How can flexible packaging “shake up” the cereal market? And how can flexible packaging make snacks like trail mix easier to use? Two teams of Clemson University students came up with ideas that earned them recognition in FPA’s Student Challenge.

The student group that tackled cereal packaging won first place. Their idea envisions a standup pouch with tactile, ergonomic dispensing and easy-open features. The students believe those characteristics could make the stand-up pouch valuable enough to replace bag-in-box for a mainstream cereal brand.

The second-place team with the trail mix package creates an unusual multi-pack by perforating—rather than cutting—seals between units in a form-fill-seal operation. The result is an eight-unit multipack. By rolling up the units and using a simple band or adhesive, the idea calls for minimal secondary packaging.