Awards: Gold Award—Packaging Excellence; Gold Award—Technical Innovation; Silver Award—Sustainability

Manufacturer: American Packaging Corporation, americanpackaging.com

Description: The production of paper-based packaging requires different measures than conventional materials. The paper used for the Smarties® stand-up pouch is optimized for stiffness and durability to maximize shelf presence while providing strength and stability to withstand product fill and distribution. The key production goal of this paper-based packaging was to mimic the functionality of plastic-based packaging while maintaining speed on the press. The package is produced using a rotogravure press, and the overall construction consists of surface-printed paper with gloss, heat-resistant over-lacquer, and a rotogravure-applied dispersion coating to support heat sealability, barrier, and product resistance.

Manufacturer: Uflex Limited; flexfilm.com

Description: Mono polymer recycle-ready pouches are lightweight, portable pouches and are an excellent alternative to rigid packaging, especially for liquids. The structure used in the mono polymer recycle-ready pouch is 25 PE/100 micron PE. As a single entity, it combines the benefits of each monolayer in terms of enhanced barrier properties, mechanical integrity, and functional properties while making it easy to recycle. Mono polymer recycle-ready pouches come in various shapes and sizes adding to their shelf appeal and providing a competitive advantage. These pouches are tamper-resistant and leak-proof, making them easy for shipping. It can be recycled in existing plastic recycling streams.

Manufacturer: ProAmpac; proampac.com

Description: In late 2020, Nestlé Toll House^® Bite-Sized Chocolate Chip Edible Cookie Dough was introduced at Sam’s Club as a next-level way to enjoy the sweet taste of edible cookie dough in fun-size pieces. These delicious, perfectly poppable edible cookie dough bites are packaged in a flexible and recyclable (approved by the Association of Plastic Recyclers and How2Recycle) stand-up pouch made on a high-speed, vertical form seal machine. This plow-bottom, stand-up pouch is made from ProAmpac’s ProActive Recyclable film and uses eight-color flexographic print, and a recyclable reclose zipper.

Award: Silver Award—Sustainability

Manufacturer: Amcor Flexibles, amcor.com

Description: Many of today’s leading beverage brands are working to make their packaging use at least 20% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content by 2025. The new AmPrima™ polyethylene shrink film with 30% PCR content helps brands meet both of these major sustainability drivers, offering the billion-dollar beverage industry a sustainable packaging option for multipack bundling. It offers significant environmental benefits without compromising run speeds, machinability, or overall packaging performance.

Award: Silver Award—Sustainability

Manufacturer: Sonoco Flexible Packaging, sonoco.com

Description: As a year-round supplier of fresh berries, Wish Farms in Plant City, Florida, harvests products throughout North America and South America at peak growing seasons. The products are packed in the U.S. and distributed throughout North America. To meet its packaging needs and federal exporting regulations, Wish Farms selected Sonoco’s SmartSeal® Fresh lidding with Sonoco Unique Variable Data. This variable data printing allows Wish Farms to track and trace each tray individually, providing product quality and traceability details following each package throughout the supply chain with a unique scannable QR code. This technology solution combines with peel/reseal lidding to deliver an enhanced consumer experience, reclosability, tamper evidence, and package sustainability. SmartSeal® Fresh lidding replaces the rigid clamshell top, reducing plastic usage and lightweighting the package by at least 30% compared with the previous clamshell.

Award: Silver Award—Sustainability

Manufacturer: Berry Global, berryglobal.com

Description: Berry Global’s PCR-354 is a mono-blown shrink bundling film made from a proprietary polyethylene resin blend and 30% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content. The film and sheets perform exceptionally in many specialty shrink applications. While containing a leading 30% PCR content, this film maintains properties at high temperatures through a shrink tunnel. The finished package has the same visual effects and tight containment as the previous blend using virgin materials.