Speaking with BakeryandSnacks at the recent Snaxpo in Savannah, Georgia, Schur’s director of business development, Tracey Gilmore, said the company has previously worked with both brands in Europe.
“Obviously, we want to duplicate the success we’ve had in Europe over here in the US,” he said.
The European packaging for Pepperide Farm features a box-bottom bag that makes it easy for the package to stand on the shelf, said Gilmore. The Walkers Shortbread’s package features a handle and a zipper designed for consumers who want to snack on-the-go.
Most snack consumers want something quick they can take with them and want the bag to be re-sealable in case they are not able to finish it all at once, Gilmore said.
Faster changeover capabilities
The company has adopted the Schur Star Concept, which consists of a Schur Star packaging machine and pre-made Schur Star bags, and costs around $200,000.
Schur Star is able to run different types of bags on the production line, such as PET, microwavable and pillow-style bags, according to the company.
Gilmore said one of the biggest advantages Schur’s equipment has over other similar bagging systems is its fast changeover.
“Our changeover is less than five minutes. But if you’re going with a vertical form fill and seal machine, it usually takes 30 minutes to a couple of hours depending on the level of complexity,” he said.
Schur anticipated to be “hot and heavy” in the US snack business in the next few months as it is also looking to partner with other snack brands, Gilmore added.