Packaging innovations: Twinings gets canned, Black Cow’s udderly different vodka packaging | Food Dive

In other news, Sensei Farms ditches its plastic clamshells.

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Companies constantly innovate with technology and redesign their packaging to get better performance, improve marketability and enhance sustainability. Here’s a look at four new or redesigned packaging solutions on Packaging Dive’s radar.

Tea company Twinings’ new product, Twinings Thé Latté, recently launched in a paper-based can, also called a rigid paper container. Sonoco’s EnviroCan is made with 80% recycled fiber as well as water-based inks and adhesives, plus it can be recycled, the packaging company said in a news release.

Sonoco says this RPC has an oxygen and moisture barrier for food safety and shelf-life longevity, and it’s lighter than metal cans of comparable size. The company says the product can be manufactured with a plastic, paper or metal end.

Twinings introduced its Thé Latté in France in May.

Black Cow vodka introduced a new product gift box that is designed to look like a traditional milk carton — a nod to the beverage being made from milk. The carton is recyclable, according to a news release from Molson Coors, the exclusive distributor.

The company puts the zero-waste concept at the heart of its business strategy, starting with using whey — a dairy component that often goes to waste during cheese making — in the distilling process to make the vodka.

“Black Cow is the only pure milk vodka in the world. Everything in our bottle comes from milk,” Paul Archard, co-founder of Black Cow, said in the news release. “We are so excited to be launching our beautifully designed premium milk carton packaging which we’re sure will capture shoppers’ attention.”

Initially stated to be only available through Black Cow’s online store, the gift boxes now are available at certain co-ops and convenience stores in England. The company plans to launch the gift boxes in Sainsbury’s grocery stores next month.

Sensei Farms switched up the packaging for its greens to boost sustainability, according to a company news release. The vegetables will now be sold in paperboard trays with clear windows instead of plastic clamshells. This achieves a 90% reduction in plastic, by weight, compared with the previous versions, the company says. The panels are perforated so the tray can be broken down, and the liner can be removed for recycling, it said in the release. The boxes also have a peelable closure that can be resealed.

"Eco-friendly solutions often come with a premium on price, so we knew that barrier to adoption had to be removed," Jessica Vasisht, Sensei Farms' senior vice president of sales and marketing said in the release. The company says it will not pass on extra costs to customers or consumers.

The greens and salad mixes in the new packaging are now available at select Albertson’s stores, such as Safeway, in the Mid-Atlantic region. The new packaging will be available in the Hawaiian Islands later this quarter.

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