make the bag
- barrier enhancing sealants and coatings.
Also, oxygen can be purged from the packaging using nitrogen before sealing to help lengthen shelf-life. Of course this is done during product fulfillment and has nothing to do with the manufacturing.
** Note: Thickness of film is measured in mils. These are 1/1000th of an inch. Don’t confuse “mil” with millimeter (mm) (Outside the U.S., Microns(μ) are used as a measurement)
2. Style and Size
When someone asks me for a food bag or stand-up pouch, my first question is “what does it look like”. If you do a google search for “food bag packaging” you’ll get a variety of different types and styles, colors and shapes. This is often a good start for people who are not entirely sure what they want.
The style and size of food packaging determines not only the aesthetics, but also the functionality of the packaging. For example, if your product is heavy or very light in weight, there are certain styles that will better suit your packaging needs.
Take note at what bag styles your competitors are using. It is often a good idea to follow suit, as they have already done their research as to the best functional and cost effective packaging solutions to use. But, if you have an ingenious idea for a style that will differentiate your product in a positive way, then pursue that course. If it is truly a great idea, your competitors will likely follow your lead.
3. Volume
Volume, volume, volume. When buying packaging it is almost always the same – the more you buy, the cheaper it gets. It’s that simple.
The nice thing about flexible food packaging ( i.e. stand-up pouches, food bags etc.) is that, when empty, they use very little space and are considerably light-weight. That means that storage and transportation costs can be relatively inexpensive which makes buying in larger quantities that much more appealing.
It’s interesting to note that a manufacturer’s minimum volume requirement (how few bags they are willing to make for you) is determined by the size of your bag. This is because a manufacturer wants you to purchase the entire roll of film that they have to purchase from their raw material supplier. They will then let you know how many bags it will take to use up this roll of film.
A growing trend (in order to stay competitive) is that manufacturers are starting to require that you only need to use half a roll of film, which reduces your minimum volume requirement.
But of course bear in mind that a minimum volume requirement is simply that, “minimum”. So if you are will to buy more than the minimum the price per unit that you pay will be less.
4. Print Quality
Print quality will affect two things: the appearance of the product on store shelves, and the cost. What is your competitor’s print quality like? How expensive is your product to produce? What is its retail value?
There are two main types of printing on flexible packaging: flexographic (flexo) and rotogravure (gravure).
Flexo is an older technology. The colors are less vibrant than rotogravure. Rotogravure can print high-detailed fine lines and gradients, is typically more expensive and has longer lead times (the time it takes for the packaging to be manufactured and delivered to you).
Rule of thumb:
Flexo = cheaper, average quality, quicker lead times
Rotogravure = more expensive, high quality, longer lead times
Not all manufacturers offer both types of printing.
5. Extra Features
- Zipper
- Velcro
- Tear notch
- Handle
- Spout
- Shaped (die-cut)
- Foil Appearance (metallic look)
- Embossing Pattern
- Spot Glossy Area
All of these features add extra expenses to your bag, but they may be worthwhile. Again, check out your competitors (if you haven’t already) and see what they are doing. Most of these extra features are for appearance or customer convenience. For example, a useful pouring spout, or easy reseal can be the deciding factor for consumers.
This has been a part of my tutorial series called How to Buy Packaging 101. So click the link below to head back if you haven’t finished reading it yet. 🙂