DuPont presented 16 awards recognizing packaging excellence at last night’s 26th DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation, the industry's longest-running, global, independently judged competition highlighting innovative packaging solutions and collaboration throughout the value chain.
This year, the program received nearly 200 entries from 31 countries, marking the second-highest number of entries and broadest reach in the program’s 26-year history.
This year, Unilever (United Kingdom) took the Diamond Award top honor for its line of compressed deodorants. The international panel of judges recognized Unilever for excellence in all three award criteria – technological advancement, responsible packaging and enhanced user experience.
Unilever’s new containers carry the same amount of product in a package half the size of the original. The smaller packages meet airline carry-on requirements, allow retailers to stock more products on the same shelf space and significantly cut transportation costs as more units fit on a pallet and into each truck.
In addition to the Diamond Award, the panel of independent judges selected five gold winners and 10 silver winners representing 11 countries. Gold Award recipients demonstrate excellence in any two of the criteria, while Silver Award recipients show excellence in any one of the criteria.
“The Packaging Awards continue to celebrate innovation and champion collaboration,” says William J. Harvey, president of DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers. “We updated the award categories this year to reflect emerging trends and amplify the consumer’s role in driving innovation.”
Consumer convenience earned high marks in this year’s competition. Seventy-five percent of the winning packaging solutions bring a higher degree of convenience to consumers.
For example,ultra-high-temperature milk pouches from Parakh Agro Industries, India, keep milk fresh without refrigeration for up to 90 days and enable it to be consumed without first being boiled.
“DuPont Packaging Awards winners demonstrate the best of today’s innovative packaging solutions,” says Yasmin Siddiqi, DuPont Packaging Awards program leader. “Unique designs and advanced technology are used more and more creatively today to package products to enhance user experience and convenience.”
Several winning entries used DuPont products, such as DuPont Bynel tie-layer resin and DuPont Teijin films.
Gold Winners
Separable Pouch for Multiple Marinades Simplifies Home Cooking (Amcor Flexibles – Huizhou, China and Singapore; Contributors: Nestlé Australia Limited – MAGGI Stir-fry Creations)
Consumers can prepare home meals using two separate paste mixes at different points in preparation with Amcor Flexibles’ plastic separable pouch. The package contains two separate pouches that are co-joined by an easy-tear dotted line. Made by a smart mold in the bag-making machine, the technology advancement is the clean, simple separation of the two pouches. The packaging allows consumers to reduce the complexity of using many ingredients over a number of steps, but still create an authentic stir fry flavor. Amcor Flexibles’ two-pouch solution drives brand differentiation and meets the consumer desire for a more adventurous cooking experience with an easy-to-use, simple, convenient packaging solution.
Won for Technological Advancement and Enhanced User Experience
Film Pouch Brings Shelf-Stable Milk to India (Parakh Agro Industries, Ltd. – India; Contributor: Elecster – Finland and ISF Industries – India)
For the first time in India, UHT (ultrahigh temperature processed) milk is now packed in a flexible pouch that has a shelf life of 90 days. Parakh Agro Industries’ UHT milk pouch uses a five-layer EVOH-based film made with DuPont Bynel 4109 tie-layer resin. No refrigeration is required until it is opened, and there is no need to boil the milk before it is consumed. The milk is sterilized at a high temperature and packed in aseptic conditions. Aseptic fill and processing in that region does the job of protecting the product. The cost of unit pack per liter is significantly lower than traditional aseptic packaging. The fact that this package does not require refrigeration also results in cost savings.
The Elecster (Finland) UHT milk technology enhances user experience by providing milk to a large population that would otherwise not have access to it. Additionally, the longer shelf life provides an advantage to consumers in India who do not have refrigeration.
Won for Responsible Packaging and Enhanced User Experience
Silver Winners
Standup Retort Pouch Transforms the Latin American Food-Service Industry (Bemis – Brazil)
Fugini Vegetables standup pouch is the first commercial retort flexible packaging in the food service industry in Brazil. The standup, retort pouch from Bemis offers great product protection, ensuring the same outstanding quality, while being simpler to handle, easier to open, and faster to heat. In an industry once dependent on rigid cans to maintain product quality, this flexible pouch represents a major shift to allow an increase in user convenience and safety.
Won for Enhanced User Experience
Microwaveable Sandwich Pouch Keeps Bread Moist During Heating (Curwood – USA; Contributor: Hillshire Brands – USA)
The Hillshire Brands Heat Fresh horizontal form-fill-seal package keeps bread soft and moist, while heating the rest of the sandwich evenly and thoroughly in the original package. Curwood combined two proprietary technologies in a unique way to optimally control moisture, heat and pressure in the package during microwave heating. The package consists of a non-woven film laminate with moisture-absorbing properties at the base and a nylon-based forming film with unique moisture control properties at the top. The two webs essentially create a moisture-equilibrating “steam dome” that allows for efficient use of steam while excess steam is absorbed.
During heating, moisture created by the heat cycle rises to the top of the package, rolls down the sides and is absorbed by the non-forming film, eliminating the problems of soggy or cardboard-like bread. At the same time, pressure is created within the package to drive heat into the sandwich core for controlled, even heating of meats, cheeses, and other sandwich components.
Won for Technological Advancement
Roast-In-The-Bag Chicken Package Minimizes Safety Risks, Maximizes Consumer Convenience (FFP Packaging Solutions Ltd. – United Kingdom; Contributors: Faccenda, ASDA and ULMA spa – United Kingdom)
Many consumers lack knowledge of handling raw meat, as demonstrated by the large amount of government sponsored information about meat safety. FFP Packaging Solutions developed a roast-in-the-bag chicken package that addresses this issue. The package, a large polyester flow wrap sealed with heat-seal polyester, allows a whole chicken to be roasted in its retail package so consumers can place it straight in the oven without having to touch the raw meat. It retains all moisture within the package and allows the inside of the oven to remain clean.
Won for Enhanced User Experience
