The Label Makers have collaborated with cocktail mixologists White Label Cocktails to produce labels for the Marksologist range by M&S.
The process of creating the labels, from concept to final print, took several months. The Label Makers were involved at the very beginning of the artwork concept stage, liaising very closely with brand identity and packaging design specialists Sand Creative to agree print methods, embellishments and materials that would work well with the designs.
The Label Makers worked in tandem with SGK and M&S. The labels were flexo printed, to include hot foil, emboss, deboss and tactile inline-embellishments. The end result saw each label having its own distinguished look and feel through a use of different uncoated and textured materials.
“We were delighted to be asked to work with M&S and partners on the new Marksologist range of products. Each design really utilises the extensive inline-embellishments that our MPS flexo presses have to offer. It was a joy to be involved in the whole process from artwork concept stage through to label application,” said The Label Makers’ Ben Robinson.
Founder and owner of White Label Cocktails, James Trevillion, added: “We initially connected with The Label Makers at Packaging Innovations at the NEC in 2020 – they really stood head and shoulders above the competition at that show. For this job, Ben and the team oozed professionalism and knowledge, and that filled me with confidence that the product would not only be first rate, they would be delivered on time and well supported.
“The labels look outstanding. With a premium liquid, it is imperative that the quality is communicated to the customer clearly, and the Marksologist labels do that with ease.”
Evian is celebrating Wimbledon’s ‘100-years of Centre Court’ with the launch of a limited-edition heritage label exclusively at this year’s event, inspired by a 1922 Evian packaging design.
The mineral water giant will commemorate its own heritage (first discovered in 1789) as well as Centre Court’s centenary through the launch of a limited-edition heritage label at this year’s event.
The reimaged label was inspired by a 1922 bottle design from the iconic brand and will be available to players at The Championships and in evian’s VIP Suite, featuring on evian’s popular 75cl bottles which are made from 100% recycled plastic*.
As part of Evian’s ongoing sustainability commitments and ambition to become a circular brand by 2025, Evian’s VIP guests will be encouraged to dress in a more eco-conscious way at The Championships, by honouring the brand’s ‘Summer Smart and Eco-Conscious’ dress code.
Following on from Evian’s partnership with environmental charity HUBBUB at last year’s event that saw recycling rates increase by 53% in Wimbledon Town Centre and Village, The water giant will launch a recycling reward scheme with Reward4Waste within the Grounds and in the Wimbledon Town Centre for the first time.
The scheme will incentivise attendees to recycle their water bottles through a QR code that will be found on recycling bins across the Grounds. By scanning the QR code and then the barcode on their Evian drink, attendees will enter for a chance to win Finals tickets to The Championships 2023. With deposit return schemes for drinks containers on the horizon for the UK & Ireland, Evian’s reward scheme will provide insight into the impact return schemes can have, and the role digital technology can play in making a scheme as convenient and engaging for consumers as possible.
Evian and Wimbledon are also launching their first-ever podcast series, ‘Wimbledon: Between the Lines’, celebrating 100 Years of Centre Court, featuring BBC Radio 1 presenters and tennis enthusiasts Matt Edmondson and Mollie King co-host the podcast, where they’ll explore not only tennis but a range of lifestyle topics including the quirks and traditions that make Wimbledon so iconic and special.
Dillon McEvoy, head of marketing at Evian, said: “As a longstanding partner of The Championships, we’re excited to be celebrating 100 years of Centre Court with the launch of our exclusive heritage label bottle for players.”
“Marking the centenary, we take the opportunity to recognise the progress Evian have made and the need to continue to innovate for a more sustainable future. We’ve continued to make strides with our sustainability commitments. We’ve launched ‘Bottles made from bottles’, will be trialling a digital recycling reward scheme at the tournament, and have reached carbon neutrality as a global brand and in our VIP Suite at Wimbledon. We’re proud of these steps and will challenge ourselves to do continue to do more on our sustainability journey.”
Gus Henderson, commercial director at the All England Club, said: “This is a special year for Wimbledon and we’re delighted that Evian is joining with us to celebrate the centenary of Centre Court in its current home. This milestone gives us the opportunity to remember some of the event’s most iconic moments and unique traditions, but also look forward to what the next 100 years might bring. With this in mind, one of our key commitments is to become Environment Positive by 2030 and we look forward to working alongside partners like Evian who are equally committed to a more sustainable future.”
In a deal with Wonder, Heinz makes hot dog history by creating equal packs of 10 wieners and 10 buns, for a limited time.
It just wasn’t fair.
For generations, hot dog fans lamented that wieners have come in packs of 10 and dogs in packs of 8. Heinz ketchup and Wonder partnered to broker a deal to create buns in packs of 10, ending this mismatch once and for, at least, a limited time.https://535ec142e708a5865ae6e8a97c0bdde3.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
In time for National Hot Dog Month (July), Heinz and Wonder unveil 10-packs of buns at select grocers in Ontario. Available starting June 23, this resolution comes on the heels of the Heinz Hot Dog Pact that launched last National Hot Dog Month, urging bun and wiener companies to take action. One year and more than 33,000 signatures later, hot dog fans’ pleas were finally heard.
“Heinz has brought hot dogs and buns together for more than a century, so we felt like it was our duty as the world’s most iconic ketchup to rally our passionate fans and champion change for the age-old issue of unequal buns and wieners packs,” says Nina Patel, Head of North American Brand Communications, Kraft Heinz Co. “Today marks a monumental day for hot dog fans and we’re thrilled to announce that Heinz has done it. We brokered a partnership with Wonder to finally create buns in packs of 10.”
The new, limited-edition 10-packs of buns from Wonder can be found at Ontario locations of No Frills, Real Canadian Superstore, Shoppers Drug Mart, Your Independent Grocer, Dollarama, Valu-mart and Fortinos.Image courtesy of Kraft Heinz Co.
“Wonder has been delighting Canadians since 1927. When Heinz created the Heinz Hot Dog Pact, the sheer volume of public response was too big to ignore,” says Kelly Backer, Head of Brand & Category development, Wonderbrands. “With many of our fans speaking up about this issue, we saw this as an opportunity for Wonder to partner with our friends at Heinz and finally give hot dog fans what they’ve longed for.”
But the battle is not over. Heinz is calling on all of North America to advocate for equal numbers of buns and wieners. Hot dog lovers can sign the petition at https://heinzhotdogpact.com/ and join the movement, bringing equal packs of buns and hot dogs to their region
A formalized agreement commits the beer company to use PEF made from Avantium’s FDCA Flagship Plant starting in 2024.
Carlsberg Group expects that the future of the paper bottle for its iconic beer is through a barrier made of polyethylene furanoate, better known as PEF.
The company along with the renewable chemistry specialists of Avantium have agreed to take the next step in the commercialization of polyethylene furanoate (PEF) for their mutual benefit. The Group signed a conditional offtake agreement with Avantium to secure a fixed volume of the 100% plant-based, recyclable, and high-performance polymer PEF from Avantium’s FDCA Flagship Plant, which Avantium aims to start-up in 2024.https://532e0b43f2e019df1c0ab6c4f99f3e81.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
FDCA is furandicarboxylic acid, a monomer, that’s a building block for manufacturing PEF.
Carlsberg will use the PEF resin for various packaging applications, including its “Fibre Bottle” aka paper bottle, a bio-based and fully recyclable beer bottle.
Carlsberg launched a trial of its latest Fibre Bottle, which contains an inner layer of PEF produced in Avantium’s current Pilot Plant. Carlsberg will sample the Fibre Bottle to 8,000 consumers and other selected stakeholders in eight pilot markets in Western Europe.
Avantium and Carlsberg have been partners since 2019 as the companies worked together with Paboco (Paper Bottle Company) and the Paper Bottle Community. Paboco, Avantium and Carlsberg developed the Fibre Bottle, a barrier solution, and a pioneering packaging solution for Carlsberg beer.
Image courtesy of Carlsberg Group
PEF’s superior performance qualities.
Today, the packaging consists of a wood fiber outer shell and a plant-based, recyclable PEF polymer liner. Beyond the sustainable packaging benefits, Avantium’s PEF has superior barrier properties, protecting the taste and fizziness of the beer and leading to a longer shelf life.
PEF also has higher mechanical strength than conventional plastics, enabling thinner packaging and thereby reducing the amount of material required.
In 2021, Avantium and Carlsberg signed a Joint Development Agreement to develop several PEF packaging applications, including the Fibre Bottle. With the test results of PEF in the Fibre Bottle proving successful, Carlsberg has decided to sign a conditional offtake agreement with Avantium to purchase PEF resin coming from its Flagship Plant, currently under construction in The Netherlands, for its Fibre Bottle and for the development of other beer packaging applications.
In its largest trial of the Fibre Bottle to date, today Carlsberg has revealed the latest generation design featuring the PEF lining and will sample 8,000 bottles across eight Western European markets throughout the summer. The bottles will be introduced to local consumers, customers and other stakeholders at selected festivals and flagship events, as well as targeted product sampling. Making the product accessible and gathering consumer feedback at this scale will be key to informing the next generation of design and accelerating Carlsberg’s ambition to make the Fibre Bottle a commercial reality.
Brand sees good test results.
“We are delighted to be bringing our new Fibre Bottle into the hands of consumers, allowing them to experience it for themselves,” says Stephane Munch, VP group development at Carlsberg. “However, this pilot will serve a greater purpose in testing the production, performance, and recycling of this product at scale. Identifying and producing PEF, as a competent functional barrier for beer, has been one of our greatest challenges — so getting good test results, collaborating with suppliers, and seeing the bottles being filled on the line is a great achievement!”
Tom van Aken, CEO of Avantium, says “We are pleased to expand our partnership with Carlsberg. It is a truly exciting milestone — for the very first time — consumers can experience a PEF-lined beer bottle. With business partners such as Carlsberg Group, Avantium can further scale and build the PEF value chain, meeting the growing global demand for circular and renewable material solutions. This is what the material transition is about: ensuring that consumers can get access to novel and sustainable products at scale.”
A tighter focus on the separate businesses will enable each to “unlock their full potential.” What might this mean for packaging?
n June 21, two days ago, Kellogg announced it will be separating into three independent public companies, names to come later, so each can better focus on its specific business:
Global Snacking Co. — fueled by some of the company’s top brands, like Pringles, Nutri Grain, Town House, and Cheez-It. Estimated net annual sales: $11.4 billion.
North America Cereal Co. — the cereals you know and love, such as Kellogg’s Corn Flakes, Special K, and Kashi. Estimated net annual sales: $2.4 billion.
Plant Co. — anchored by the MorningStar Farms brand. Estimated net annual sales: $340 million. In the video, Kellogg Chairman/CEO Steve Cahillane admits one possibility is this company might then be sold.
According to Kellogg, the new companies “will all be leaders in their categories, and as standalone businesses, each will have an enhanced focus and will be better able to direct its resources toward its distinct strategic priorities, enabling all three to unlock their full potential.”
Kellogg anticipates that the cereal business might be the first to spin off; followed by the plant-based business. Both are expected to be complete by the end of 2023. In the press release, Kellogg explains that “The proposed spin-offs are intended to result in tax-free distributions of North America Cereal Co. and Plant Co. shares to Kellogg Co. shareowners.”
Plenty of opportunities for packaging staff.
What might this all mean for the brands’ packaging departments and the people working on centralized packaging functions that serve multiple brands, businesses, and/or locations?
A few more details first:
Locations will pretty much stay the same. North America Cereal Co. and Plant Co. will keep their headquarters in Battle Creek, Michigan. Global Snacking Co. will be headquartered in Chicago but will maintain dual campuses in Battle Creek and Chicago. The headquarters of Kellogg Co.’s three international regions — Europe, Latin America, and Asia/Middle East/Africa (AMEA) — will stay where they currently are. My take: Few employees will be left behind because they will not be asked to relocate.
Among the reasons for making this move now is that the separate companies will be better able to execute specific strategies with “increased agility and operational flexibility, enabling more focused allocation of capital and resources in a manner consistent with those strategic priorities.”
According to Cahillane, each new company will prioritize different goals. Because of these priorities, I see different potential impacts for each company’s packaging department:
• Global Snacking Co. plans to focus on building brands and emerging markets. My take: Significant investment in marketing could mean career opportunities in packaging research and development, as well as graphic design. Packaging projects could lean more toward innovation — smart packaging, for example — rather than optimization plans.
• North America Cereal Co. will concentrate on regaining market share and expanding profit margins, with long-term attention to productivity. My take: Look for packaging line optimization and potential investment in new equipment technologies.
• Plant Co. will focus on building awareness and penetration in North America, with international expansion in the future. My take: Remember, one possibility is that this company may be sold. Typically, that means making the balance sheet look as enticing as possible by maximizing profits. And that usually means fewer investment dollars (especially for capital expenditures) and a tightening on expenses. But that status quo would shift decidedly if ownership is maintained.
Additionally, one of the benefits being touted in the press release for Kellogg employees could be more rewarding career opportunities in the new companies. My take: Overall, there probably will be more opportunities for advancement for current staff, as well as more new positions as the Kellogg centralized packaging functions will need to be added at the new companies.
Because these changes will probably open opportunities for packaging professionals, I appreciate and understand Cahillane’s enthusiasm for the future: “After 116 years in business, how cool it is that our best days are absolutely in front of us.”
