PARIS, France — April 27, 2017 — In 2016, Synerlink's Upgrades & Services Sales division consulted with numerous dairy companies both abroad and in France as they sought to analyze what determined "cup superiority.” And they came to a number of conclusions.
"We noticed that the KISS cup by Danone defined a new style in the yogurt marketplace that has become a veritable trend," says Gilles Demare, Synerlink's Upgrades & Services Sales Director. "Its rounded bottom has become a market standard. After our work with Danone, our designers and Upgrades & Services team, who specialize in machine customizations, have helped many of our other customers find their ideal cup as the symbol of their brand."
Synerlink, is one of the Barry-Wehmiller companies represented in BW Packaging Solutions, a world leader in packaging technology for the food industry. Businesses under the BW Packaging Solutions banner also include Barry-Wehmiller’s Accraply, BW Container Systems, Hayssen Flexible Systems, Pneumatic Scale Angelus, and Thiele Technologies divisions.
Yogurt – a luxury product?
In addition to the current trend toward rounded cups, another innovation worth noting is the desire for see-through containers. "It is one way to make products look more high-end. Instead of packaging the product, the idea is to wrap around it," says Demare. The container's clear material and sheer or partial label provides information to consumers while letting them see the product up close, which is key particularly for products like fruit or whipped cream. It becomes the "first moment of truth" when the consumer, who is initially drawn to the product, reaches out and puts it in their basket.
The transparent PS is obtained by adding SBC resin. Several Arcil FFS machines have already been using this plastic for a number years. The first see-through KISS cups were produced on Arcil FFS machines in 2014, a development that subsequently gained momentum in the United States. The latest creation is the Activia Curve 4 oz (113 g), made with transparent PS and an OPS label.
"This approach, with a rounded cup and visible product, sparked a major craze in the U.S.,” says Demare. We sought out the most suitable materials, both for the plastic and the label, to create cups with various levels of opacity."
Yogurt – a product to be filled and handled with care!
When using clear containers, high-accuracy filling becomes crucial, especially for delicate or layered products. In addition to meeting food safety standards, products must be filled to ensure their integrity and uniformity as they flow into the cup. The product must then be handled without agitating along the rest of the production line. This quality control is an important prerequisite leading to the "second moment of truth" – where a customer is satisfied after the first “moment of trust” and will buy a product for a second time and become loyal to a brand. That is why the Upgrades & Services Sales team works closely with the Dosil team, Synerlink's filling brand, and with the Aprium team, Synerlink's end-of-line robotic technology brand.
Synerlink will showcase this expertise and technology at the interpack international trade show in Dusseldorf, May 4-10, at Hall 6 Booth D62. It was recently announced that Synerlink recently acquired Ermi, based in Dreux, France, strengthening Synerlink’s broad range of packaging solutions for its customers, including: form-fill-seal and fill-seal machines for cups and bottles, end-of-line solutions, complete packaging line integration and aftermarket support (spare parts, field service and equipment upgrades).