FPA Announces the 2024 Flexible Packaging Achievement Award Winners
The Flexible Packaging Association (FPA), an advocate and voice for the growing U.S. flexible packaging industry, is pleased to announce the winners of its 68th Annual Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards Competition. The winning entries were recognized during the FPA Welcome Dinner & Flexible Packaging Achievement Awards Ceremony held Wednesday, March 20, 2024, in conjunction with the 2024 FPA Annual Meeting (March 20-22) at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, Arizona.
For this year’s competition, FPA received a historic number of entries—106 package entries were submitted, with a total of 332 entries (some packages were entered into multiple categories). Twenty-two packages were honored with 37 Achievement Awards.
Special thanks are given to the 2024 competition judging panel: Danny Beard, President, Packaging Specialists; Chelsey Quick, VP, Client Success, Industry Intelligence Inc.; and Dr. Bruce Welt, Professor, Packaging Engineering, University of Florida.
The transition of products previously packaged in rigid containers to flexible packaging was demonstrated in several of the competition entries. Quick observes, “I loved some of the conversions from rigid to flexible. We're seeing some interesting applications of bringing new products into the flexibles space, which is exciting for everyone.”
Sustainability continues to be a focus of the competition. “We saw a lot of sustainable packages, but the definition of sustainability is open to interpretation, which is fair,” notes Beard. “The different types of sustainable packages and the different kinds of films that are considered sustainable are really what sets this group of products apart.”
Welt states, “One particularly interesting entry involved chemical advanced recycling and mass balance accounting. This is going to be increasingly important for the sustainability side of things.” The judges also noted an increased number of recyclable structures for medical and hospital products.
The printing quality and shelf impact of the entries this year was also remarked on by the judges, and a handful of entries were deemed worthy of framing. According to Beard, “Some of the really interesting printing techniques that were used and some of the ways that they use both the printing and the lamination of the packaging together to make the package pop was unique.”
2024 AWARD RECIPIENTS
HIGHEST ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
The Highest Achievement Award is evaluated by the judges as possessing overall packaging excellence, significant attributes in all award categories, and contributing most to the advancement of the industry.
Credit: FPA
WD-40 Specialist EZ-Pods Pouch Family
Awards: Highest Achievement Award
Gold Award – Expanding the Use of Flexible Packaging
Gold Award – Packaging Excellence
Gold Award – Sustainability
Gold Award – Technical Innovation
Manufacturer: Brook + Whittle
Description: A household name in the chemical industry since 1953, WD-40 Company products are well known for their iconic aerosol packaging. In 2023, the company broke from that tradition by launching WD-40 Specialist EZ-Pods, a degreasing product in a pod format—in sustainable flexible packaging. Without sacrificing performance, cost, or aesthetics, WD-40 settled on two recyclable flexible packaging formats: a stand-up pouch with a child-resistant closure and a sample-sized threesided sealed pouch. Both options are recyclable through store drop-off collection services.
GOLD ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Listed alphabetically by package name.
Credit: FPA
Certified-Circular Content Pet Food Package
Award: Gold Award – Sustainability
Manufacturers: Berry Global, Peel Plastic Products Ltd., and Hill’s Pet Nutrition
Description: Peel Plastic and Berry Global launched a new pet food flexible packaging portfolio that contains ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certificate) PLUS certified-circular plastics for Hill’s Pet Nutrition, by leveraging ExxonMobil’s Exxtend technology for advanced recycling. This new product offering demonstrates Hills Pet’s commitment to sustainability and showcases Peel Plastic’s and Berry Global’s manufacturing expertise to deliver flexible packaging solutions using certified-circular materials.
Credit: FPA
Dual Function Frozen Yogurt Package
Awards: Gold Award – Technical Innovation
Silver Award – Expanding the Use of Flexible Packaging
Silver Award – Packaging Excellence
Manufacturer: Amcor Flexibles
Description: This Danoninho ice pop launched in Brazil with Danone and Gualapack is the first yogurt pouch that can be converted into an ice pop for kids. The top of the pouch has a spout that is used to drink the yogurt. However, if placed in the freezer for a few hours, the contents of the pouch become an ice cream that can be consumed from the bottom of the pouch, thanks to the two notches and the laser cut, allowing the consumer to open the pouch and eat it like an ice pop.
Credit: FPA
Gulf Coast Sawyer Fitment Pouch
Award: Expanding the Use of Flexible Packaging
Manufacturer: PPC Flex
Description: The Gulf Coast Sawyer Fitment Pouch stands as a remarkable innovation in the realm of pouches. It offers versatile filling options, allowing users to fill it from natural water sources like lakes, streams, or rivers, as well as under a faucet. This pouch can be directly attached to a Sawyer MINI, Micro, Dual, or Squeeze Water filter, enabling both direct drinking and filtering into containers. It proves invaluable in situations where potable water is scarce or unavailable, making it an ideal choice for various outdoor activities, including hiking, backpacking, camping, travel, and emergency preparedness.
Credit: FPA
Horayra Cat Food, 14kg
Awards: Gold Award – Printing
Silver Award – Shelf Impact
Silver Award – Technical Innovation
Manufacturer: Emirates Printing Press, L.L.C.
Description: A combination of PET/MET PET/special film/high-dart PE layers is used for the lamination of this pouch to improve the dart impact, sustain drop tests, and improve bursting strength during transport and handling of the 14kg package. To print this job, Emirates Printing Press used three sets of cylinders and printed it three times, printing the front, back, and gussets of the pouch separately due to its large size. The quad-seal pouch has a zipper for easy multiple-opening. This packaging is easily recognizable as cat food, with elegant and eye-catching contrast colors and a matte effect that gives this huge pouch a vibrant look on the shelf.
Credit: FPA
Hunter’s Gourmet Smoky Tandoori, 125g
Award: Gold Award – Shelf Impact
Manufacturer: Emirates Printing Press, L.L.C.
Description: The combination of matte film; dense black and opulent metallic gold; and attractive product images are the key elements that make this package design stand out on the shelf. The pouch is vibrant, colorful, and attractive, and conveys the product’s flavor to the end consumer. The overall print and the background black color make the package attractive and create a better shelf appearance.
Credit: FPA
McCoy Dunnage Free IBC Liners for Bulk Liquid Aseptic Products
Awards: Gold Award – Sustainability
Silver Award – Expanding the Use of Flexible Packaging
Silver Award – Technical Innovation
Manufacturer: Amcor Flexibles
Description: The McCoy dunnage free IBC liner protects up to 330 gallons of aseptic food products, like diced tomatoes, through the supply chain via abusive intermodal transport. This industry-changing solution is one of the many hard-working industrial flexible packages that never see a retail shelf. The stronger, lighter IBC virtually eliminates the need for layers of protective dunnage at the top and bottom of containers, which significantly reduces packaging waste and cost, streamlines processing, and improves sustainability. Benefits include 40% system cost savings over conventional liners and a 25% reduction in carbon footprint.
Credit: FPA
Perfect Balance Dog Food
Award: Gold Award – Shelf Impact
Manufacturer: TC Transcontinental Packaging
Description: To support the customer’s need to export this product, these bags were developed to reduce any risk of pin holes or unsealing during transport. This was achieved through the use of metallized PET and clear sealant film that provides a larger sealing window, as well as an optimized structure that provides a superior level of support for shipping and handling. Perforations in the bag facilitate air excavation
for optimal palletization.
Credit: FPA
RoadRescue Asphalt Repair, 50 lbs.
Award: Gold Award – Expanding the Use of Flexible Packaging
Manufacturer: Polymerall Flexible Packaging
Description: Polymerall introduced a groundbreaking two-sided seal pouch, setting new standards in packaging. This innovation features a striking 10-color print job produced on a cutting-edge BOBST 20SEVEN flexographic printing press, ensuring exceptional printing quality for a captivating presence on retail shelves. Designed to hold 50 pounds of asphalt mixture for pavement repair, it tackles the challenge of UV exposure with a UV-resistant substrate, preserving print vibrancy in sunlight. Moreover, the pouch incorporates gas exchange vents and facilitates secure palletization, making it a practical and visually appealing choice for packaging needs.
Credit: FPA
Shehrazade Basmati Rice Blue Pouch, 5kg
Awards: Gold Award – Packaging Excellence
Gold Award – Printing
Gold Award – Shelf Impact
Gold Award – Technical Innovation
Manufacturer: Emirates Printing Press, L.L.C.
Description: The previous version of this pouch was created with tailor-made window metallized film, which is costly and limited in availability. To replace the tailor-made window, Emirates Printing Press used a registered metallized PET lamination that was printed with reverse print and surface matte. The Shehrazade pouch is printed with an inline-registered matte coating, which creates a premium eye-catching look on the
shelf. High-dart PE is used to meet the dart impact of the laminate, sustain drop tests, and improve bursting strength during transport and handling. The D punch on the pouch helps consumers to carry the bag easily.
Credit: FPA
Voyager Dog Food Co. Clean and Complete Wholesome Recipe
Awards: Gold Award – Printing
Gold Award – Shelf Impact
Manufacturer: TC Transcontinental Packaging
Description: The Voyager Dog Food Co. package establishes the value and philosophy of the brand, clearly communicating its mission and the product’s healthy attributes. This unique package design truly stands out on the shelf, with artwork-like printing attractive enough to hang on a wall. Voyager takes advantage of each of the panels of the flat bottom pouch by displaying simple and clean branding to clearly convey the Clean & Complete Wholesome Recipe for dogs.
For the full list of winners, please see the upcoming print issue of Packaging Impressions.
The preceding press release was provided by a company unaffiliated with Packaging Impressions. The views expressed within do not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Packaging Impressions.
