Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards
2020 Winners
Congratulations to the 30 winners of the 2020 Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards competition! These winning packages exemplify the very best in flexible packaging solutions.
The Flexible Packaging Association is pleased to present the FPA 2020 Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards & Innovation Showcase, which features flexible packaging solutions that meet expectations and needs through advancements in materials, graphics, structure, new uses, extended shelf life, and sustainability.
This year, 73 packages were submitted in the competition, for a total of 206 entries. Thirty packages were honored with 48 Achievement Awards in various categories. The downloadable Innovation Showcase includes all competition entries, which are presented, following the winners, in alphabetical order by package name.
AeroFlexx
Highest Achievement Award
Gold – Expanding the Use of Flexible Packaging
Gold – Packaging Excellence
Gold –Shelf Impact
Gold – Sustainability
Gold –Technical Innovation
AeroFlexx is a ‘new to the world’ package format that is revolutionizing the liquid packaging industry as the only flexible package providing features and benefits that are superior to that of a conventional bottle. It uses an air frame to integrate tailored rigidity into a flexible film, creating a package with no discreet closure; clean and controlled one handed dispensing functionality; a 360 degree palette for branding; a structure that is e-commerce compliant without additional protection, all with at least 50% less plastic than a bottle. The package is consumer preferred, customer centric, more sustainable, and cost competitive with bottles and designed to disrupt the entire liquids packaging value chain.
Manufacturer: AeroFlexx
End-User/Customers: P&G/Defense Soap/Blue Zebra Brands/Dude Products
Plant: Fairfield, OH
Designer/Design Firm: Ken McGuire, P&G
Key Suppliers: Mondi (flexible film material); P&G – Package Design Elmwood (graphic design for P&G); and AeroFlexx Artworks Haney (digital printing for mockups)
Gold – Shelf Impact
4D Bags with Handle
Uflex developed a brick shaped, all panel registered bag/pouch with a handle and reclosable option that can either stand-up or lie down. It is similar to flexi-cartons and is an excellent rigid carton replacement product. The standability and shelf prominence of rigid packaging are now combined with the functionality of flexible packaging in this new ‘4D Pack.’ All six panels of the bag are printed and can be made of different substrates. The look of the bag creates excellent shelf appeal, helping it catch the immediate attention of the end user. For convenience, the bag can be carried from a top handle while its re-closable option allows product dispensing through the zipper. The bag adds a 4th dimension to the product making it a unique 4 sided flat flexible bag that offers the luster and barrier properties of the film and prominent carton like display.
Manufacturer: Uflex Limited
End-User/Customer: Oman Floor Mills/Shameem Gulbhar Company Ltd.
Plant: Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
Designer/Design Firm: Uflex R&D
Key Suppliers: Uflex Packaging Films Business (polyester film); Uflex Chemical Business (inks); Dow (PE film)
Gold – Expanding the Use of Flexible Packaging
Gold – Packaging Excellence
Silver – Technical Innovation
FlexiTube for Bio Creative Labs – USA
Uflex developed three variants of the Super Foods Natural Hair Care FlexiTubes for Bio Creative Labs — USA. The FlexiTubes provide 360 degree printing with a soft matte finish and an excellent reproduction of graphics. The gold metallic lines were provided with a holographic layer thus eliminating the use of a foil stamping process.
Manufacturer: Uflex Limited
End-User/Customer: Bio Creative Labs – USA
Plant: Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
Designer/Design Firm: Uflex Limited
Key Suppliers: Uflex Limited
Gold – Packaging Excellence
Silver – Sustainability
Silver – Technical Innovation
Hill's All PE 'Recyclable' Pet Treat Bags
Overcoming all conventional limitations known from using only polyethylene (PE) films for highly engineered packages, these all PE laminated bags allowed the international brand-owner to launch into fully “recyclable” flexible packaging formats without any compromises in appearance or performance. Combined innovation in new materials, equipment, and processing methods features results with equal clarity, graphics, aesthetics, rigidity, puncture-resistance, machineability, barrier properties, grease-resistance, varied closure options, and easy-opening with laser-scoring. In fully recognizing the current uncertainties of requirements around the recycled PE material for end-markets, the EVOH barrier film also incorporates the compatibilizing additive to neutralize any potential negatives to the recycling stream.
Manufacturer: Plastic Packaging Technologies, LLC
End-User/Customer: Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc.
Plant: Kansas City, KS
Gold – Technical Innovation
Insura™ Seal Verification
According to the FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health, suspected problems with a package’s seal accounted for approximately two-thirds of all 2017 packaging-related recalls. In 2018, according to the FDA’s recall database, over 16 million medical devices were recalled due to package seal failures. Suspected seal failures are managed cautiously since true failures almost always result in compromised product sterility. While package fabrication issues lead to some failures, inaccurate device placement and equipment wear can also cause failure. Currently, it is difficult to assess seal integrity once the package is filled and the final seal is made. Although destructive tests lead to statistical confidence in the integrity of the product, they are wasteful. Non-destructive techniques are either time consuming or, like machine vision methods, are unable to confidently find all types of failures. To overcome these deficiencies, a package closure indicator that functions with conventional packaging materials and equipment at typical filling speeds was developed that generates a color change when critical seal parameters, namely temperature, pressure (intimacy of contact), and time, are achieved. Color continuity indicates a lack of defects while color intensity correlates well with seal strength.
Manufacturer: Amcor Healthcare Packaging
End-User/Customer: MITG
Gold – Shelf Impact
Paqui Tortilla Chips Pillow Pouch
Amplify Snack Brands redesigned their Paqui tortilla chip packaging to create a striking brand block on the shelf. They chose a design with a large logo, a strong focal point, and simple food photography to create a memorable package that would make it easy for consumers to find and remember their brand. The enhanced graphic appearance of the packaging uses vibrant contrasting colors and interesting visual effects created through the printing process.
Manufacturer: Printpack
End-User/Customer: Amplify Snack Brands
Plant: Villa Rica, GA
Designer/Design Firm: Amplify Snack Brands In-House Design Team – Designers: Roxanne Ayala, Shannon McKenna, and Emily Mitchell; Creative Director: Joanie Cahill
Gold – Shelf Impact
Silver – Expanding the Use of Flexible Packaging
Silver – Packaging Excellence
Predilecta Sacciali Jar Shaped Pouch
The Sacciali brand jar shaped pouch combines the best of flexible packaging technology for lightweight and long shelf life with increased shelf impact using graphic design and a shape factor to enhance consumer interest at the point of sale. The “mason jar” shape nods to the traditional glass packaging common in the sauce category. However, flexible packaging offers the significant benefits of a 97% weight reduction over glass, leading to a wide range of sustainable benefits.
Manufacturer: Amcor Flexibles Brazil
End-User/Customer: Predilecta Alimentos
Gold – Expanding the Use of Flexible Packaging
Gold – Packaging Excellence
Silver – Sustainability
Premade STANDCAP Inverted Pouches
Premade STANDCAP inverted pouches extend product freshness, stand out on the shelf, provide time-saving and utensil-free convenience for users, and make an eco-friendly impact by reducing fossil fuel usage, water usage, and greenhouse gas emissions when compared to alternative package formats.
Manufacturer: Glenroy, Inc.
End-User/Customer: Various
Plant: Menomonee Falls, WI
Key Suppliers: AptarGroup (closure)
Gold – Printing
Gold – Shelf Impact
Skratch Labs Limited Edition EF Pro Cycling HP Mosaic Packaging
Skratch Labs developed a limited-edition package for their sports hydration drink mix to celebrate EF Education First Pro Cycling’s participation in the Tour de France. Inspired by the striking metallic pink and blue color-shifting design of the team’s jerseys, ePac and Skratch were able to create a truly unique stand-up pouch using ePac’s all digital printing platform and HP’s Mosaic variable print enhancement technology. Each pouch in the entire 10,000 unit print run is unique and features an exclusive color-shifting design.
Manufacturer: ePac – Flexible Packaging
End-User/Customer: Skratch Labs
Plant: Boulder, CO
Designer/Design Firm: Emma Ziobrzynski, Skratch Labs
Key Suppliers: Astria, Sanyo, and Charter Films (film suppliers); HP (ink and printing press supplier); and Reynolds Presto Zipper (closure manufacturer)
Gold – Printing
Stacy’s Women’s History Month Packaging
This collection of limited edition packages tells the story of a female entrepreneur’s journey to success and is designed to inspire and support female entrepreneurs. The packaging’s purpose is to connect and align the brand, female entrepreneurs, and supporters of female-founded businesses. These were sold online through the United Way to help fund new and emerging businesses to celebrate Women’s History Month and as part of the Stacy’s Rise Project.
Manufacturer: Printpack
End-User/Customer: Pepsico/Frito Lay/Stacy’s Snacks
Plant: Villa Rica, GA
Designer/Design Firm: Pepisco chose art submissions by female artists: Jade Purple Brown, Nomoco, Alexandra Bowman, Amarita Marino, Jane Beaird, and Eleni Kalorkati
Key Suppliers: Stacy’s Snacks provided the original artwork and graphics; Printpack printed and converted the packaging
Gold – Sustainability
Gold – Technical Innovation
Silver – Packaging Excellence
StreamOne® R Retortable Recycle-Ready Polyester
StreamOne® R is a revolutionary, high-performance, all-polyester packaging solution designed for the #1 polyester recycle stream. It has been engineered specifically for applications requiring retort or autoclave sterilization. StreamOne® R maintains its ultra- high barrier and reliable hermetic seals even after processing at high temperatures, ensuring that product quality and shelf life are not compromised. The consistent high barrier that StreamOne® R provides allows products that previously required an aluminum foil barrier to move to an environmentally friendly package, supporting brand owners’ sustainability initiatives.
Manufacturer: PAXXUS, Inc.
Plant: Addison, IL
Silver – Technical Innovation
Silver – Sustainability
Bear Naked® Granola’s Entour™ Shield+ Front of Store Recycle Ready Package
Bear Naked® Granola wanted a recyclable stand-up pouch that maintained the look, feel, and functionality of its current packaging and enlisted a team of industry leaders to develop a solution. Through extensive collaboration, Berry Global, Fresh-Lock®, Dow, and ColorMasters were able to deliver a recycle ready, resealable stand-up pouch approved by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) for its How2Recycle Store Drop-Off logo. This new pouch not only meets consumer expectations but has improved barrier requirements enhancing shelf life, and runs at faster machine speeds, and lower sealing temperature adding to its sustainable benefits.
Manufacturer: Berry Global
End-User/Customer: Kellogg’s Bear Naked® Granola
Plant: Odon, IN
Key Suppliers: Berry Global (film supplier); Fresh-Lock® (zipper); ColorMasters (ink, printing, and finish); Dow (barriers and sealant)
Silver – Printing
Silver – Printing
C-4 Extreme Explosive Pre Workout, 30 oz.
This package enabled the customer to save costs by replacing the chrome container from Asia with a chrome shrink sleeve. The package includes multiple sensory embellishments including raised varnish, chrome enhancement, reticulation varnish, and solid and transparent ink.
Manufacturer: Phenix Label Company
End-User/Customer: Nutrabolt Life Science
Plant: Olathe, KS
Key Suppliers: Omet, Siegwerk, and Klockner
Silver – Packaging Excellence
Silver – Technical Innovation
Cargill Grab N’ Go Deli Meat Package
The Cargill Grab N’ Go high barrier deli meat package utilizes a new proprietary, dual purpose, minimal depth forming, and non-forming film from Amcor with high oxygen barrier and strength properties. The film is very thin (<1.75 mil) and exhibits attributes of a non-barrier thin PE zipper bag commonly found at delis. The final modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) allows longer shelf life for deli meat than the low barrier PE film package found at a typical meat department deli.
Manufacturer: Amcor Flexibles
End-User/Customer: Cargill
Key Suppliers: Zip-Pak (PTC zipper)
Silver – Packaging Excellence
Silver– Technical Innovation
Cracker Barrel Black Ribbon Natural Cheese Slices
Today, brands and products face the challenge of standing out on the shelf and being able to catch consumers’ eyes. Cracker Barrel Black Ribbon Natural Cheese Slices graphics and new packaging material were carefully designed to breakthrough on the shelf and communicate clearly that it is a premium line. Consumer testing was done to confirm that the new graphics were easy to find on the shelf, convey premiumness, and was clear to consumers what brand and flavor variant they were buying. The combination of matte black, gloss black, opulent metallic gold and metallic color bands, and a packaging window that showcases the high-quality cheese are the key elements that help the package design stand out on the shelf.
Manufacturer: TC Transcontinental Packaging
End-User/Customer: Cracker Barrel Black Ribbon Natural Cheese (Kraft Heinz)
Plant: Menasha, WI
Designer/Design Firm: Brand Opus
Key Suppliers: TC Transcontinental Packaging
Silver – Sustainability
Decowraps
Decowraps’ expertise is within the floral industry and floral sleeves are among the innovative packages for their market. In closely watching global trends to more sustainable products, and for a specific Whole Foods project, Decowraps created a compostable Non-GMO flower sleeve. Previously a BOPP film sleeve, the sleeve for Whole Foods has sugar cane as its material base in the EarthFirst® film. Important considerations for the package design included Origin of Life, specifically substituting a bio-based film for the previous fossil fuel based film, and the film to have Non-GMO status to reflect Whole Foods’ branding guidelines.
Manufacturer: Plastic Suppliers, Inc. and Decowraps
End-User/Customer: Whole Foods (Amazon)
Plant: Bogotá, Colombia
Designer/Design Firm: Decowraps
Key Suppliers: PSI supplied compostable, Non-GMO EarthFirst® PLA film to Decowraps
Silver – Packaging Excellence
EcoVue® FlexPac®
The innovative, flexible EcoVue® FlexPac® packaging for ultrasound gel features custom flexible packaging film with many benefits to the consumer and society overall. It is easy to hold and easy to use, but it is also lightweight and requires less energy to manufacture and transport.
Manufacturer: Glenroy, Inc.
End-User/Customer: HR® Pharmaceuticals
Plant: Menomonee Falls, WI
Key Suppliers: AptarGroup (closure)
Silver – Sustainability
Flex Asclepius™ PCR Based BOPET Films
Asclepius™ PCR based BOPET films are a complete family of low carbon footprint BOPET films meant to address today’s sustainability issues. These films are a drop-in for traditional BOPET films, meaning little, if any retooling, qualification, or other worries exist in implementing the transformation from virgin based plastic films to a better, sustainable solution for converters and CPGs. Virtually every category of Asclepius™ PCR based BOPET film is available in 90–100% PCR content for printing and laminating, barrier, label and liner, and virtually all other flexible packaging needs.
Manufacturer: Flex Films (USA) Inc.
End-User/Customer: Various
Plant: Elizabethtown, KY
Key Suppliers: Flex Films (USA) Inc.
Silver – Shelf Impact
FLEXPET™ F-STF Ultra Soft Super Durable BOPET Film
F-STF is a soft touch/velvet feel matte BOPET film. The film is specially designed to laminate high-quality graphic media with a velvet feel similar to peach skin. The key features include excellent matte homogeneity/dispersion; excellent soft velvet feel; high haze (>90%); low gloss on the matte side; excellent contact clarity; good scratch resistance; enhanced graphics; and package differential with a luxury feel and look.
Manufacturer: Flex Films (USA) Inc.
End-User/Customer: Folmex SA De CV
Plant: Elizabethtown, KY
Key Suppliers: Flex Films (USA) Inc.
Silver – Technical Innovation
Full Moon Natural Pet Treat Pouch
Amcor created the first package to combine a matte finish, gloss print, and paper-like texture in the premium, differentiated Full Moon Natural pet treat pouch. The design elevates the user experience and aligns with the brand’s organic and premium positioning. This printing innovation helps the package deliver enhanced branding for authenticity, quality, and differentiation to consumers shopping the crowded shelf of pet snacks.
Manufacturer: Amcor Flexibles
End-User/Customer: Full Moon
Silver – Printing
Hershey's Stand-up Pouches
Hershey’s new package is a Doyen style stand-up pouch that is made on a vertical form fill seal bagger instead of a conventional horizontal form fill seal stand-up pouch machine. The sturdy 2-ply and 3-ply laminations enable the pouch to stand-up nicely for a superior impact on the shelf. Eye- catching graphics are created with 8–9 color rotogravure printing. The packages are easy-open with precise laser scoring allowing for a clean directional tear.
Manufacturer: Printpack
End-User/Customer: The Hershey Company
Plant: Elgin, IL
Silver – Sustainability
JUSTIN’S® Nut Butter Covered Nuts Pouch
JUSTIN’S® Nut Butter Covered Nuts Pouch is a pioneer in the application of Post- Consumer Recycled (PCR) materials for high barrier food packaging due to their FDA compliance for direct food contact. Each pouch contains 40% PCR sealants and its overall make includes 25% PCR. This pouch provides consumers with high moisture and oxygen barrier that uses PCR content to help provide end markets for recyclable materials. Its high opacity white flexographic inks, surface matte coating, and lamination processes work together to mask the appearance of high volumes of PCR, giving the pouch its “new material” look and feel.
Manufacturer: ProAmpac
End-User/Customer: JUSTIN’S®
Plant: Terrebonne, Québec, Canada
Designer/Design Firm: ProAmpac
Silver – Expanding the Use of Flexible Packaging
Liqui-Box Waterspout
The Liqui-Box Waterspout packaging innovation for bottom-load water coolers is a groundbreaking solution for the home and office delivery (HOD) market and allows for retail and e-commerce sales of bulk water. It includes the durable patent-pending PuraFilm technology, patented QCD Encore® spouts, and a distinctive and unique box design that allows for direct substitution of polycarbonate bottles. The Waterspout package provides ease and savings related to distribution and end users benefit from improved ergonomics, smooth changeovers due to exceptional performance of the patented QCD Encore® connection system, improved evacuation for less product waste, and recyclability of the BiB format.
Manufacturer: Liqui-Box Corporation
End-User/Customer: Aquene Springs
Plant: Ashland, OH
Designer/Design Firm: Lamy Chopin, Liqui-Box Corporation
Key Suppliers: PCA and Charter NEX Films
Silver – Shelf Impact
Little Baker Coconut Dates, Chocolate
With its eye catching, cool graphics, this Little Bakers Chocolate Coconut Dates stand-up pouch with zipper and euro punch stands out from the rest of the packages on the shelf. The matte film gives the pouch a rich and soft feel. The resealable zipper keeps the product fresh for a longer time without having to switch it to another container.
Manufacturer: Emirates Printing Press LLC
End-User/Customer: Al Douri Food Industries LLC
Plant: Dubai, UAE
Silver – Expanding the Use of Flexible Packaging
Mt. Olive Munchies Resealable Pouch
The Mt. Olive Pickle Company launched the first snack pickles in shelf- stable stand-up pouches. Manufactured by Glenroy, the custom pouch structure preserves flavor and keeps pickles fresh after opening thanks to the press-to-close zipper closure. The lightweight, durable pouch allows for increased portability and is ideal for e-commerce applications.
Manufacturer: Glenroy, Inc.
End-User/Customer: Mt. Olive Pickle Company
Plant: Menomonee Falls, WI
Silver – Printing
Silver – Shelf Impact
Silver – Printing
The Ultimate Fish Stick™
The 300 line screen on Trident Seafoods’ The Ultimate Fish Stick™ bag outshines its rotogravure counterpart with sharper images, cleaner details, and better color. This bag was previously printed with rotogravure technology but using our 300 line screen flexographic printers, the result is a crisp, clean, beautiful product.
Manufacturer: PPC Flexible Packaging
End-User/Customer: Trident Seafoods Corporation
Plant: Payson, UT
Special Thanks to Our Judges
FPA congratulates the winners and thanks all the companies that participated in the FPA 2020 Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards Competition. Special thanks are given to the 2020 competition judging panel: Min Degruson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Packaging, University of Wisconsin – Stout; Matt Reynolds, Editor, Packaging World; and Mike Richmond, Ph.D., Principal, PTIS, LLC.