Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards

2022 Winners

Congratulations to the 27 winners of the 2022 Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards competition! These winning packages exemplify the very best in flexible packaging solutions.

The Flexible Packaging Association is pleased to present the winners of the FPA's 66th Annual Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards Competition. The competition winners exhibit flexible packaging solutions that meet expectations and needs through advancements in materials, graphics, structure, new uses, extended shelf life, and sustainability. FPA also publishes the Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards & Innovation Showcase which highlights all the winners and entries in the competition.

For this year’s competition, FPA received a historic number of entries—100 package entries were submitted for the competition, with a total of 325 entries (some packages were entered into multiple categories).

Crunch Pak's Toy Story Lunch Kitz

Highest Achievement Award

GOLD – Technical Innovation

American Packaging Corporation (APC) is proud to be part of the packaging for Crunch Pak’s Lunch Kitz. Lunch Kitz is a 4 oz. snack tray with individual compartments containing fresh sliced apples, an artisan cracker, string cheese, and Italian salami. The foods are fresh and healthy, including the salami which is without nitrates, nitrites, or artificial ingredients.

Manufacturer: American Packaging Corporation

End-User/Customer: Crunch Pak

Plant: Story City, IA, US

Key Suppliers: American Packaging Corporation

Gold Awards

GOLD – Technical Innovation

Amcor's Dual Chamber Pouch

The Amcor Dual Chamber Pouch is a specialty multi-layer pouch with a breathable membrane. The product consists of a peelable device chamber and a non-peelable desiccant chamber, and the desiccant is kept separate from the device with a symmetric coextruded vented nylon film. This solution is ideal for moisture-sensitive products including drug-coated products which may have an adverse reaction to various gasses found within the atmosphere of the package. It is also suitable for EtO sterilization.

Manufacturer: Amcor

End-User/Customer: Boston Scientific

Plant: Mundelein, IL, USA

GOLD – Sustainability

Arbor Teas Organic Tea

Compostable films are united to create an environmentally friendly tea packaging solution. The labels of the packaging are composed of hemp-based or sugarcane-based paper. The sealant layer is PKBIO200C from Polykar. This film is derived from resin which is partially bio-based from corn feedstock. It has high clarity and a low seal initiation temperature. The print web of the multi-layer structure is NatureFlex™ from Futamura, a compostable cellulose film based on wood pulp from sustainably managed sources. These materials also reduce the weight of the packaging when compared to paperboard tubes or kraft bags. The material in Arbor Teas’ packages requires a less optimized environment for biodegradation, representing a major advance in low-impact packaging.

Manufacturer: Polykar, Futamura USA, Inc., Eagle Flexible Packaging

End-User/Customer: Arbor Teas

Plant: Saint-Laurent, Quebec, CA

Designer/Design Firm: Arbor Teas

Key Suppliers: Polykar, Eagle Flexible Packaging, and Futamura USA, Inc.

GOLD – Expanding the Use of Flexible Packaging

Chameleon™ for Tyvek®

Chameleon™ for Tyvek® allows the user to readily evaluate the quality of a seal when used with uncoated Tyvek®. Before opening, the seal shows as a darker color when viewed through the film side. Once the package has been peeled open, a vivid colored seal indicator presents on the Tyvek® with a contrasting white seal indicator on the film. The easy ability for users to identify any seal flaws addresses the new EU Medical Device Regulation requirements that the "integrity of the packaging is clearly evident to the final user" while providing a consistent, smooth, fiber-free peel.

Manufacturer: PAXXUS, Inc.

Plant: Addison, IL, US

GOLD – Packaging Excellence

GOLD – Printing

GOLD – Shelf Impact

Hunter’s® Gourmet – Quinoa Chips

The first thing that consumers remember about a brand is its color. The print on matte OPP with a white background and multiple colors gives the package a very rich look, and the shelf appearance influences the consumers to buy the product. The structure of the package is 20µ matte OPP + 12µ metalized PET + 60µ LDPE-TR and maintains the required barrier for the chips.

Manufacturer: Emirates Printing Press, L.L.C.

End-User/Customer: Hunter Foods – UAE

Plant: Dubai, Dubai, AE

GOLD – Sustainability

Industrial Compostable Coffee Pod Lidding & Mother Bag

Both the pod lidding and mother bag are certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI), meaning that it is certified to break down in industrial composting. They are made from a high percentage of plant-based materials, providing a sustainable solution for the single-serve coffee industry to mitigate landfill waste. The entire solution has a circular design with renewable inputs into the materials and a no-separation pod design to ensure easy consumer disposal into the organics collection to be processed as industrial compost. The compostable lidding film has a good sealing performance because it seals onto the unique industrial compostable soft pod design and brown ring. The mother bag protects the pods and provides a barrier, all to help mitigate contamination in the end stream.

Manufacturer: TC Transcontinental Packaging

End-User/Customer: Maxwell House Coffee Canada

Plant: Brooklyn, NY, US

GOLD – Shelf Impact

Infused Face Mask

Not all masks are created equal. The copper-infused face mask is impregnated with Shea Butter moisturizer to help doctors, first responders, and millions of people who are experiencing redness, irritation, or “maskne” caused by masks. For the packaging, the pouch is digitally printed, thermally laminated, and pouched all within 24 hours. To give a moisture barrier, the brand owner chose a BOPP. The structure is matte BOPP (1.1 mil)/EVA/ink /EVOH/PE (3.5 mil).

Manufacturer: Karlville North America, The Packaging Lab

End-User/Customer: Nufabrx

Plant: Brooklyn Park, MN, United States

Designer/Design Firm: The Packaging Lab

Key Suppliers: The Packaging Lab is an innovator and 1st company globally focused on speed to market via pouch deliveries in 24 – 48 hours. All leads come in directly via SEO and internet. The Packaging Lab is 100% web to print whereas you can order pouches for next day delivery if needed. All Structures are chosen by brand owner via specifications detailed on the website. Operationally PKG LAB, has one HP Indigo 20000 along with two thermal laminators, a slitter and two pouch machines to be able to make multiple jobs in one day. Karlville is the provider of the thermal laminators & pouch machines, HP Indigo provider of HP Indigo 20000 printing press.

GOLD – Printing

Nutra Dates 3D Pouch

The Nutra Dates 3D Pouch compliments the contrast between the matte look with a patterned golden metallic design. The date image is designed to create a superior impact on the shelf and comes with a reclosable zipper to maintain product freshness and laser scoring for consumer convenience.

Manufacturer: Emirates Printing Press, L.L.C.

End-User/Customer: Al Foah Dates

Plant: Dubai, Dubai, AE

GOLD – Packaging Excellence

GOLD – Printing

GOLD – Shelf Impact

Ruffles® Lime and Jalapeño Anthony Davis Bags

Ruffles®’ new Lime and Jalapeño chip flavor is a collaboration between two bold and dynamic brands, Ruffles® and basketball star Anthony Davis. The collaboration was inspired by Davis' multidimensional personality and Ruffles®’ spirit of individuality. Three package designs reference Anthony Davis’ #3 jersey. Each package features one of two images of Mr. Davis placed on one of three different backgrounds of bold waves. The wavy lines of the package represent both Ruffles®’ iconic texture and Davis’ trademark unibrow. These limited-edition bags mark the first time in Frito-Lay history that a chip package features a celebrity likeness.

Manufacturer: Printpack

End-User/Customer: Frito-Lay

Plant: Villa Rica, GA, US

GOLD – Technical Innovation

Shield Pack® Clear High Barrier Aseptic IBC Liner

Shield Pack® clear high barrier aseptic IBC liner provides clarity and durability that the distribution process demands. This technology replaces laminated oriented metallized structures in applications where manufacturers are packaging up to 300 gallons of product for intermittent storage and transportation. The multi-layer structure safeguards against moisture, oxygen and environmental contamination, while extending distribution range, reducing transit failures, improving product quality, and maintaining product color and vitamin retention.

Manufacturer: Amcor Flexibles

Plant: Oshkosh, WI, US

GOLD – Printing

Volga Shahi Gold Pouch

The Volga Shahi Gold Pouch is printed with an inline registered matte coating which makes the pouch stand out on the shelf. The high dart PE used inside the gusset improves the dart impact of the laminate, sustains drop tests, and improves bursting strength during transport and handling of the package. The artwork was designed to enhance the traditional feel. The matte and glossy look of the pouch creates excellent shelf appeal, helping it catch the immediate attention of the user. A 3D pouch technique was used to replace the conventional pouching and woven bag.

Manufacturer: Emirates Printing Press, L.L.C.

End-User/Customer: Walq Foods Industries LLC

Plant: Dubai, Dubai, AE

Silver Awards

SILVER – Packaging Excellence

SILVER – Sustainability

50% Recycled Content Multi-Use E-Commerce Mailer

Berry Global and PAC Worldwide Corporation co-developed a multi-use e-commerce mailer that contains an industry-leading 50% recycled content. Using a proprietary blend, this mailer advances the circular economy through a material reduction of 20% when compared to competing mailers and the prior mailer used. Also, this mailer is part of a family of mailers that utilize an exclusive closed-loop system of recycled content supplied in partnership with one of PAC Worldwide’s e-commerce customers. Uniquely engineered for best-in-class output, high-opacity, low-light transmission, high-performance seal characteristics, and extreme toughness, this mailer helps e-commerce brands meet sustainability objectives without compromising on performance.

Manufacturer: Berry Global, PAC Worldwide Corporation

End-User/Customer: PAC Worldwide Corporation

Plant: Danville and Middletown, KY and OH, US

SILVER – Printing

Amazon Tea Stand-up Pouch

The Amazon Tea Stand-up pouch is designed to create a superior impact on the shelf. The key features include rich vibrant colors and appealing visual effects achieved with 8 color gravure printing which makes the pouch distinctive. The printing on matte OPP with a very high-resolution product image gives the package a unique look. This pouch, both functional and elegant, is designed with a resealable zipper that keeps the product fresh for a longer time.

Manufacturer: Emirates Printing Press, L.L.C.

End-User/Customer: Al Maras tea filling factory

Plant: Dubai, Dubai, AE

SILVER – Sustainability

SILVER – Technical Innovation

Aunt Millie's Live™ Organic BIOVANTAGE™ Bakery Bag

Aunt Millie’s Live™ Organic is a new family-farmed organic bread emphasizing social and environmental responsibility strengthened through the use of Berry Global’s BIOVANTAGE™ bakery film. This film contains 50% renewable, bio-based PE sourced from sugarcane. BIOVANTAGE™ is a drop-in for traditional PE films, with no change in performance or packaging properties. Also, BIOVANTAGE™ films are How2Recycle prequalified. Through the use of BIOVANTAGE™, Biorenewable Content (BRC) certified inks, and 15% downgauging, Aunt Millie’s reinforced the appeal of the Live™ Organic product line to the target audience of environmentally and socially responsible consumers.

Manufacturer: Berry Global

End-User/Customer: Aunt Millie's

SILVER – Technical Innovation

Brookside Hershey’s Exotic Dark Pouch

This innovative peelable strip in a pouch was developed where the consumer initially sees the existing branding (Brookside) and then peels the strip away to unveil the new Hershey branding (Hershey’s Exotic Dark). The strip is an integral part of the pouch and is not a pressure-sensitive paper label. Paharpur 3P developed this concept, modified existing equipment, and was able to manufacture the pouches with a zipper and bottom gusset plus the registered strip with minimum tolerance. The challenge was to develop the laminate structure for the pouch and strip that looks similar to the existing laminate and exhibits good heat seal and easy peel properties. The specifications of the base gusset of the pouches were slightly changed, and it passed all hurdles of machinability/barrier properties and standability.

Manufacturer: Paharpur 3P, Hershey India Private Ltd.

End-User/Customer: Hershey India Private Ltd.

Plant: Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India

Designer/Design Firm: Paharpur 3P and Hershey India Private Ltd.

Key Suppliers: Ester Industries Ltd., Henkel Adhesives Technologies India, and Sakata Inx

SILVER – Shelf Impact

CaPao Cacaofruit Smoothie Balls

CaPao brought to market their Cacaofruit Smoothie Balls—little balls of goodness combining cacaofruit pulp with other fruits, nuts, and seeds to deliver a completely new plant-based snack experience. These bite-sized nourishing snacks are produced in a wind-powered manufacturing facility and are individually wrapped on a high-speed vertical form/fill/seal line with a unique recyclable high-barrier paper touch film, then placed in reclosable pouches also made with a unique recyclable high-barrier paper touch structure.

Manufacturer: ProAmpac

End-User/Customer: Mondelez

Plant: Hartford, WI, US

Designer/Design Firm: Bulletproof 

SILVER – Shelf Impact

Krakatoa Hot Chips, 6.7 oz.

The north star of Krakatoa Hot Chips is “heat.” As such, the brand is named after Mount Krakatoa, a volcano in the Indonesian Islands famous for one of the most violent explosions in human history. To that end, Krakatoa’s logo doubles as both the human mouth “on fire” as well as a volcano erupting. The brand has five trademarked names that represent a flavor experience that ranges from spicy to volcanic as measured by the brand’s “Krak Scale.” The “Krak Scale” is featured prominently on the back of the bag so consumers know exactly what they are getting into.

Manufacturer: Printpack

End-User/Customer: Amplify Snack Brands

Plant: Villa Rica, GA, US

Designer/Design Firm: Jeff Day and Joanie Cahill, Amplify Snack Brands

SILVER – Sustainability

Numi Tea

Timed with a brand refresh, Numi Tea introduced a new plant-based package for their individual wrapped tea. This new pouch incorporates renewable, bio-based plastic, including EarthFirst® PLA sealant film, instead of fossil fuel-based plastic. Every layer of packaging is now plant-based. Tea packages passed ASTM D6868 biodegradation testing for disintegration and ecotoxicity, making the tea wraps compostable in commercial facilities. Now, Numi Tea packages naturally lowers the carbon footprint of the packaging.

Manufacturer: Earthfirst® Biopolymer Films by PSI , Elk Packaging

End-User/Customer: Numi Tea

Key Suppliers: Elk Packaging (package converter) and Plastic Suppliers, Inc. (PSI, EarthFirst® PLA sealant film supplier)

SILVER – Printing

Reset360 Large Format Protein Pouch

When Reset360 came to Nosco seeking a large format digital flexible packaging pouch with metallic color, Nosco’s team of engineers and graphics experts went to work on a solution. Because metallic print cannot be attained on press today, the team first recommended a metPET material for its metallic properties. They then paired this material with the appropriate screen values to allow for the desired metallic effect to show through—matching the metallic PMS color originally requested by the customer. Premium white ink was then printed in the areas where Reset360 did not want a metallic effect, which provided the clean look desired. This pouch features 5 HP Indigo ElectroInk colors.

Manufacturer: Nosco

End-User/Customer: Reset360

Plant: Carrollton, Texas, US

Key Suppliers: Film suppliers: Advanced Converting Works and Nobelus®; ink supplier: HP Indigo ElectroInks; closure manufacturer: Zip-Pak®; and the printing press supplier: HP Indigo 20000

SILVER – Expanding the Use of Flexible Packaging

Smithfield Prime Fresh Delicatessen

The Smithfield Prime Fresh Delicatessen package is a proprietary dual-forming web engineered to mirror packaging typical to cold cuts just sliced at the deli counter. The Prime Fresh package is the only deli meat package of its kind. It is a surface-printed coextruded film with high-barrier properties, enabling it to replace laminated structures that are typical to processed deli meat. Through an innovative extrusion process and careful material selection, this package offers improved shelf life and enhanced consumer experience, while eliminating the PET web typical to laminations. The Prime Fresh bag also uses 31% less material than the conventional tubs that hold competing pre-sliced deli meat, resulting in other sustainability benefits like fewer transportation miles and less product waste.

Manufacturer: Berry Global

End-User/Customer: Smithfield Foods

Designer/Design Firm: Berry Global

Awards Announcement Video

This video highlights the winning packages from the 66th Annual FPA Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards competition.