Packaging Innovation Abounds at Global Pouch Forum 2012

June 28, 2012

H.B. Fuller was excited to join more than 400 flexible packaging professionals – convertors, brand owners, and equipment and materials suppliers – June 11-13 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to talk about success, innovation and opportunities in the pouch segment.

It is evident that innovation is driving the pouch segment’s growth at a faster rate than the rest of the flexible packaging industry. Just consider some of the following trends discussed at Global Pouch Forum 2012:

• Spouted pouches can be found all over North American grocery store shelves. Jessica Rolph, COO of HAPPYFAMILY Brands, explained how the spouted pouch helped her start-up organic baby food brand grow from five local stores to 7,500 stores in a few short years. Today in the baby food category, jar and spoon feeding is disappearing in favor of pouches that facilitate self-feeding. Originally adopted by entrepreneurial startups, pouch technology has entered the mainstream, with Gerber recently introducing pouches to its product line. 

• Stick packs are another big success. Originally designed to make it easy to pour contents into a water bottle, Dan Leonardi, president of Encaff Products, and Neil Kazonsky, president and CEO of T.H.E. M., discussed the transition of stick packs from a water bottle accessory to direct-to-mouth packaging for on-the-go-lifestyles. This opens up a great deal of opportunity, especially in the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical arenas, where stick packs can provide convenience and dosing accuracy. 

• Individual cocktail pouches make it easy to whip up a single frozen cocktail. Robert Whyte, president of Good Times Beverages, discussed the advantages of these pouches, which you can simply toss in the freezer, squish a few times and then pour the contents into a glass or drink straight from the pouch. 

• Reusable packaging is a concept that really caught my interest. The reimagining of flexible packaging into a permanent, convenient package that is reusable, washable and extremely portable offers unlimited potential. Jason Carignan, founder and chief design officer of Vapur, discussed how he teamed up with Ampac to develop a reusable, foldable, water bottle. 

John Baumann, president and CEO of Ampac, asked attendees to “stand up, stand out and be creative” to deliver value to pouch customers. It is something that will take collaboration from all supply chain participants, and it is a challenge H.B. Fuller takes to heart. In fact, at the conference, our own Dr. Brian Carlson talked about recent advances in rapid curing adhesives and the benefits they can provide in terms of food safety. 

Sherry Smith
Global Marketing Manager, Strategy

Tags: trends, brand owners, materials suppliers, equipment suppliers, flexible packaging, Global Pouch Forum 2012, Sherry Smith, convertors, H.B. Fuller Adhesive Solutions, Packaging Innovation,