Product Of The Year Award

Graphic Packaging International
Product: McCain Popcorn Potatoes

Graphic Packaging converts heat-sealable, 48-gauge polyethylene terephthalate (PET)/ink/pattern adhesive/25-pound paper/adhesive/pattern susceptor/heat-sealable, 48-gauge PET lamination to create the first cook-in package of its kind with eight-color printing and a lap seal. The structure of the cook-in package features a patterned QuiltWave lamination as well as a metallized susceptor grid tuned to the potato product to ensure it heats and browns perfectly in the microwave without scorching the packaging material. The result is McCain's first potato product intended for microwave preparation. Graphic Packaging plants in Portland, Oregon, and Wausau, Wisconsin, participate in the converting process using PET from two other AIMCAL members, DuPont Teijin Films, Hopewell, Virginia, and the Lawrenceville, Georgia, plant of Toray Plastics (America), Inc., North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Other participants include Rol-Vac, Dayville, Connecticut, which was responsible for metallizing; Dunn Paper, Vicksburg, Michigan, supplier of the paper layer; and package designer John Waski Design LLC, Westport, Connecticut.

The judges were impressed with both the technical and marketing aspects of this cook-in package. They particularly appreciated the use of a built-in susceptor because it eliminates the need for a separate packaging element like the susceptor tray or platform, often seen with products intended for microwave preparation. "This package required a lot of thought," the judges noted. "It has a lot of technologies working together for what is clearly a premium product."

Food & Beverage Packaging-Flexible Category: Marketing Award

Uflex Limited
Product: Masafi Gourmet Potato Chips

Uflex Limited, Noida, India, captures both the Marketing and Technical Awards in the Food & Beverage Packaging-Flexible Category. The Marketing Award recognizes an eight-color, rotogravure-printed pouch for Masafi Gourmet Potato Chips, a new product from Masafi Co., LLC, Masafi-Fujeirah, United Arab Emirates. Special features include an eye-catching matte finish on the film and the use of more environmentally friendly toluene/MEK-free alcohol-based inks. A specially engraved cylinder applies an overcoat that protects the matte finish of the film. A single-source supplier for this project, Uflex designed the package, produced and metallized the substrates, and converted the final structure: matte finish biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP)/coextruded polyethylene (PE)/high-barrier, plasma-metallized PET/PE.

The matte surface and sophisticated printing captivated the judges, who noted eight-color printing is unusual for a snack pack. They also liked the graphics, remarking on the good use of color and the lifelike appearance of the potato and salt pictured. "An excellent execution of a beautiful package," they concluded.

Food & Beverage Packaging-Rigid Category: Marketing Award

Unifoil Corp.
Product: Sambuca Box

Unifoil Corp., Fairfield, New Jersey, takes home the Marketing Award in the Food & Beverage Packaging-Rigid Category for a metallized carton for Diageo of Norwalk, CT, for a Sambuca Romano Gift Set. The windowed carton for the value gift pack holds a bottle of Sambuca along with two snifter glasses and a small pouch of coffee beans, which are traditionally dropped into the glass to signify health, wealth, and happiness. The carton combines a premium decorated board -- acrylic-coated, transfer-metallized 12-point Silver UniLustre® from Unifoil -- with an inexpensive, 20-point E-flute corrugated to achieve both economy and eye appeal. The structure also lightweights the carton without loss of strength. In addition, the film-free paperboard/E-flute allows Diageo to promote the box as recyclable. The gift box executes a design by Diageo and relies on a transfer-metallizing film from Toray. Hub Folding Box, Mansfield, Massachusetts, serves as contract packager. Unifoil transfer-metallizes the 12-point board and prints it with transparent ultraviolet offset inks to allow the metallization to shine through. Printed board is laminated to the E-flute on a sheet-to-sheet laminator. After lamination, carton blanks are die-cut, glued, and windowed.

The use of E-flute really captured the attention of the judging panel. The judges recognized its durability and liked the enhanced recyclability of the all-fiber structure. They also noted the clean scoring lines and ranked the package high on overall esthetics. "In short, a nice presentation," commented one judge.

Healthcare, Cosmetics and Toiletries Packaging Category: Marketing Award

Hazen Paper Co.
Product: Holographic set-up boxes for Elizabeth Arden

In the Healthcare, Cosmetics and Toiletries Packaging Category, Hazen Paper Co., Holyoke, Massachusetts, receives the Marketing Award for a family of holographic set-up boxes for Elizabeth Arden, New York, New York. This year's gift box design for the Mediterranean and Red Door brands relies on bright Ultracure acrylic-lacquered Holographic Circles laminated to the coated side of 18-point solid bleached sulfate with water-based adhesive. The eye-catching holographic images shift from circles to diamonds depending on the viewer's perspective, encouraging the shopper to pick up the box. The box base also relies on metallized PET in red or blue to coordinate with the lid and add an additional level of sparkle. Hub Folding Box provides both design and contract packaging services for the project.

The judges described the impact of the holographic pattern as "lenticular." "The [holographic] circles really do jump off the shelf," said one. "I would have to pick it up," agreed another. The judges also found the translucent ink used for the logo and name identification appealing.

Nonfood Packaging Category: Marketing Award

Shanghai Zijiang Metallization Packaging Material Co., Ltd.
Product: Holographic Blister Card

In the Nonfood Packaging Category, Shanghai Zijiang Metallization Packaging Material Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China, receives the Marketing Award for a holographic blister card for a single compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb from Philips Electronics Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China, which also created the package design. Shanghai Zijiang serves as both the metallizer and converter for the project using base paper from Fuyang Weishida Paper Industry Co., Ltd., Fuyang, China. Other participants included contract packager Shanghai Zidan Printing Co., Ltd., also of Shanghai. Although more expensive than the folding carton it replaces, the peggable holographic pack discourages counterfeiting and spurs sales.

The judges viewed this design as an extension of metallized packaging into a new category – lighting – which tends to stick to basic materials and conventional designs. This holographic blister card stands out on store shelves and likely offers better physical as well as counterfeiting protection. It also presents the CFL bulb as the premium product it is.