Upscale graphics on a carton engineered to support heavy loads gave Nabisco crackers a disappearing pallet display for club stores. Source: Graphic Packaging International Inc.
The former Coors Brewing packaging unit that created silver-colored boxes for Coors Light, the Silver Bullet, brought its printing technology to bear for 40-oz. club-store packs with eight sleeves of Nabisco Entertainment crackers. An upscale look is delivered through reverse gravure printing on metallized, oriented polypropylene film laminated to 24-point CCSUS (clay coated solid unbleached sulfate).
A large box filled with crackers would contain bread crumbs under normal shipping and stacking abuse. Kraft's boxes are engineered by GPI's paperboard experts in Marietta, GA, headquarters of the former Riverwood International Corp. Riverwood merged with Coor's Graphic Packaging subsidiary in August 2003 to form GPI. The box's structural integrity comes from Z-flutes, zig-zagged paper supports that are glued to perpendicular interior planes and other weak points. The 16-pt. CCSUS flutes provide enough protection to permit stacking at least two pallets.
The superior strength and visual appeal helped boost club-store sales, according to Ed Schindler, product marketing manager at GPI, and at least one major competitor is updating its packaging in response.
The Association of Industrial Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators recently honored the Kraft container with its Peter Rigney Package of the Year Award.
For more information:
Ed Schindler, Graphic Packaging International Inc.,770-795-3845, ed.schindler@graphicpkg.com
