Amcor Flexibles North America received a request from a client that required its research and development team to ponder multiple attributes so the package could meet performance specifications.
“It needed to be recycle-ready, provide high-barrier product protection, outstanding graphics, and be suitable for use in the high-pressure pasteurization process,” says Tom Schell, senior director for research and development at Amcor Flexibles North America. “We did not have an off-the-shelf solution that fit all of the needs, so we started to develop solutions.”
That process eventually led to the development of the Once Upon a Farm™ CHEERCircle™ PE Recycle-Ready Spouted Pouch Using AmPrima® Plus Film and the Vizi™ Cap. The package recently garnered a silver award in the sustainability category in this year’s Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards Competition.
“Not only did the solution need to deliver a great pouch for Once Upon a Farm™, but Cheer Pack North America also needed to be able to produce it effectively and efficiently for them,” Schell says. “Through a few iterations, Amcor was able to satisfy the needs of both companies and come to the final package design you see today.”
Amcor’s package was just one of the silver awards given out during the annual contest sponsored by the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA). Awards were issued for expanding the use of flexible packaging, technical innovation, printing, shelf impact, packaging excellence, and sustainability. The awards ceremony was held in March during FPA’s Annual Meeting in Miami. The contest encompassed 226 entries that were reviewed by three independent judges who assigned 34 awards.
Spotlight on Advances
When they met in fall 2024 to discuss the entries, the contest judges were particularly impressed with the packages demonstrating various innovations. This led them to issue silver awards in the categories showcasing those advances such as technical innovation, expanding the use of flexible packaging, and sustainability.
For example, ProAmpac won a silver award in technical innovation for its ProActive Recyclable® RP-1000. The curbside fiber-based package was made for organic potatoes.
“It offers robust product protection with premium sealant technology, optimized for high-speed form-fill-seal equipment,” according to ProAmpac’s product description.
“Made from renewable resources, this sustainable packaging replaces conventional laminates and aligns with eco-conscious consumer trends, promoting recyclability and reducing environmental impact.”
Printpack won a silver award in the technical innovation category for its Mars Skittles® Commercially Compostable Peg Bag. The compostable bag was developed in partnership with Danimer Scientific.
“This commercially compostable packaging was the subject of focused development over the past three years, where maintaining packaging performance, aesthetics, and consumer experience were necessities,” Printpack says in a statement.
“More sustainable solutions can be achieved in many ways, including plastic reduction, greenhouse gas reduction, post-consumer recycled content incorporation, composability, and recycle-ready structures.”
Tom Schell, senior director for research and development at Amcor Flexibles North America
Paharpur 3P won multiple silver awards for its Myfitness™ Rolled Oats 5-panel Zipper Pouch, 1 kg, including for expanding the use of flexible packaging and packaging excellence.
“The package is thoughtfully designed to protect the natural flavors from moisture and oxygen ingress with the help of high-barrier packaging material and a resealable zipper,” according to Paharpur 3P’s description.
“When designing the pouch, we considered the technical aspects and physical appearance by giving this pouch a unique printing design and matte effect to make it aesthetically attractive and eye-catching to consumers.”
Among the innovations, sustainability remains a crucial attribute for the future of flexible packaging, the judges pointed out during the judging process. Amcor’s approach to sustainability starts with simply listening to the customers’ needs first, Schell says.
“More sustainable solutions can be achieved in many ways, including plastic reduction, greenhouse gas reduction, post-consumer recycled content incorporation, compostability, and recycle-ready structures,” he says. “Amcor offers solutions in all areas and listens to the customer’s needs to design the best solution for their product.”
Awards such as the ones sponsored by FPA help the company demonstrate its commitment to developing packaging that is recyclable or reusable, Schell adds.
“Producing packages that impact people’s lives and the environment positively shows that this pledge is not just words on a page, but something we are committed to delivering to the market,” he says.
Aaron Deimund, marketing manager at Amcor Flexibles North America, further notes that the award helps to validate the work Amcor and Cheer Pack North America have done for recycle-ready spouted pouches.
The company took a second silver award in sustainability for its Amcor Moda Vacuum Packaging for U.S. Beef Exports. The Moda bag was developed with customer flexibility in mind, says Matt Peterka, senior director of research and development at Amcor Flexibles North America. In addition to allowing a customer to make shrink bags on demand, an adaptable, high-quality printer allows for quick changes in printing.
According to the company, the benefits of the package include reducing material costs by 30% and lowering requirements for packaging inventory.
“With extensive and constantly changing regulations in place for how beef products are labeled for export, the Moda bag equipment and print system allow for customization of bag sizes and labeling to suit customers’ needs,” Peterka says. That further enables a reduction in labor, and customized bag lengths help reduce the use of materials.
Amcor remains committed to developing solutions that meet customers’ requirements for end use. Sustainably developed packaging has rapidly become one of those requirements, Peterka notes. FPA’s contest helps the company to make those points.
“It’s important to Amcor that we participate in showcasing these market developments to demonstrate our commitment to our customers’ success,” he says.
The Moda bag has been a growing format in the market over the past several years, adds Greta Shimon, marketing manager at Amcor Flexibles North America. The FPA award acknowledges the package’s benefits in sustainability, logistics, and cost savings while informing the fresh meat industry of future-ready solutions for their packaging, Shimon says.
Other Awards
The beauty of flexible packaging was also on display among the award winners.
Integrated Plastics Packaging won silver awards in the shelf impact and technical innovation categories for its Boon Coffee Sustainable Monolayer PE (polyethylene)-based Coffee Pouch. And Printpack won a silver award in shelf impact for Beggin’® Bacon & Peanut Butter Stix “For the Win,” 8 oz.
The Printpack package coincided with the Summer Olympics “to invite dog owners and their pets to satisfy their winning spirit,” according to the company. The multifunctional package captured the symbolism of the Olympic gold medals while retaining the brand identity for the product. “All through the use of eye-catching gold graphics,” the company says.
American Packaging Corporation (APC) won silver awards for printing and shelf impact for its Starbucks® Coffee Designs and for printing for its BNRG Power Crunch® Protein Bars.
APC also won a silver award for expanding the use of flexible packaging for its Cargill Truvia® All-Polyethylene Spouted Stand-up Pouch. Cargill wanted to enhance consumers’ ease of using the package while differentiating its products across its Truvia® product line of calorie-free sweeteners, says Teri Meadow, APC director of marketing.
Truvia® collaborated with APC to identify, test, and commercialize the all-PE spouted pouch that met Cargill’s production criteria, protected Truvia®’s products, and provided a package that is easy to open, pour, and reclose. The package is an example of where flexible packaging is a clear winner when it comes to its lightweight, product protection, beauty, and consumer experience, Meadow says.
Overall, the contest helps to highlight innovations in packaging, she adds.
“Promoting the advances of flexible packaging through the contest, as well as the advances of the equipment needed to produce it, provides the market and consumers with the knowledge of the benefits of flexible packaging,” Meadow says.
Thomas A. Barstow is senior editor at FlexPack VOICE®.
Sidebar: Silver Winners for 2025
The silver award winners in the 2025 Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards Competition are listed alphabetically. This list does not include packages that won gold and silver awards.
Amcor Flexibles North America
Award: Sustainability for Amcor Moda Vacuum Packaging for U.S. Beef Exports
Award: Sustainability for Once Upon a Farm™ CHEERCircle™ PE Recycle-Ready Spouted Pouch Using AmPrima® Plus Film and the Vizi™ Cap
American Packaging Corporation
Award: Printing for BNRG Power Crunch® Protein Bars
Award: Expanding the use of flexible packaging for Cargill Truvia® All-Polyethylene Spouted Stand-up Pouch
Awards: Printing and shelf impact for Starbucks® Coffee Designs
Integrated Plastics Packaging
Awards: Shelf impact and technical innovation for Boon Coffee Sustainable Monolayer PE-based Coffee Pouch
Paharpur 3P
Awards: Expanding the use of flexible packaging, packaging excellence, printing, and shelf impact for Myfitness™ Rolled Oats 5-panel Zipper Pouch, 1 kg
Printpack
Award: Shelf impact for Beggin’® Bacon & Peanut Butter Stix “For the Win,” 8 oz.
Award: Technical innovation for Mars Skittles® Commercially Compostable Peg Bag
ProAmpac
Award: Technical innovation for ProActive Recyclable® RP-1000