Unique design offers greater
convenience and improved on-shelf product visibility
An innovative new ready meal packaging format is
attracting interest from leading supermarkets, thanks to a unique design that
offers greater convenience for consumers, has environmental credentials by
light weighting and incorporates a cut out window to provide improved on-shelf
product visibility.
North East-based firm IPS (Intelligent Packaging
Solutions) launched its new “Desto” cup earlier this year. The company has already
landed a contract to manufacture and supply packaging for Tesco’s Piing ready
meal range in over 600 branches - the first time
the Desto cup has been used for chilled ready meals in the UK. Now other retailers are keen to take advantage
of the benefits the new packaging offers.
The Desto cup is a combination of a lightweight, clear
plastic inlet made from polypropylene and a paperboard outer sleeve,
incorporating a cut out window for increased product visibility. Although this
packaging is well established in the dairy and horticultural markets, it has
never been suitable for microwave use. IPS redesigned the pack to make it suitable
for hot fill, freezing and microwave heating - meaning it can be taken from the
fridge or freezer and put straight into the microwave.
The pack is also 66% lighter compared with conventional,
injection mould pack formats. The paperboard sleeve is from renewable resources
and both the pot and sleeve are easily separated for onward recycling.
Gerard Connolly, Sales and Marketing Manager at IPS,
said:
“The Desto cup meets the demands from retailers and
consumers alike for lightweight, recyclable and environmentally-friendly
packaging in a format that’s convenient and easy to use.
“This is the first time
that microwaveable ready meal packaging has featured a window, and along with the reverse and base printing
opportunities available, the design and branding potential is proving to
be an exciting prospect for retailers and food manufacturers.
“We’re thrilled with the reaction to the microwaveable
Desto cup and are confident that it will become the leading format for the
chilled ready meals category.”
IPS produces packaging for a number of major product
lines for food manufacturers across the UK, which are distributed to all major
supermarket chains across the UK.
Earlier this year, the company was given a Tesco Values
Award for Innovation in Ready Meals in recognition of the Desto cup’s technical
and design innovation and its environmental credentials.
Gerard Connolly continued:
“We were delighted that once again our creative and
technical expertise has been recognised. At IPS, we strive to provide our clients with
innovative packaging solutions that offer value, are functional and have strong
on-shelf presence.”
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