Bemis Curwood wins two flexible packaging awards

Two packages from Oshkosh, WI-based Bemis Curwood have received awards in the Flexible Packaging Association’s annual Flexible Packaging Achievement competition, presented March 4, 2013, at the FPA Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, AZ, USA. The Bonfire Wines Standup Pouch and Hillshire Brands Heat Fresh Package are among the 22 packages selected from more than 110 entrants to be recognized for excellence, sustainability and innovation in flexible packaging.

Garnering a gold award for Packaging Excellence and a silver award for Sustainability & Environmental Achievement, Bonfire Wines Standup Pouches elevate wine-in-a-pouch to new levels. The new 1.5 liter pouch appeals to the next generation of wine drinkers who make their purchase decisions quickly, emotionally and based on value. The Bonfire Wines pouch has a sleek tapered profile and fashion-driven graphics to differentiate the brand on shelf, while its easy portability, sharable size and one-touch dispensing extend the occasions for enjoyment.

The pouch’s flexible film structure, developed for wine’s unique characteristics, includes an OPET exterior layer, metallized core and Liquiflex Advance inner layer for maximum printability, barrier, strength, stiffness and organoleptic properties. The package’s signature shape – a first in barrel pouches – solves the “sagging” challenge common to liquid packaging. Compared to bottled wine, Bonfire Wines Standup Pouches offer an 80% smaller carbon footprint over the package life cycle.

The Hillshire Brands Heat Fresh Package, which received a gold award for Technical Innovation, solves a longtime dilemma for microwavable sandwiches: how to keep breads moist while heating the rest of the sandwich evenly and thoroughly – all in the original package. The package controls moisture, heat and pressure during microwaving using a proprietary nonwoven bottom web and anti-fog top web developed jointly by Bemis Curwood and Hillshire Brands. Consumers can heat their sandwiches in one simple step, then easily peel the package open for serving. It offers a versatile packaging platform for Hillshire Brands to innovate a wide range of heat-and-eat products.

“We are honored to collaborate with innovative customers like Hillshire Brands and Bonfire Wines to bring breakthrough solutions to the packaging market,” says Derrick Sytsma, Bemis Curwood’s vice president of marketing. “Every day, we develop new materials, features and formats that address our customers’ needs for added value, convenience and a better consumer experience.”

The Flexible Packaging Association has conducted the Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards competition since 1956 to showcase innovation and advance the use of flexible packaging. The Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards competition focuses on new technologies, printing techniques, package structures and environmental advantages.