Frozen food packaging has come a long way since its inception in the early 1920s when Clarence Birdseye developed flash freezing. Many challenges have occurred since then, but the set of challenges we have now is completely different. Words like sustainability weren’t even a thing when frozen food packing started, but this is now something no manufacturer can afford to ignore. Customer preferences have always been changing, but they seem to be changing at an accelerated pace now. Let’s take a look at some of the challenges frozen food manufacturers have to face.
Environmental Concerns
One of the major challenges for the frozen food industry is growing concerns about the environment. One particular study found that 84% of millennial shoppers were ready to pay a premium for sustainable packaging. Gen Z and millennials are also more likely to boycott or cause an uproar if a company is not taking concrete action to promote and encourage sustainability.
This means that you should not only worry about the type of material that you use for your packaging, but the quantity too. Another study found that 88% of shoppers believe that the products they buy have too much packaging so, if you think this is something they won’t notice, think again.
Refrigerated and Freezer Conditions
Another major challenge for frozen food manufacturers is marking and coding. These products have to deal with variable temperatures and are stored, transported, and sold in unique conditions. Humidity and condensation are two things that can lead to stickers falling out, which is why manufacturers will have to choose coding methods wisely.
Some services like Diagraph, for instance, provide encoding solutions that consider these unique conditions and ensure coding integrity at every step of the product’s life. Inkjet and laser technology are the two types that are the most recommended for frozen products, but inkjet is usually a better option for people who print on a wide variety of materials as it offers more flexibility. This is why manufacturers need to look at the type of materials and substrates that they intend to use.
Design Issues
One of the things most people will notice when they navigate the frozen food aisles is how similar all the products seem to be. But there are many ways in which frozen food manufacturers can help their products and brand stand out. One of them is through flexible packaging. What makes flexible packaging so great for these types of products is that it allows for colorful design with eye-catching 360 graphics. They’re also much more convenient as they require no plates. This means that manufacturers can easily add or change information, change recipes, or add SKUs to existing packaging effortlessly. It’s also sustainable, which allows you to kill two birds with one stone.
These are just some of the unique challenges that frozen food packaging presents. It is up to manufacturers to be prepared for these and to stay abreast of the most common trends and advances in the field.
