Packaged food makers are giving new meaning to thinking outside the box. Everyone from Campbell’s to Cadbury is ditching cans, bottles, cups and containers and getting in on the pouch parade.
Pouches may reduce packaging costs, increase shelf life, or appeal to a new demographic. Its aesthetics that drove Campbell’s to introduce its new “Go Soup” in pouches. The 144-year-old soup maker wanted a young, modern look for their new line, which is targeted at millennials.
The Chicago Tribune reports that across all consumer goods — including food, toiletries, and other household items — pouch use increased 37 percent from 2007 to 2012.
Here are just a few products squishing their way into pouches:
Campbell’s Go Soup: Launched August 2012, these new flavors are supposed to appeal to twenty-somethings, but may have missed the mark.
StarKist Flavor Fresh Pouch: Launched in 1999, StarKist was one of the first tuna fish packagers to use pouches.
Yoplait Go-Gurt: Also launched in 1999, as a new yogurt to-go.
Arbor Mist frozen wine cocktails: Arbor Mist released their fruit flavored pouches starting in 2012. Pouched and boxed wines have grown in popularity recently, even the New York Times is on board.
GU Energy Gel: The company started making their energy gel in 1991 as much more convenient way for athletes to get nutrients during exercise — bite, tear, and squirt.
Capri Sun: One of the most famous pouches out there, Capri Sun has been distributed in the U.S. since 1981.
Heinz ketchup: Heinz introduced a free-standing 10-ounce ketchup pouch in 2012 as a smaller, lower-cost alternative to their standard bottles.
Mott’s Snack & Go applesauce: Made for “families on the go,” the pouch is a single serving size of applesauce that can be squeezed out through the top.
Cadbury Chocolate mini-fingers: Though a box is the traditional delivery method, Cadbury’s now sells “snack size” pouches.
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