Packaging Innovations for Dairy Products

  • MEN’S YOGURT NOW AVAILABLE IN BULGARIA (posted April 21, 2014)
  • Danone develops a yogurt with men’s taste, texture and packaging preferences in mind.
  • The global yogurt powerhouse launched its own yogurt product line for men in Bulgaria in summer 2013.
  • The successful concept is currently being expanded to other markets.
  • In a number of studies, Danone Bulgaria found that Bulgarian men prefer yogurt products with a thick consistency and a high-fat content. Natural ingredients were also preferred.
  • The company also learned about package and design preferences, which influenced the company to feature a deep black color, a symbol of strength and dominance. Straightforward, minimalist graphics also appeal to the male aesthetic sense. The masculine need for clear structures is reflected in a unique cup shape.
  • The shape of the sleeved cup presented a technical challenge, especially with respect to the filling process, according to the package designer.
  • The line includes two cups sizes: 190 and 370 grams.
  • The yogurt contains 5% milkfat and comes in two extra-thick varieties: Peach Slices and Walnut Pieces.
  • The cup products are so thick they can be consumed with a fork.
  • There is also a drinkable plain version.
  • For more information, www.danone.bg.


  • NEW PACKAGE ENABLES CONSUMERS TO SCOOP UP COTTAGE CHEESE GOODNESS (posted February 13, 2014)
  • Dean Foods introduces innovative new package for various cultured dairy foods.
  • If you missed the original posting of this new package in the blog entitled “Contemporizing Cottage Cheese,” you can view it HERE.
  • Since early January, the company has been phasing in its new package throughout the upper Midwest United States.
  • The packaging concept, originally developed and used throughout Europe, provides several consumer benefits.
  • “The curved bottom profile of these packages allow consumers to easily scoop up every last
  • bit of the product,” says Rob Hollandsworth, group vice president of Dean Foods, the parent company of the Dean’s brand. “Customers also tell us they love how they stack very well in their crowded refrigerators.”
  • The new packaging addresses a number of key trade issues, as the package structure design results in less negative space between packages; in the case, on the truck and ultimately on the shelf.  
  • “All in all, we are delivering a far more environmentally responsible packaging solution, and one that always has the primary display panel neatly facing the consumer versus the old round-style packages, which often ended up spun in different directions,” says Hollandsworth.
  • Consumer research verified that the new packages are convenient for scooping up the product with a spoon, a chip, a vegetable, a cracker or other ways. It also verified that consumers find the stackability a real benefit.  
  • Lastly, the new packaging concept addresses environmental concerns.
  • “As a supplier to most major retailers throughout the country, Dean Foods accepts its responsibility to deliver products that are friendly to the environment,” says Lee Falk, vice president of logistics for Dean Foods. “This new packaging line is completely recyclable and conforms to almost all sustainability programs.”
  • The launch of the new cultured packaging program is supported by a comprehensive consumer marketing program including outdoor, radio, in-store activities, public relations, fleet graphics and promotional activities.
  • For more information, visit www.deanfoods.com.

  • PAN-READY POUCHES OF CHEESE FOR FOODSERVICE (posted October 22, 2013)
  • Emmi Roth USA introduces Roth 6th Pan Ready Pouches, a new alternative to bulk packaging for foodservice cheese crumbles and shreds.
  • The innovative pre-portioned pouches are designed to be emptied or placed directly into a standard foodservice four-inch 6th pan, offering the foodservice industry increased convenience and improved food safety.
  • The Roth 6th Pan Ready Pouches eliminate the need to reseal and re-label larger bags of opened cheese, decreasing the chance for contamination and shrink, which may result when opened bags are improperly stored.
  • The pre-portioned pouches also keep the product fresher longer and increase shelf life since the product remains sealed until it is needed.  
  • “Roth 6th Pan Ready Pouches are an industry-leading packaging innovation for the foodservice and foodservice at retail industries,” says Steve Millard, president and CEO of Emmi Roth USA. “Our new packaging technology allows Emmi Roth to share its specialty cheese in the freshest way possible while giving our customers a more convenient way to use our product.”  
  • The product comes in four premium Roth cheese varieties:
  • Grand Cru Original Shreds: An Alpine-style classic inspired by the cheesemaking traditions from the Roth family’s homeland, Grand Cru has a smooth and mellow flavor with light floral notes.
  • Buttermilk Blue Crumbles: A tangy yet mellow blue cheese crafted with raw milk for the creamiest taste and texture.
  • Buttermilk Gorgonzola Crumbles: An Italian-style blue with an assertive, piquant flavor and a complex, peppery finish.
  • Goat Cheese Crumbles: This classic goat cheese is fresh and mild with a tangy hint of citrus.
  • For more information, visit www.emmiroth.com

  • NO SPOON REQUIRED--REAL GREEK YOGURT GETS POUCHED (posted September 23, 2013)
  • Chobani Greek Yogurt is now available in portable pouches.
  • This convenient form of authentic, strained yogurt is rolling out to the Australian marketplace.
  • The refrigerated yogurt is the same product available in cups, just now in recloseable 140-gram pouches.
  • Chobani’s unique authentic straining process requires three liters of milk to make one liter of yogurt, which gives it its thick texture, creamy taste and high-protein content.
  • “Our new Chobani Pouches provide an exciting and convenient way for Australians to experience authentic strained Greek yogurt that tastes delicious and is a good source of protein. Packed with 10 essential nutrients, including high-quality dairy protein and carbohydrate, it’s the ideal post-workout snack for people who are constantly on the go,” says Emily Houlahan, communications manager for Chobani Australia.
  • The fat-free, blended pouches of yogurt come in three flavors: Blueberry, Honey and Strawberry.
  • Chobani Greek Yogurt is free of preservatives, artificial colors and artificial flavors.
  • Each pouch contains 11 to 13 grams of protein, depending on variety.
  • “Australia is Chobani’s first market to introduce pouches so we’re very excited to be pioneering this format for the company in Australia,” says Peter Meek, managing director, Chobani Australia. “Feedback from our customers was that they would love to enjoy Chobani while they’re out and about, so we’ve developed Chobani Pouches to meet that need – no spoon required!”
  • The suggested retail price per pouch is AUD$1.99.
  • For more information, visit www.chobani.com.au.

  • COW-SHAPED MILK CONTAINERS DEBUT (posted August 8, 2013)
  • Kemps makes family-sized containers of flavored milk inviting with proprietary packaging.
  • This unique plastic container, exclusive to Kemps, provides at-shelf and at-home kid appeal.
  • The containers hold 76 ounces of either low-fat strawberry milk or low-fat chocolate milk.
  • Product began shipping mid June and has a suggested retail price of $3.69 to $3.89.
  • For more information, visit www.kemps.com

  • THE U.S. GETS GLASS JARS FOR YOGURT (posted November 20, 2012)
  • The U.S. yogurt industry can now show off its goods with clear glass jars.
  • Verallia North America is introducing a line of 4- and 6-ounce capacity single-serve yogurt glass jars.
  • They incorporate a proprietary sealing primer that enables commercial yogurt producers to utilize traditional foil heat-seal lids and induction heat-sealing equipment to meet current FDA requirements for proper packaging closure.
  • The new yogurt packaging is an innovative and eco-conscious alternative to standard plastic containers.
  • It has the potential to significantly impact the way the industry develops, packages and markets yogurt because the new glass containers could profoundly change consumer perception of this fast-growing food category.
  • Glass is ideal for yogurt producers that want to differentiate their products in a competitive marketplace through original packaging design, increase margins by introducing new premium products, appeal to environmentally conscious consumers and respond to growing market trends for products that are holistically natural, organic and healthy.
  • “We have utilized significant resources to bring a line of single-serve glass yogurt containers to the U.S. market,” says Phil McPherson, senior vice president & general manager-food, beverage & spirits business sector for Verallia North America. “Yogurt is a booming food category, especially premium spoonable varieties such as Greek, pro/pre biotic and dessert yogurts. Fast-growing consumer demand is prompting more food manufacturers to enter and expand investments in the yogurt sector. Our yogurt glass jars offer commercial dairies and food producers a new healthy packaging choice that can give them an edge in this competitive market.”
  • The company offers stock glass containers and has the ability to customize a design.
  • The parent company has been producing and distributing yogurt glass jars in Europe since the 1970s.
  • In the States, the company’s offerings include 64-ounce glass milk bottles, 32-ounce pourable (drinkable) glass yogurt and milk bottles, 15-ounce glass cottage cheese jars and 9-ounce spreadable cheese glass jars.
  • For more information, visit us.verallia.com/yogurt

  • PROJECT CARTON (posted October 29, 2012)
  • The first day of Pack Expo (10/28) delivered many dairy discoveries, in particular, the fact that cartons are alive and thriving in the fluid milk category.
  • Evergreen Packaging hosted its Project Carton Media Event, which honored the grand prize winner and all those involved in this new student packaging design competition launched earlier this fall at internationally recognized design college the Fashion Institute of Technology.
  • More than 24 packaging design students from this New York City-based college participated in the competition as part of the fall curriculum, bringing fresh new perspectives to the world of packaging design.
  • There were four categories to enter--Milk, Milk Substitute, Juice and Other—with a single category winner and one overall grand prize winner.
  • And the grand prize goes to…Jennifer Ahern of Philadelphia, a junior who competed in the milk category. Ahern’s winning entry featured an abstract approach to the iconic cow image, focusing on an appeal to contemporary shoppers.
  • “I deconstructed the face of the cow and reconstructed it with a Picasso influence,” explained Ahern at the media event. “I never really thought of how much opportunity there is when designing a milk carton, but I discovered that the four panels provide a creative use of space and enable you to be fun and interactive.”
  • The business value of packaging design has become an important priority for consumer packaged goods makers as companies increasingly recognize that attractive, appealing packaging impacts increased sales.
  • This project was more than design, as the students had to develop and brand a product concept. With Ahern’s entry, it was Good Grazes protein-fortified skim milk.
  • They had to define the target demographic, which with Good Grazes was married, college-educated, working moms who seek out convenient, affordable healthful foods that complement their increasingly “green” lifestyle.
  • The judging criteria included the designer’s adherence to legal considerations and technical specifications. This included a properly designed and placed Nutrition Facts, as well as claims and other declarations.  
  • For more information on the contest, visit http://evergreenpackaging.com/about/newsroom/124-project-carton-design-competition-winner

  • PACKAGE PROTECTS MILK (posted October 2, 2012)
  • Lehigh Valley Dairy Farms, a Dean Foods company, recently introduced the white Pure Protect bottle, a specially designed, opaque container developed specifically to protect the purity of milk.
  • Exposure to any light--even the light in a grocery store--can quickly degrade the quality of milk.
  • In fact, a Cornell University study found that the fluorescent lighting in retail display cases breaks down the vitamin A and B2 in bottled milk and creates flavor defects in as little as two hours.
  • Lehigh Valley Dairy Farms’ whole, reduced-fat, low-fat and fat-free fresh white milk varieties in the new white Pure Protect bottle are available at major retailers located across eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland.
  • For more information, visit www.LehighValleyDairyFarms.com

  • SHREDDED CHEESE STANDS UP FOR CONSUMER AND RETAILER NEEDS (posted June 12, 2012)
  • Crystal Farms is the first-to-market with an innovative new stand-up package for its 8-ounce shredded cheese line.
  • The new pouch uses 20% less packaging but still contains the same two cups of cheese. The packaging technology produces the right size bag for the amount of cheese inside.
  • “Our new stand-up design allows consumers to set the bag upright when cooking, and saves space in the refrigerator,” says Hollie Schroeder, marketing manager for Crystal Farms Cheese. “I believe this is the biggest innovation in shredded cheese packaging since the zipper closure.”
  • Schroeder adds that research shows consumers like greater convenience with a bag that can sit upright while cooking.  The stand-up pouch is more functional, easier to pour and features a new premium twin-track zipper for better closing and improved freshness.
  • In addition, the package facing has been reduced by 30%, allowing more items to fit on the retailer shelf. Further, the smaller packaging provides greater efficiency during transportation, saving significant fuel and shipping costs.
  • These findings were the result of Crystal Farms partnering with market research firm InContext Solutions, which conducted shopper research within 3D virtual stores to determine the impact the new packaging would have on consumer attitudes and behaviors at shelf. In addition, InContext evaluated the go-to-market strategy on how best to message the change and benefits to consumers. This cutting-edge methodology provided Crystal Farms with the insights they needed to validate their new packaging design, retail approach and consumer messaging strategy within the cheese category.
  • For more information, visit www.crystalfarmscheese.com/products and www.incontextsolutions.com.

  • MILK & COOKIES IN A SINGLE CONTAINER (posted May 23, 2012)
  • The Smiler from Plastic Technologies Inc., is a first-of-its-kind, two-compartment polyethylene terephthalate (PET) container that pushes container manufacturing capabilities.  
  • It gives brand owners the opportunity to market a single-serving of two compatible products—such as milk & cookies—within one portable container.  
  • The proprietary Smiler technology enables bottles/containers to be blow molded into different shapes and sizes. The larger, top compartment holds the liquid, while the bottom holds the snack item. The bottom compartment is created by drawing the base upwards, which forms a small cavity into which a heat-sealed portion cup can be inserted and held by friction.
  • For more information, visit www.plastictechnologies.com.

  • SHOT-STYLE PROBIOTIC IN INNOVATIVE PACKAGE (posted April 4, 2012)
  • Finland’s Valio is repackaging its shot-style Gefilus LGG Power Drink into the brand new Tetra Pak Lokka 100-ml carton.
  • The drink comes in a 100% juice (apple, banana, mango, orange and passion fruit blend) variety and a drinkable strawberry- and blueberry-flavored yogurt version.
  • The tagline for the probiotic beverage reads: Helps to keep you healthy. This is thanks to the inclusion of the lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (ATCC 53 103).
  • The Lokka package features an innovative option: a convenient tear-off opening to meet the demand for on-the-go consumption. This is just one of many new package designs that Tetra Pak showcased at Anuga FoodTec.