Since we are still battling the COVID-19 pandemic, making sure products are ultra-clean and ready for takeout are the new norms for businesses. Honest Marijuana Company has adopted this philosophy, as the company packages its cannabis in individual tin cans that are ready for a quick pickup.

In contrast to the many companies using plastic container packaging that doesn’t properly preserve cannabis, Honest Marijuana Company’s tin cans maintain excellent preservation not only in retail but also throughout the supply chain.

This recyclable tin can packaging uses pure nitrogen instead of oxygen to keep Honest Marijuana Company’s cannabis ultra clean, free of any contaminants, and of the highest possible quality and integrity. The product is sealed for freshness and free from possible contamination coming from the Honest Marijuana Company facility to its customers’ favorite smoking device. Impermeable to oxygen and residual humidity, the tin cans are also inert to temperature fluctuations, meaning they don’t secrete any chemical compounds that will kill the fresh aroma of the cannabis terpenes.     
Honest Marijuana Company’s eco-friendly packaging allows for the product to stay in its purest form and not be deteriorated by light or oxygen. Thus, when opening that eighth or that terpy concentrate, consumers will see, smell and taste everything exactly the same way the Honest Marijuana Company growery staff do.

The tin cans’ nitrogen-sealing preserves the freshness of the buds and allows for longer transport and extended shelf life. This keeps the cannabis fresh for years to come, the company says.   
Due to this newly-developed tin can packaging, Honest Marijuana Company’s cannabis products are exactly the same way they were when they first came off the plant.

When customers open up a fresh can, they can experience that newly-trimmed, lush texture. With this packaging, Honest Marijuana Company hopes to inspire other cannabis businesses to place a greater focus on cleanliness and ease of cannabis pickup in the current and post-coronavirus pandemic era.  

Ecolean notches awards for new designs
Global packaging producer Ecolean, together with long-term Australian customer Bannister Downs Dairy, received two gold awards at the 2020 Australasian Packaging Innovation & Design Awards (PIDA) – the Accessible Packaging Design and the Innovation of The Year in the Beverage category.

The 2020 Australasian Packaging Innovation & Design Awards (PIDA Awards) are coordinated by the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP). The award ceremony was held virtually on May 6-7.
Ecolean won the Accessible Packaging Design Award for its innovative packaging designs, which are certified as easy-to-open and easy-to-use by people with reduced hand function. The gold award in the Beverage category was a tie between Coca-Cola Amatil’s 100% rPET bottle and Bannister Downs Dairy’s lightweight Ecolean packages, making a strong case for lightweight plastic packaging.

Bannister Downs Dairy has used Ecolean’s lightweight packaging products since 2005, and the packaging format features an easy tear-off to open the package and an air-filled handle to make it easy to hold when pouring. The packages are also 50-60% lighter than other packages for liquid food.

“Ecolean has been a key part of the work we do to ensure our business is not only at the forefront of innovation in our industry, but also to have as small an impact on our environment as possible,” says Sue Daubney, managing director, Bannister Downs Dairy. “We are so proud to see our packaging partners enjoying recognition in Australia and New Zealand for their long-term commitment to developing the lightweight and unique packaging, which makes a difference for us, our consumers and the environment.”

“Consumer sentiment towards plastics in particular has changed dramatically, and as the ground beneath beverage packaging producers is shifting, many are shifting along with it, making investments in recycling facilities, new material development, new packaging closures and innovating new ways of packaging drinks that not only meet sustainability goals but continue to engage and excite the consumer,” says Lindy Hughson, the host and commentator at the PIDA Awards. “Both winners of the beverage category are forward-thinking players whose entries go beyond delivering packaging with sustainability as a selling point to providing a solution that moves the whole industry forward towards a circular economy.”

“Plastic packaging makes a big difference in the beverage and liquid food industry today,” says Johnny Sajland, global sales director of Ecolean. “Our packages are lightweight, tough, durable and has excellent food safety properties. We’re glad that the benefits of plastic packaging are increasingly recognized by conscious consumers worldwide, as well as by the PIDA Awards.”

“These two PIDA Awards demonstrate that our innovative lightweight and accessible packaging solutions are highly appreciated by customers, consumers and the wider industry,” says Mark Easton, Ecolean Australia and New Zealand sales manager. “The awards are also the result of our excellent partnership with Bannister Downs Dairy, and I am extremely proud of everyone involved and look forward to our future collaboration.”

MCC supports heineken with customized Formula 1 labels
Heineken, which has a global partnership with Formula 1, wanted to do something special for the return of the Grand Prix to the Zandvoort circuit in the Netherlands. The idea was to customize its bottles with a limited edition series of Formula 1 labels.

There are 22 labels in the collection, and each one displays the country and their race track. The labels have been designed by VBAT and printed by Multi-Color Corporation (MCC) in Helligenstadt, Germany. Due to the different colors on the 22 variable flag designs, the label run provided a host of challenges. The labels incorporate CMYK colors, 2 x white and high brilliance silver for a premium look.

“We make Limited Editions for platforms like UCL, Rugby, Formula 1, Bond movies and festive labels so we get more excitement for our consumers in the Off and On Premise channels,” explains Ramses Dingenouts, senior packaging and identity design manager, Heineken International. “MCC is very cooperative and makes the most complicated jobs simple. This project had impossibilities from a design point of view, but MCC always makes it happen.”

The project also utilized ThermoWash for returnable glass. This filmic pressure sensitive labeling technology allows for the reuse of the glass bottles. The pressure sensitive, returnable labels were printed on MCC’s wash-off material called ThermoWash.

This way, the Heineken bottle can be rebranded for later use. Offering the same graphic and performance benefits of traditional, single use, pressure sensitive labels.

There are multiple benefits to ThermoWash, which include easy detachment from bottles during the washing process; engineered especially for returnable glass; complementary to the traditional paper wash-off labels, requiring no changes to the majority of bottle washing machines; brand owners can enjoy all the aesthetic and design benefits of clear-film pressure sensitive labels; and bottles can be rebranded for every use.

MCC, which is based in Cincinnati, OH, works with leading producers of home and personal care, wine and spirits, food and beverage, health care and specialty consumer products. MCC serves national and international brand owners with a comprehensive range of products.

Recently, MCC has worked with Sinalco, a European soft drink brand, in producing an augmented reality label, as well as Anheuser-Busch in supplying products to combat COVID-19. MCC responded to Anheuser-Busch by meeting the company’s initial requirements within 72 hours‘ notice. The hand sanitizers have been an effective tool in limiting the spread of the infectious disease.