Wells Dairy’s ‘Blue Bunny’ ice-cream became the fastest growing brand on the U.S. market following a switch to an innovative pack design based on a high-impact co-polymer resin from Basell.
“Consumers have been more willing to try our product because of the innovative packaging,” said Lesley Bartholomew, manager, public relations and corporate communications, Wells’ Dairy.
Low-temperature toughness
The new 56-oz (1.59-kg) packaging is injection moulded from Pro-fax EP390S, a polypropylene resin with high impact strength down to minus 40° C.
In-mould labelling
The new pack, which replaced a traditional paperboard tub, features a technique known as in-mould labelling: a polymer label foil is placed in the mould by robotics before the resin is injected. The resulting label cannot be damaged or detached in the humid storage conditions used for ice-cream.
The intense colours and attractive graphics possible with this technique significantly increase the packaging’s customer-appeal.
Pack appeal
“Food marketers want to create more value for their product at the point-of-purchase,” said Dave McKeeman, Basell’s new business development manager for injection moulding,
The container is also microwaveable, reusable and 100% recyclable.