Take a second look

Developed in Denmark just prior to the start of World War I, aseptic packaging recently celebrated 100 years in existence. And though it is just one of many different types of packaging available, it has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years. For instance, it is now common to see stocks and broths, juices, soups, dairy beverages, plant-based beverages, diced tomatoes and tomato sauces in aseptic packages. In fact, Campbell’s Gourmet Bisques, Hersheys Chocolate Milk and Hunt’s Tomato Sauce are all now available in aseptic cartons.

As a packaging format that is continuing to see manufacturing innovation, including improvements in sustainability and that has high consumer support, retailers might want to consider increasing the number of store brand items they offer that are packaged aseptically

Advances in aseptic

With the rising popularity of aseptic packaging has come innovation. Luckily, this innovation is driven by aseptic packaging companies, not national brands, allowing retailers access to aseptic packaging improvements at the same time as the “big” brands.

One new aseptic packaging innovation comes from Chester, Pa.-based SIG Combibloc. It recently introduced a carton meant to accommodate beverages such as dairy and plant-based milks, smoothies, juices and value-added beverages that have a thick or creamy consistency. Its CombiblocXSlim cartons are available in seven different volumes, including 80-, 90-, 100-, 110-, 125- and 180-milliliter formats, and can be fitted with drinking straws with a diameter of more than 7 millimeters so that even beverages with a thick or creamy consistency can be easily consumed straight from the package, says Beatriz Callanta, marketing communications manager at SIG Combibloc.

Meanwhile, Tetra Pak, Denton, Texas, said it received FDA approval for the Tetra Evero Aseptic packaging — the first aseptic carton bottle for milk. This packaging delivers the functionality of a bottle with the environmental benefits of a carton, allowing manufacturers to “deliver shelf-safe milk in a disruptive, attention-grabbing new package, as well as to drive segmentation in dairy and beverage categories through an innovative and differentiated package,” says Eliseo Barcas, vice president of marketing and sales, Tetra Pak U.S.

In September, Tetra Pak announced another innovation. It said its DreamCap technology would be available on its 500-milliliter carton. The new closure and cap combination offers consumers a comfortable and natural drinking experience and is meant to provide a solution to the growing demand for on-the-go beverages in the 500-milliliter segment, Barcas says.

Rigid packaging isn’t the only area where aseptic packaging is evolving. Flexible aseptic packaging, already popular in foodservice, is beginning to expand into retail. Scholle IPN, Northlake, Ill., has had particular success in the boxed wine category with its aseptic bag-in-box packaging solution. The company is now beginning to expand into the juice, yogurt and tea categories as well, states Randy Austin, retail product line manager, Scholle IPN.

Linked to health, sustainability

Consumer response to aseptic packaging continues to be very positive. For instance, consumer surveys indicate that aseptic cartons are associated with high-quality products, including organic and gourmet brands, Callanta says.

This association is likely tied to the fact that aseptic packaging dramatically reduces the need for heat and preservatives. Therefore, products retain more of their vitamins and they even have a fresher look and taste. Tomatoes and bananas tend to be brighter in color and have a better mouthfeel when packaged aseptically, Austin states.

Aseptic packaging also allows retailers to capitalize on the clean label trend, Barcas says.

“As consumers increasingly scrutinize product ingredient lists, we see a growing demand for beverages without added chemicals or preservatives,” he adds. “Aseptic cartons are an especially good fit here.”

Barcas gives the example of packaged tea beverages. Tea is a naturally low-acid beverage; however, most tea is produced in high-acid hot-fill plants, requiring manufacturers to make significant modifications to the beverage and its ingredient list. Manufacturers could avoid adding acid and sweeteners to the tea by using aseptic cartons. Plus, aseptic packaging protects the delicate natural ingredients and flavors often found in teas.

Consumer scrutiny of ingredient labels is often tied to much larger trends: those toward health, wellness and sustainability. Millennials, in particular, are driving the demand for brands and food products that support their increasingly “conscious” lifestyle, Callanta says. Aseptic cartons, in particular, offer consumers both a low environmental impact and a BPA-free option.

And aseptic cartons are sustainable, recyclable packages that are made from mainly renewable resources, Barcas notes.

According to data from the Carton Council, created in 2009 by Elopak, Evergreen Packaging, SIG Combibloc and Tetra Pak to expand U.S. carton recycling access and infrastructure, carton recycling increased 205 percent in the past six years. Currently, more than 55 percent of all U.S. households have access to carton recycling, and cartons can be recycled in 48 states and in 76 of the 100 largest U.S. cities.

And some carton manufacturers are even trying to create an aseptic carton that is made from entirely renewable resources. For example, in January, Finnish dairy producer Valio became the first company to sell products in Tetra Pak’s Tetra Rex Bio-based package, a carton made entirely from plant-based materials, Tetra Pak states in its “2015 Sustainability Update.”

“It marked another step towards our goal of fully renewable packaging, but it is by no means the end of that journey” Tetra Pak says. “We will now look for ways to extend the fully renewable concept to other parts of our portfolio, without compromising safety, quality or functionality”

Plus, aseptic cartons are known for having a low carbon footprint. According to data on SIG Combibloc’s website, a 1-liter milk carton generates 34 percent less carbon dioxide than HDPE multilayer bottles and 45 percent less carbon dioxide than disposable PET bottles. Similarly, carton carbon dioxide emissions are up to 60 percent less than those tied to food metal cans, glass jars and pouches.

Efficient and convenient

Aseptic cartons also offer supply chain efficiencies, something both consumers and retailers appreciate and benefit from. Aseptic packaging is lightweight and compact and can be shipped flat in rolls. When filled, cartons are space-efficient in stock rooms, on store shelves and in consumer pantries, Barcas says.

And products such as dairy milk that normally require refrigerated transport do not require it when they are packaged aseptically. By offering an ambient supply chain, manufacturers and retailers save on energy and costs while also offering a broader range of products in their shelf-stable aisles instead of just in their refrigerated aisles, Austin says.

Consumers also appreciate the fact that aseptic packaging allows them to store and access products that were once available only in the refrigerated section, states Craig Malmloff, business unit leader for Heartland Food Products Group, Carmel, Ind.

The fully printable large, flat surfaces on aseptic cartons are also efficient and convenient from a marketing standpoint. The surfaces provide a billboard effect that other packaging types “just don’t,” Barcas says.

“This is especially beneficial when there is limited shelf space,” he adds. “Just a few facings still provide maximum impact with eye-catching graphics and bold messages.”