When customers scan the aisles for insect repellents, they are used to seeing an array of rigid plastic containers and sprayers designed for the safe storage and handling of the chemicals contained inside.
ProAmpac’s challenge was to do more than make a flexible package consumers would feel safe bringing into their homes. The Cincinnati-based flexible packaging company had to convince the product manufacturer that a flexible, refillable solution could stand up to the demands placed on it.
“There were also concerns about the transition to a new packaging format, including adjustments to manufacturing processes and ensuring consumers understood the pouch’s refillable benefits,” says Hesam Tabatabaei, senior vice president for global product development and innovation at ProAmpac.
The winning combination was a 1.5-liter refillable spouted pouch designed for the Ortho® Home Defense® line of insecticides, made by ScottsMiracle-Gro.
The Ohio-based lawn care company was not the only one impressed by ProAmpac’s design. The pouch snagged a gold award in the 2025 Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards, one of numerous packages to earn recognition in one of the industry’s most prestigious competitions held by the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA). The awards honor packages in sustainability, printing, packaging excellence, shelf impact, technical innovation, and expanding the use of flexible packaging.
For ProAmpac, the company would win several gold and silver awards as well as the Highest Achievement Award, which was handed out at FPA’s Annual Meeting in March in Miami. The contest encompassed 226 entries that were reviewed by three independent judges who assigned 34 awards.
“Entering the contest demonstrates ProAmpac’s dedication to developing innovative, resource-efficient packaging solutions,” Tabatabaei says. “Recognition through this award will further demonstrate our ability to address industry challenges and inspire confidence in current and future customers. This is an opportunity to show leadership in advancing packaging technologies that reduce material use without compromising performance.”
Replacements
Companies this year found several ways to win gold awards in the competition’s category of expanding the use of flexible packaging.
With Ortho® Home Defense®, ProAmpac succeeded in combining the durability and protective qualities of rigid packaging with the efficiency and reduced material use of flexible packaging. The refillable pouch cut plastic usage by 90%, according to Tabatabaei.
ProAmpac undertook extensive testing to confirm the pouch’s chemical and ultraviolet resistance, and the company collaborated with ScottsMiracle-Gro to ensure the packaging met its operational needs. The partners also developed clear, on-package instructions designed to educate consumers about its use and benefits.
The design process also emphasized usability and the value of data. “Providing clear, measurable benefits such as reduced material use and enhanced performance helps build confidence and overcome hesitations about new packaging formats,” Tabatabaei says.
Other gold award winners for the expanding the use of flexible packaging category include a flexible toothbrush pouch manufactured by Nosco for Preserve®, a company focused on providing eco-friendly products, and its CMO, Perrigo. Its toothbrushes are made from recycled plastic yogurt cups, a feature that appeals to environmentally conscious consumers seeking sustainable household items. The toothbrushes are sold at various major retailers.
According to Nosco, one of the main challenges was ensuring the new flexible pouch maintained the durability and protection required for toothbrush packaging. At the same time, it had to give confidence that the flexible packaging option would align with Preserve®’s sustainability values without compromising the product’s visibility and appeal.
The company developed a custom-built package mixing polypropylene films and a polyethylene laminate. The structure provided a strong barrier while main-taining a sleek matte finish. Additionally, digital print-ing allowed for vibrant graphics, ensuring a strong shelf presence.
“By demonstrating the cost savings associated with reduced shipping weight and freight costs to the brand, we further highlighted the advantages of this innovative packaging solution,” says Bill Nimmer, Nosco packaging advisor. “Providing real-world examples of how flexible packaging reduces environmental impact helped build confidence in the transition from thermoformed trays to flexible packaging.”
The gold award will help validate the effectiveness of flexible packaging for toothbrushes and further open the door to new uses. “This project is a testament to how digital printing and advanced flexible packaging materials can support brand goals without compromising quality. The Preserve® toothbrush pouch successfully balances durability, sustainability, and visual appeal, making it a model for future sustainable packaging innovations,” Nimmer says.
Standing Out
The proliferation of consumer choices means companies must work hard to ensure their products stand out on store shelves.
For Paharpur 3P, the mission was to create an attractive package for 10 pounds of rice while protecting the contents from unwanted moisture and oxygen. The company’s solution—a five-panel pouch with a pocket zipper and C-cut handle—took home a gold award in the shelf impact category in this year’s achievement awards.
The design started with an understanding of the target audience, according to the company. Rice bags are often purchased by urban consumers interested in quality, convenience, and consistency. They want healthy, ready-to-cook options with minimal prep time and are often willing to pay a premium.
The choice of a five-panel pouch opened a plethora of branding opportunities, enhancing the product’s visibility, according to Paharpur 3P. However, the package also boasts various layers of material to ensure product safety and other features that enhance its look, usefulness, and strength.
Printpack is another company making a splash. The company worked with Pepperidge Farm to develop packaging for a new Goldfish® product, Goldfish® Crisps, which are larger than other Goldfish® snacks and come in three flavors, cheddar, salt and vinegar, and sour cream and onion. The packaging won a gold award for shelf impact based on its vibrant, color-coded designs and flat bottom that stands well on a shelf, creating a strong billboard effect.
A gold award for printing and a silver award for shelf impact went to Bryce Corporation for a limited-edition package for Smartfood® White Cheddar Popcorn, made by Frito-Lay, a division of PepsiCo. The package grabs consumers’ attention by using vivid colors and sharp details.
The path to fine-tuning a package’s appeal often starts with translating artistic designs onto the medium of flexible plastic, and this year’s award winners made impressive strides in that area.
Integrated Plastics Packaging played a key role in printing the packaging for Panesar Foods Ltd., a sauce manufacturer based in the United Kingdom. The manufacturer undertook a complete rebranding initiative to create a cohesive, visually striking theme to appeal to a broader global market.
“One of the major challenges was ensuring precise registration of multiple colors while achieving the perfect matte varnish application,” says Abid Shafiullah, business development manager at Integrated Plastics Packaging.
“The goal was to selectively highlight areas with a glossy effect, adding a dynamic shine to enhance the design’s appeal. Balancing these intricate elements required meticulous attention to detail.”
To meet these demands, Integrated Plastics Packaging combined cutting-edge printing technology with a rigorous quality assurance process. “At every stage, rigorous print inspections ensured that the final product met the highest standards—free from defects and visually stunning,” Shafiullah explains.
Beyond aesthetics, the pouch, which won a gold award in the printing category, was engineered for high-temperature-filling operations, ensuring visual appeal and functional reliability, Shafiullah adds.
“This project reinforced our capability to deliver high-quality, detailed prints with advanced effects like matte/gloss combinations,” he says.
“Our growing expertise has strengthened client confidence, enabling us to push boundaries and offer innovative packaging solutions that capture consumer attention. The experience has further fueled our commitment to innovation and excellence in flexible packaging.”
Sustainability
Sustainable and recyclable materials are consistently at the forefront of packaging designs. However, companies must weigh whether new materials can hold up as well as traditional options.
ProAmpac met the challenge head-on in its design for a recyclable pet food package for a pet food company. Winner of the Highest Achievement Award in this year’s competition, the PRO-EVO® Recyclable FL is a high-performance solution that meets sustainability goals while maintaining reliable functionality.
“It is designed for curbside recycling and is compatible with widely accessible recycling streams where available,” Tabatabaei says.
“This innovation aligns with the client’s commitment to reducing landfill waste and advancing circular economy initiatives.”
The package also won gold awards in packaging excellence and technical innovation, while garnering a silver award for sustainability, as well.
ProAmpac leaned on advanced material technologies and rigorous testing while developing the packaging, Tabatabaei says. “PRO-EVO® Recyclable FL exemplifies how advanced material technologies can transform flexible packaging by offering curbside recyclability, excellent organoleptic properties, and shelf impact,” he adds. “It’s compatibility with existing recycling systems and its alignment with the circular economy demonstrate how innovative packaging can meet both consumer and brand demands.”
The package carries clear messages that guide consumers on proper disposal, building trust, and driving adoption, Tabatabaei says.
Compostable materials also drew attention in this year’s achievement awards for sustainability. Print-pack incorporated compostable materials in a limited-edition package made for Frito-Lay products for Super Bowl LVIII. Frito-Lay distributed the packages as part of a brand activation in Las Vegas, where the Super Bowl was held in 2024. The direct-to-consumer packages, which contained snacks such as Lay’s®, Doritos®, CHEETOS®, and Tostitos®, won a silver award for sustainability and gold awards for packaging excellence and technical innovation.
Novolex won a gold award in the sustainability category for compostable butter wraps known as TerreGloss™ and Terrecotte™. The wraps, which are certified as compostable in commercial facilities, use a proprietary wax blend without intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The high-performance blend protects the butter while making the wrapper easy for consumers to open. Offered in a gloss or matte finish, with custom designs available, the wraps are manufactured from a renewable paper base and use environmentally friendly ink.
A gold award in sustainability went to PPC Flex for a compostable bag for HiPPiE ORGANiCS® Organic Asparagus. The packaging also won silver awards for packaging excellence, technical innovation, and expanding the use of flexible packaging.
“Our goal was to create an eye-catching bag with bright colors that is also eco-friendly and helps extend the product’s shelf life,” says Simmy Coscia, director of prepress and design at PPC Flex.
Thanks to extensive testing and experiments with various materials, PPC Flex found a combination that met its standards.
The awards, meanwhile, help to validate the role of flexible packaging in making environmental progress, Coscia adds. “If we can expand the range of available recycled materials, we can further enhance sustainability while also improving the longevity of the products inside the packaging,” he says.
Joel Berg is a writer and editor based in Pennsylvania.
Sidebar: Highest Achievement Award
ProAmpac
ProAmpac won the Highest Achievement Award for PRO-EVO® Recyclable FL. The package also won gold awards for packaging excellence and technical innovation and a silver award for sustainability.
Gold Awards
The 2025 Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards Competition’s Gold Award winners are listed alphabetically. If a package that won a gold award also won a silver award, that achievement is also noted.
Bryce Corporation
Gold Award: Printing and silver award for shelf impact, for PepsiCo Smartfood® White Cheddar Popcorn Packaging
Integrated Plastics Packaging
Gold Award: Printing for Indi Grand Balti Curry Sauce
Nosco
Gold Award: Expanding the use of flexible packaging for Preserve® Toothbrush Pouches
Novolex
Gold Award: Sustainability for TerreGloss™/Terrecote™ Compostable Butter Wrap
Paharpur 3P
Gold Award: Shelf impact for Aara® Basmati Rice 5-panel Pouch with Pocket Zipper and C-cut Handle, 10 lbs.
PPC Flex
Gold Award: Sustainability and silver awards for expanding the use of flexible packaging, packaging excellence, and technical innovation for HiPPiE ORGANiCS® Organic Asparagus
Printpack
Gold Awards: Packaging excellence and technical innovation and a silver award for sustainability for the Frito-Lay Super Bowl LVIII Commercially Compostable Package
Gold Award: Shelf impact for Goldfish® Crisps, 6.25 oz.
ProAmpac
Gold Award: Expanding the use of flexible packaging for ProAmpac Spouted Pouch for Ortho® Home Defense®