A compromised package of petfood is not only a worry to the manufacturer, but also one that can make or break your relationship with a pet parent. Ensuring that petfood and treats arrive untampered, contaminant-free and fresh and full of flavor is one of the most important and basic functions of our industry. Building and maintaining an efficient and clean packaging line in your production plant, testing for contaminants in recipe batches and maintaining a good relationship with your co-packers and distributors is only the beginning of the safety process. It ends with the packaging itself: Is it durable, easy to use, reusable, sustainable and tamper-proof?
Check out these five innovative packaging products from companies hoping to help you go above and beyond a focus on delivering healthy, safe petfood and treats.
1. Piab's piGRIP Bag Lip is designed for use with the piGRIP suction cup. The bag lips perform best at low vacuum levels with small amounts of vacuum flow on regular plastic bags for dry petfood as well as on stand-up pouches with liquid or dry/wet petfood, according to the company. The company also says the material is Food and Drug Administration-approved. Browse the company's online catalog utilizing its selection guide to determine which bag lip will work best with your processing line and your product.
2. Crown Holdings Inc. makes a single-serve can ideal for wet and semi-moist cat foods. The 85-gram cans are compatible with Crown's range of easy-open ends, which have been highlighted as being easy-to-use for consumers while ensuring a fresh product. The single-serve can is 100% recyclable and made with more than 50% recycled material, the company says.
3. Weatherchem Corp.'s MegaFlap, a closure system that features an integrated scoop retention mechanism, is ideal for large containers that are big, bulky and sometimes heavy and hard to handle, the company says. The scoop retention feature allows the scoop to clip onto the inside of the lid, providing consumers with a simple and effective solution for measuring powder or granular products and eliminating the need for a separate scoop (eliminating contaminants entering the product from another source). An enhanced thumb indent is used for ease of opening and closing. The closure is fully recyclable.
4. Rollprint Packaging Products Inc.'s Overture One is a transparent, non-aluminum foil barrier film line for stick pack and flow wrapped applications. It's based on the company's ClearFoil barrier-coated polyester coupled with an aggressive sealant. The structure enables high-speed sealing for added functionality, according to the company. This way that updated speedy packaging line won't be hindered, yet it still ensures a tightly sealed, contaminant-free product wrapped safely inside the seal.
5. Avery Dennison Flexis Air Valves packaging is designed for use with perishable products like fresh, refrigerated and raw petfoods. The valves offer proper air management for plastic packaging of perishables, the company says. They allow the release of excess air for protection against moisture and consist of a membrane, a baffle film and a permanent adhesive.
