Packaging providers aim to meet dairy processor demands

Dairy product developers should team with equipment suppliers that have experience with comparable products and applications to determine the packaging system that best fits their requirements, Sanchez says.

This can include analyzing the ease of cleaning the equipment, which can be as important as its operation, Osgood Industries’ Veins notes.

“Resistance to corrosive and caustic cleaning chemicals is an absolute must,” he states. “We joke that machine sensors must resist being dowsed with a fire hose. This all should be the base line for dairy processors looking into wet packaging room equipment before even starting the traditional conversations of machine operation, efficiency, maintenance, and changeover process.”

The greater market focus on sustainability will impact packaging technology selection as well, Veins says, noting that equipment must support newer and more environmentally friendly packaging materials. “Different materials equally need evolving equipment designs,” he states, including systems that can disinfect packaging materials to eliminate mold and bacteria.

Seek the perfect fit

The optimal package attributes, meanwhile, will vary by product and are dependent on such elements as cost, sustainability, resiliency, waste reduction, and recloseability, Harpak-ULMA Packaging’s Bergonzi says.

“The idea is to align packaging with the product,” he states. A premium item will benefit from higher-end packaging, which might be rigid with more bulk, have sustainable materials, and feature peel and reseal lids, while lower-cost packaging will typically suffice for a less-expensive product, such as shredded cheese, Bergonzi explains.

Processors also will benefit from analyzing their competitors’ packaging and then determining how to effectively differentiate their selections, he adds.

The intended use and distribution of the dairy product also plays a key role in packaging selection, Veins says.

Operators, for instance, should consider if the packaging will hold dairy product for food service or retail; if it is single serve for groceries, restaurants, and institutions, or multiple use and stored in a consumer’s refrigerator after the initial opening; and if the product and package will be sent through the cold chain or require shelf stable aseptic, retort, or high-pressure processing.

“The packaging system must serve the use, look, and channel of the product through the marketplace,” Veins states.

Implementations bring obstacles

Incorporating the optimal packaging system and materials, however, can be arduous, Veins says, with higher packaging material expenses a key impediment.

“The goal to minimize costs is never ending,” he states, noting, for instance, that “we are approached at least once a week by a customer looking to replace the aluminum foil lids that seal cups” because of the greater weight of aluminum compared to lightweight plastic foils, which affects shipping expenses, along with uncertain aluminum availability.

Utilizing packaging that is recyclable, reusable or incorporates post-consumer recycled plastics while maintaining functionality can be burdensome as well, TC Transcontinental’s Kieny says. This is resulting in the greater consideration of innovative technologies or materials “that change what is possible,” he notes.

Processors seeking the most effective packaging also must tackle such issues as compatibility with existing equipment; meeting evolving consumer preferences and governmental regulations; and managing supply chain disruptions, he states.

Kieny adds that because of the stronger interest in sustainable solutions, “there's going to be more demand for transparency and visibility within the supply chain and it will require collaboration with suppliers and partners to present that information to the consumer.”

Providing data on sustainability and other elements on product packaging, for instance, will help improve the marketability of the product, IMARC Group notes.

The growing demand for sustainable packaging that also enhances food safety and food quality will likely lead to further changes in packaging design, materials, distribution, and shelf presence, Veins says.

This includes the launch of more sanitary equipment options that strengthen food safety by reducing areas where pathogens can accumulate and are easier to clean. Among such elements is the elimination or minimization of metal-to-metal overlaps, the use of 100% welded seams, and the incorporation of removable equipment parts, Key Technology’s Sanchez says.

Effective designs also will have the flexibility to support greater processing speeds as operations evolve, Sanchez notes. Yet, it also will require a willingness by processors to invest and embrace modern technologies and solutions, Kieny adds.

“The intelligent packaging system is capable of winding up intelligent functions including sensing, tracing, detecting, recording, and communicating,” states Lewes, Del.-based Verified Market Research. “This system in dairy products packaging can help to improve quality and enhance safety. With intense competition and a complex supply chain globally in the dairy packaging market, companies are deploying innovative solutions to provide better protection and safety.”