< PreviousPOUCH PACKAGING 30 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net T he biggest sign of shifting consumer spending lies in sales figures, where retailers and food and beverage producers can see where money is being spent. From there, patterns can be extrapolated by market analysts, the data collated, and the findings released. Findings such as a move towards more environmentally-friendly purchases and the widespread appeal of so-called flexitarian products. Yet this isn’t the only actionable insight available, with perhaps a more immediate awareness coming from packaging. Over the last ten years, there has been an explosion in the popularity and usage of laminated stand-up pouch packaging which, in turn, has spawned innovations from barrier films to speciality closures and spouts that are now commonplace. As we’ll explore in this feature, this widespread use across the industry demonstrates the demand for convenience, ease of use and products that align with the environmental agenda. Pouch packages are highly versatile, offering an impressive degree of customisation that continues to make them an attractive option to producers and consumers alike. They come in several different formats, depending on the function and market for which they’re intended. For example, those used for pet food aren’t the same as those containing baby food. The latter often makes use of the spout pouch, in which a plastic cap can be twisted off and the food inside sucked out of a plastic spout. This also has the added benefit of being re-sealable, helping with portion control and cutting Thanks to its versatility and on-shelf impact, pouch packaging will continue to grow in popularity, but recyclability issues still persist. The popularity of pouches 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 23/07/2019 11:53 Page 1POUCH PACKAGING Food & Drink International 31 www.fdiforum.net down on food waste (more on that later). For pouch packaging, the baby food market has also yielded a number of breakthroughs including no spill technologies. Functionality is crucial to the popularity of pouch packaging, with heat saleable and flat-bottomed varieties available. Though most commonly found paired with ambient foods, pouch packages have become increasingly common in the freezer aisle. Considering all this, it should come as no surprise that the industry is forecast to reach $19.90 billion by 2021. One of the biggest motivators in the development of new packaged goods concerns the environment. Pressure groups, campaigners, consumers and government ministers have all called on food companies and packaging producers to make their products more sustainable and more easily recyclable. 32 Á © Shutterstock/ Itsanan Photo courtesy of LD Packaging Ltd 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 23/07/2019 11:53 Page 232 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net POUCH PACKAGING Harkstead Hall Barn, Harkstead, Ipswich, Suffolk IP9 1DB Tel: +44 (0)1473 893990 Fax: +44 (0)1473 893995 email@penn-packaging.co.uk www.penn-packaging.co.uk Uniquely customized. Uniquely economical. Pouch packaging has an advantage here over many of its traditional counterparts, especially the aforementioned re-saleable pouch varieties. While they’re still ultimately made from multiple layers of plastic - the primary raw material being linear polyethylene resin – these re-sealable pouches aren’t single use. Single-use plastics are rampant in the food and drink industry, especially in the food-to- go markets – which think tank IGD says will be worth £23.5 billion in the UK by 2022 – where packaging is discarded after a product is consumed. But with a re-sealable function on a pouch package, it encourages multiple uses by ensuring the food inside is kept fresh and improving the overall customer experience. Because of the lightweight nature and flexibility of pouch packages, producers are able to save on storage space and pack more product in one shipment, thereby saving fuel costs in transit. So when it comes to logistics, pouch packaging is often a more environmentally-friendly option that other more rigid forms of packaging. This also makes these packages ideal for mail orders, as their lightweight nature means producers can reduce postage costs compared to other materials. For all that, pouch packages are still a challenge when it comes to recycling. As the environmental agenda becomes of increased importance, doubtless the flexible packaging industry will continue to make gains with the recyclability of pouch packages. Although at present these packages can be optimised for recycling, they are often thrown out with domestic waste. It’s worth noting, however, that niche and speciality recyclers are accepting these kinds of plastics for recycling. A number of pouch packaging makers specialising in recyclable and eco- friendly packages have also emerged over the last few years to improve the industry’s green credentials. For producers, the benefit of pouch packaging is first and foremost its versatility. As the most flexible and adaptable type of packaging on the © Shutterstock/ Africa Studio 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 23/07/2019 11:53 Page 3Food & Drink International 33 www.fdiforum.net POUCH PACKAGING www.nationalflexible.co.uk POUCHES a small but perfectly formed pocket book of pouches A RESPONSIBLE CHOICE NOW AND IN THE FUTURE Pouches are responsible for saving thousands of tonnes of CO₂ emissions as well as thousands of tonnes of packaging waste. They do this by replacing other packaging mediums which are more harmful to the environment. For example glass jars, tins, cartons and plastic tubs. It is evident when walking around a supermarket or browsing online to see how many products have changed to pouches already including coffee, beans and pulses, protein powders, pet food and also for refill packs of cleaning products. For a copy of our new brochure please contact Carol Burdett on carol@nationalflexible.net or by phone 01274 685566. market, shape, size and materials can all be adapted to meet specific customer requirements. They also use fewer resources to produce than other common types of packaging such as plastic tubs and tins. They are also incredible durable as they’re often made from laminated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) that can stand up to high pressure and temperatures. This makes it ideal in transit, but also means it’s perfect for microwavable cooking, making it a popular choice for ready meal foods such as rice, pasta, cous cous and quinoa. High barrier pouches, meanwhile, employ a protective layer which keeps outside elements from entering the package. It’s also not just in terms of materials where pouches have an advantage over other types of packaging, but they boast reduced retort and serialisation time compared with glass bottles and metal tins. As well as the convenience inherent with flexible pouches, another big draw is the vibrancy of pouch packaging. Designed either to stand upright or hang, pouch packages are easy to pack and display on store shelves. Some might have a clear window allowing consumers to see the product inside, but typically the Photo courtesy of LD Packaging Ltd entire package is the label, offering producers a big canvas to work with. Pouch packaging offers full front image, rotogravure quality printing and improved print quality, but there’s no added cost for extra labelling, as everything is included on-pack. Because of its strong shelf appeal and immediate impact with consumers, these packages also mean that smaller producers and start-ups can compete with major industry players. The consumer demand and industry ubiquity of pouch packaging has led to manufacturers having to increase their production output to keep up. This, in turn, has meant machine makers have had to supply ever more innovative equipment. Some filling machines now boast speeds of 120 pouches per minute and this will only increase. Machine makers have also noted an uptick in orders for bespoke, integrated systems designed to suit their exact needs. Although recyclability issues persist, doubtless the pouch packaging market will continue to flourish as consumers favour convenient dynamic packaging to enjoy on-the-go or that’s easy to handle and reseal at home whether that’s for a pet, a baby or a pack of sweets. Photos courtesy of LD Packaging Ltd 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 23/07/2019 11:53 Page 434 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net ENGILICO Q&A At Engilico, we create better packaging results for the food, pet care and other industries. As the global expert in sealing inspection and monitoring for flexible packages such as pouches, HFW and pillow bags, we deliver better packaging quality, higher packaging productivity, end-of-line automation and overall reduced packaging costs. Why is inline seal inspection important for pouch packaging? The timing of filling and sealing is critical for package quality of stand-up pouches. When the filling is either late or too slow, the product might get caught in the seal. This can cause open packages, contaminated sealing bars and consequently a reduced machine output due to standstills for cleaning. As such it is important to have an inline inspection solution that checks the seal of every produced pouch and also monitors the sealing process in order to trace deviations or drift that can cause open packages. Engilico’s SealScope™ is an in-line, non-destructive seal inspection solution that detects product in seal and wrinkles. By eliminating defective packages, outgoing quality can be improved, and standstills due to open bags on the conveyors can be avoided. How does SealScope™ work? SealScope™ consists of one or multiple sensors, a controller cabinet with touchscreen and the intuitive SealScope™ software. The sensors are mounted on the sealing bars of the packaging machine using brackets or standard screws. SealScope™ measures the impact during the closing of the sealing bars. Wrinkles and product in seal are precisely detected by comparing the measurement to a reference signal of a good seal. Upon detecting bad packages, SealScope™ sends a trigger signal to an ejector that is often integrated in the packaging machine. As it is an in-line inspection system, SealScope™ can verify up to 500 packages per minute. Q&A with Olivier Georis, Co-founder of Engilico 34-35.qxp_Layout 1 23/07/2019 11:55 Page 1SealScope ™ 100% SEAL INSPECTION Food & Drink International 35 www.fdiforum.net ENGILICO Q&A Beside the inspection function, does SealScope™ also offers monitoring functionality? SealScope™ also monitors the sealing process. SealScope™ provides feedback on process variances, the number of good and bad seals, empty bags etc. SealScope™ can issue alarms in case user defined thresholds are exceeded. This monitoring functions allows operators to optimize the process or to take preventive tuning or cleaning actions. How easy is it to implement SealScope™ on new or existing packaging machines? SealScope™ is compatible with almost all packaging machines producing flexible packaging types including pillow bags, flow packs and pouches. Our global partnerships with leading packaging system manufacturers guarantee an easy integration of SealScope™ to deliver optimized packaging lines. E.g for stand-up pouches we have integrations on packaging machines from Toyo Jidoki, SN Maschinenbau, Leepack, Mespack, Volpak etc Which customers use SealScope™ and why? SealScope™ is running on 150+ packaging lines at international customers in the food, pet care and other industries. Customers such as Unilever, Kikkoman, Materne, Ecolab, FrieslandCampina, use SealScope™ to realize following benefits: INCREASING PACKAGING QUALITY The detection and rejection of compromised seals results in higher outgoing quality. INCREASING PACKAGING LINE PERFORMANCE AND AVAILABILITY Often packaging machines run either too slow (to get acceptable quality) or too fast (with adverse effect on quality). With SealScope™ you can determine the optimal machine speed where production output and package quality are maximized. Additionally, rejection of open packages will reduce downstream contamination and standstills. END-OF-LINE AUTOMATION SealScope™ enables safe end-of-line automation by automating the seal inspection process. ELIMINATION OF MANUAL INSPECTION As SealScope™ provides 100% in-line inspection, the manual verification of pouches can be eliminated. OPTIMIZED MACHINE OPERATION By verifying the bad packages, the root cause of rejection can be faster determined. This makes it easier for operators and maintenance to keep the machines in optimal operation conditions. These benefits ultimately lead to longer shelf life, reduction of customer complaints and therefore improve the brand image of our customers. If you would like to know more about SealScope™ inline seal inspection solutions, please contact Olivier Georis at +32 16498130 or Olivier.georis@engilico.com. www.engilico.com SealScope™ detects product in seal or wrinkles that can cause open pouch packages 34-35.qxp_Layout 1 23/07/2019 11:55 Page 236 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net SANDWICHES AND SNACKS A s a consequence of our increasingly busy lifestyles, food on-the-go has become a common part of our lives. This has presented opportunities to manufacturers of sandwiches and snacks, but there are challenges, too. Market analysis suggests that today’s consumers, particularly young people, are demanding experimental frozen foods that go beyond the bog-standard pies, chips and peas orthodoxy of yesteryear. As people travel more they are being exposed to new flavours and this is one factor that is driving product diversification within the industry. Look back ten years and the sandwiches and snacks industry was very different. The focus was on convenience and cost, with sandwiches being the meal for those who just didn’t have the time. Packaging was functional, there were only a few different flavours on the shelves, and ultimately cost was king. This could not be further from the truth now. High society snacking is now the name of the game, with premium sandwiches on shelves alongside small sushi boxes or pasta pots. Never has there been such a wide selection of cuisine on offer, and with the lives of customers becoming more busy and High society snacking Sandwiches and snack foods have moved away from being a mere convenience, and are now even touted as a luxury. © Shutterstock/ primopiano 36-37.qxp_Layout 1 23/07/2019 11:57 Page 1Food & Drink International 37 www.fdiforum.net SANDWICHES AND SNACKS frantic, the convenience foods industry has seen a huge resurgence. Focus is now less on convenience and cost, and has moved towards quality, health and flavour. Even in the most mainstream of supermarkets there is now Japanese, Chinese and Italian offerings alongside sandwiches and packets of crisps. What’s more sandwiches are branching out into new and exciting flavour options, and are able to market themselves as premium or artisan goods, increasing their perceived value through quality ingredients or local suppliers. Consumers have also continued to become more demanding for healthy options as well. Low calorie or diet snacks have become more popular, to the point where many existing brand names are taking steps to create their own light or diet versions. Beyond that, there is also an increasing demand for gluten-free snacks on shelves, with many major retailers capitulating to the demand. Sandwich manufacturers have used this to their advantage in order to increase their flavour portfolio, by offering healthy choices in fillings. Some firms are even looking towards healthier recipes for bread, which has faced a lot of stigma in the health and diet world. Packaging has also worked hand-in- hand towards the goal of increasing the perceived value of sandwiches and snacks, with exciting new designs appearing on shelves. Some manufacturers have gone for a more minimalist approach, using clear PET containers or ports, so that they can show off the quality of the food contained. While sandwiches have found success with more vintage- looking packaging, from corrugated- effect card, to packaging designed to look like wood. This diversity in consumer tastes has created a knock- on effect for the packaging and design industry, who have benefitted greatly from the snack industry’s sudden demand for more exciting on-display packaging. All of these factors are working to create grand opportunities within the industry, both for manufacturers of sandwiches and snack foods, and those further down the supply chain. Food manufacturers are seeking to take advantage of the growing market by expanding their processes, and moving towards full automation where possible. Removing the human element wherever possible works not only to increase efficiency and productivity, but can also reduce the risk of hygiene incidents and product recalls. Maintaining hygienic conditions in the sandwich industry can be a more difficult task than some other markets, primarily due to the variety of fillings and recipes that a given manufacturer might have. Although some manufacturers might be able to limit their fillings to individual factories, for instance producing cheese and onion in a single factory, many manufacturers don’t have that freedom. When dealing with different recipes that contain different meats, there can be a real risk of cross-contamination, particularly when changing what is being produced on an automated line. It’s important that staff are aware of the risks of this, and perhaps even more important that manufacturers have some level of traceability in place, to identify where things went wrong if there is a problem or a product recall. In the unfavourable situation that a problem is found, supermarkets are forced to make an instant response, and usually will only give a supplier a few hours to identify what caused the issue so that the retailer can make an accurate statement to the media. Being unable to meet these deadlines can often mean an immediate termination of any long-term contract with the retailer. With the timeframe for completion becoming narrower, the larger the retailer is. As such, traceability and quality assurance must go hand-in-hand in order to minimise the risk wherever possible. The market has become a more complicated one in the last few years, but the sandwich and snack industry has only become more lucrative, even if the rules have changed a little. © Shutterstock/ bogdanhoda 36-37.qxp_Layout 1 23/07/2019 11:57 Page 238 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE F ar from simply describing the operating systems that processing machines run on, software used in the food industry is all- encompassing, covering everything from quality management to sales order fulfilment and everything in between – this includes production planning, procurement and the management of customer relations, supply chain and warehouse. Given this ubiquity, food companies can’t rely on inefficient or outmoded software. Doing so can result in inefficacies and wasted costs and time in much the same way as using an old piece of processing equipment. It’s therefore important to stay abreast of advancements in this field, not only to streamline processes, but to gain a competitive edge. For a number of years now, food companies have been capitalising on cloud computing. At its simplest, the ‘cloud’ refers to software and services that run on the internet rather than locally on a single computer. As mergers and acquisitions rise in the food and drink sector, multinationals and major players continue to widen their pool of owned companies. Cloud computing allows them to consolidate these various branches into a single enterprise platform. In practice, this offers a company the ability to oversee all infrastructure from a central location and integrate its resources more efficiently. The opportunities afforded by cloud computer are part of the wider growth in digital technologies, which also includes big data and analytics. As in the financial sector, food companies are set to benefit from these technologies. Insights into customers and their spending habits can be ascertained like never before thanks to big data. Because of the sheer size and amount of these data streams, patterns form and from these valuable and actional insights can be gleaned. Big data can also be used internally to expose operational inefficiencies and areas where money and labour can be saved. This then allows a company to home in with steely precision on areas that require improvements. For example, rather than replacing an entire processing line and the massive expense that goes with it, big data may reveal that the lion’s share of inefficiencies occur because of a single unit or component. Of course, the emphasis on these software technologies – be it cloud computing or big data – is on saving time, money and labour and accomplishing that means automation. Automation is by no means new in the food sector, with solutions dating back decades. Yet when one thinks of automation, it’s often only in a context of machinery and equipment and other physical processes along the supply chain. Yet significant cost and efficiency savings can be made by automating a myriad of processes and operations beyond the production line. Let’s take the example of inventory. Whether a company produces bottled soft drinks, confectionery or food grade lubricants, doubtless it will have inventory requirements – from raw ingredients to materials needed to package goods. The industry standard for replacing inventory used to be with a clip board, pen, order forms and telephones. With the advent of desktop computers, the process took a step into the digital age, and again with smart phones and tablets. But now the process can, by and large, be automated thanks to advances in software and smart technology – such as sensors. Simply put, a manufacturer can be notified as From end to end The food and beverage supply chain can be broken down into a series of processes from the collection of raw ingredients all the way through to a purchase by a consumer or other end user. What had all been historically accomplished by manual labour has for decades been accomplished by increasingly complex machinery, equipment and software. 38-40.qxp_Layout 1 23/07/2019 11:59 Page 1Food & Drink International 39 www.fdiforum.net SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE www.elecosoft.com | +44 (0) 23 8022 4111 | shiresystem@elecosoft.com ShireSystem CMMS/CAFM allows businesses to better control assets, maintain visibility across operational locations and keep on top of work orders. -Robust and easy-to-use system -Available on-premise, cloud and mobile -Proven use across a range of industries -Free up time, reduce cost, meet compliance Try it for FREE today elecosoft.com/shiresystem ShireSystem Maintenance & Facilities Management software etter al soon as they need to order in more of any given stock. More advanced solutions will automatically order in whatever is running low as and when it’s needed. That way a manufacturer never has to worry about running out of stock and it’s another task that can be taken away from a human worker thereby saving time and costs (after the initial investment, of course). One of the most disruptive technologies to hit the food sector recently is blockchain – a technology simply defined as a decentralised, distributed and public digital ledger used to record transactions and supply chain information in a safe, secure and traceable way. According to Michaela Balzarova, an associate professor at Te Rangai Umanga me te Ture University of Canterbury in New Zealand, blockchain could be a way of ensuring transparency of transaction, gathering more accurate data and eliminating the need for intermediaries. Ms Balzarova says that once the current problems related to trust and a lack of experience with the technology are addressed, using blockchain for 40 Á © Shutterstock/ Sergey Nivens 38-40.qxp_Layout 1 23/07/2019 11:59 Page 2Next >