The launch is an extension of the firm’s Freshware range for sweet and savoury foods, created in January for chilled retail prepared and convenience foods.
It includes paper bags for freshly made sandwiches and snacks made with or without windows and comes pre-made or on the reel with in-house automatic bagging machinery.
Joanna Stephenson, VP, innovation and marketing, LINPAC Packaging, said the additions to the Freshware family address the sweet and savoury food-to-go sector alongside its meal boxes, containers, pots and tubs.
Interlocking containers product launch
A series of product launches will take place this year, including interlocking containers in various sizes for consumers to pick and mix different food to create meals such as salads, pastas, cooked meats or fish, toppings and sauces.
“The chilled retail convenience market has blossomed in the last few years, supported by a string of changing consumer trends,” said Stephenson.
“People are leading busier lives and want to be able to eat well and enjoy new things without it impacting on their ‘me-time’ despite the recession.
“Eating patterns have changed and people are looking for affordable luxuries. It is not surprising that this market has grown significantly over a relatively short period of time.
“The Freshware range is manufactured with between 50% and 95% post-consumer recyclate to minimise the carbon footprint of our products.”
Flexible thermoforming machinery
The company has installed flexible thermoforming machinery at its Featherstone site in the UK to support its UK and European business, alongside a Freshware plant in Pravia, Spain for fast turnaround designs for the prepared foods market.
It has also designed a collection of individual and twin portion size LeanBake packs for baked confectionery such as gateaux, cakes, pastries, slices, biscuits and doughnuts.
According to research from Pira, the UK packaging market value grew by 3.4% in 2010 to reach a value of €17 billion and volume grew by 2.2% in the same year to reach 2,663.5 million kg.
In 2015, the market is forecast to have a value of €20 billion, an increase of 16.4% since 2010, and a volume of 2,951.3 million kg, an increase of 10.8% in the same period.
Sealant technology
Sealant technology developed for the company’s Rfresh Elite, a tray for fresh meat and poultry, will be incorporated into the Freshware products.
The patented packaging is lightweight and uses sealant technology on the tray flange to create a seal with the lidding film, removing the industry standard laminated PE base film.
The trays are 100% recyclable at the end of their service life.