Companies constantly innovate and redesign their packaging to boost performance, improve marketability and enhance sustainability. Here’s a look at seven packaging launches and revamps on Packaging Dive’s radar.
Can to keg
Packaged water company Liquid Death, whose products traditionally come in cans, is introducing a 5-liter keg option. It’s touting the launch campaign as “Kegs for Pregs,” noting that pregnant women need to drink a lot of water.
Berlin Packaging took to social media to champion its involvement in the mini keg rollout. “It's fantastic to see our 5-liter kegs playing a key role in Liquid Death's innovative 'Kegs For Pregs' campaign,” says Berlin Packaging’s LinkedIn post. “Their creativity knows no bounds, and we love seeing our packaging in action!”
The limited edition kegs are scheduled to start shipping mid-April.
Crowning moment
Another canned beverage change comes from “botanical soda” brand Moment, through its work with Crown Holdings. The company is eliminating the shrink wrap on its aluminum cans and switching to directly printed cans. This will “vastly improve package circularity as well as its environmental impact,” according to a press release.
“[W]e are able to extend our retail reach in a more sustainable format but with the signature look and feel our customers expect,” said Aisha Chottani, Moment founder and CEO, in the release.
Moment will transition six of its SKUs to the new format, which will be 12-ounce CrownSleek cans. They’ll be available in early 2025, with regional rollouts starting in the Midwest and Northeast, followed by the West Coast.
Squeeze play
Pet product supplier Spectrum Brands is switching up the packaging format for its FURminator brand of pet shedding and grooming solutions. It developed the plastic squeeze packs in partnership with AeroFlexx.
The self-sealing packaging does not have a cap. It stands up, is spill resistant and maintains its shape, according to a news release. In addition, the 16-fluid-ounce bottle contains 66% less plastic compared to same-sized rigid plastic bottles of the product, and it's recyclable curbside where plastic bottles are accepted, the release says.
"The AeroFlexx Pak not only provides convenience and ease of use but also promotes environmental sustainability by using significantly less plastic without compromising durability,” said Andrew Meyer, AeroFlexx CEO, in the release.
Tray all day
Mochi frozen treat brand Bubbies Ice Cream is replacing its internal plastic clamshell packaging with molded fiber trays. The company partnered with Earthcycle to develop the paper pulp trays, which are home compostable, according to a news release.
The new inserts will prevent approximately 310 tons of plastic from entering landfills each year, according to Bubbies. The company also said the new trays are less energy intensive to manufacture, saving enough energy to power 136 U.S. homes annually.
The molded fiber trays are now available nationwide in a variety of grocery stores and online.
Under wraps
Dole Food Co. is expanding its commercial use of Oxifilm macroperforated stretch film to its banana and pineapple operations in Latin America. The film is recyclable, according to a company news release.
The film will eliminate approximately 85% of traditional palletizing materials, such as corner boards, straps and clamps, Dole says, reducing waste by about four pounds per pallet. This will also improve operational efficiency by allowing for further automation in the palletizing process, it said.
Dole launched pallet wrapping commercially in 2023 and expanded the initiative last year. Once the current expansion is fully implemented later this month, the company expects to achieve a 1.5-million-pound reduction in palletizing material this year.
Happy campers
Baked goods brand Happy Campers worked with Verde Bioresins for new packaging made from biobased polymers. The packaging is biodegradable in landfill conditions and recyclable in conventional plastics streams, according to a news release.
Designing the resins to break down in landfills, instead of industrial composting facilities, reduces plastic waste without concern for certain holdbacks like material acceptance and contamination at industrial facilities, according to Verde.
Small time
Consumer and industrial products company Henkel introduced concentrated versions of its All, Persil and Snuggle liquid laundry detergents, accompanied by redesigned bottles. These plastic jugs are smaller than the previous versions, resulting in a nearly 5% net reduction in plastic, according to a news release.
The smaller packaging reduces the number of trucks needed for transportation, contributing to a projected CO2 emissions savings of over 4,000 metric tons annually, the company said. The bottles also incorporate up to 50% recycled content.
The new jugs began shipping to stores in March, and rollout will continue in the coming months.
