instore - May 2018 - 14

packaging

"In general, the whole concept of delivering food to
consumers is just going like gangbusters. There's a
huge opportunity for foodservice outlets, and for
our members - the companies that supply their
packaging. People realize it's a way to increase sales."
Lynn Dyer, Foodservice Packaging Institute

Venting makes the difference
Anchor Packaging and Genpak LLC are among the foodservice
packaging manufacturers that stand out for their contributions to the
category, Dyer says.

compartments so food items won't hop from one compartment to the
other on the ride home. Both lines are also leak resistant, which is still
the number one feature consumers demand, Cole says.

A few different product lines from Charlotte, North Carolina-based
Genpak are used for hot foods to-go in grocery and c-stores, says
Jeff Cole, the company's director of product development. The two
most common are Smart Set Pro, two-piece round and rectangular
containers with clear lids; and ProView, a black-based, clear-hinged
lidded product. Both lines are microwave-safe, which is a highly desirable feature among today's consumers, Cole says. Genpak's Harvest
Fiber line -typically hinged options -also are used for hot to-go.

Other than adding new sizes, the Smart Set Pro line hasn't changed
much in recent years, Cole says. Later this year, however, Genpak will
upgrade its lids to a non-fluted variety that will include anti-fog. What
most sets Smart Set Pro apart, he says, is the textured polypropylene it's
made from. "It offers a cooler to the touch solution when dealing with
hot foods."

The ProView line comes standard with push-down vents that allow
customers to have some humidity control inside the container, keeping
fried foods crispier, Cole says. ProView also has anti-fog lids to allow for
better visualization.
Both Smart Set Pro and ProView have compartmentalized options
with what Genpak calls "close-off lids," which completely close off

ProView was launched this year, Cole says. But it's already gained
"serious momentum" with Genpak's customers, he says. Differentiators
for ProView include a "much less institutional look" than other packaging in the category, as well as more features that come standard
(some competitors' products offer the same features, but with an
upcharge, Cole says).
Microwave safe, vented lids, anti-fog lids, close-off and leak resistant
compartments and being curb side recyclable have been a "winning
combination" for Genpak, Cole says.

A couple of years ago, burger chain Red Robin invited packaging companies to compete for its to-go pack business. Ballwin, Missouri-based
Anchor won with its patented Crisp Food Container packaging, which
uses cross-flow ventilation to relieve moisture and condensation while

Anchor Packaging's patented packaging technology uses cross-flow
ventilation to relieve moisture and condensation to keep fried foods crisp.
14 * MAY 2018 * instore

ANCHOR PACKAGING, PLACON CORP.

While it's not a new category for Genpak, hot to-go packaging is
definitely a growing one, Cole says. "Meals delivered to the home and
meals to go have been on the rise, but it's really taken off in the last 12 to
18 months," he says.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of instore - May 2018