| Milk Packaging:
Material Selection  | | Schroeder Dairy’s new image includes using white HDPE bottles across its entire line of fluid milk. This creates a family of products to reinforce the brand. The white bottle not only provides UV protection, but it contributes to a clean, contemporary look. | In today's highly competitive marketplace, packaging is as vital to success as actual product. Selecting and developing the right container to effectively market product requires an understanding of packaging materials--advantages and disadvantages--and how materials can be used as innovative tools for creating distinction. Beverage manufacturers use packaging as a primary tool to open new markets and appeal to different target audiences. To position milk as a beverage, dairies must keep pace by providing consumers with packaging that drives sales. Processors no longer can afford to view packaging as merely an expense. Keep in mind that innovative packaging represents risk in terms of capital investment, increased costs and consumer acceptance. However, most dairies that have made significant packaging changes don't view it as risk, rather, as a step in the right direction. Size, shape, custom or stock, and shelflife requirements are among factors that influence container costs, as well as manufacturing and warehousing needs. Small, relatively inexpensive changes in graphics generate new consumer enthusiasm. This im-pulse buy is important, but doesn't represent sustainable growth. This is achieved by providing consumers with a reliable, performing package. The first issue a dairy must address when deciding on packaging material is if the milk beverage will be refrigerated or shelf-stable. In the United States, only FDA-approved containers can be used to package shelf-stable, low-acid beverages such as milk, coffee-milks and dairy-based chocolate drinks. Next, dairies must determine their desired length of shelflife. If it's going to be longer than the traditional 14 days that's achieved by high-temperature short-time (HTST) pasteurization, it's wise to choose added-protection packaging materials to ensure high-quality milk through the code date. Lastly, dairies need to identify any manufacturing and warehousing restraints. A big decision, if using plastic, is to buy pre-formed bottles or blow mold on-site. As more beverage processors, including dairies, convert their packaging operations to plastic containers, it's important to understand that not all plastics are the same. In addition, aluminum, flexible film, glass, paperboard and combinations of these materials remain innovative options, with each offering processors, retailers and consumers different benefits. Considered a single-serve container, aluminum cans are mostly used for beer, soda and juice; however, they also contain coffee milk drinks and dairy-based beverages. Naturally lightweight, aluminum cans provide shelf stability and protection from external factors including ultraviolet (UV) light and gases. The can, which is a very economical container, offers 360º billboard space, eliminating additional costs associated with label printing. Many suppliers are able to print almost-photographic images on aluminum cans. The popularity of cans continues to decline as the marketing advantages of plastics improve. For example, plastic bottles are reclosable and cans are not. In recent years, the can industry has introduced different shapes and embossing technologies in order to create sleeker, more contemporary containers. Typically a combination of paperboard, polyethylene and aluminum foil, and often referred to as foil board, aseptic containers are associated with shelf-stable kids' drinks. More recently, eight-sided containers made from the same materials are used for shelf-stable adult drinks including coffee-milk, smoothies and soymilk. Aseptic packaging is not just for single-serve; however, multi-serving "boxes" typically don't come larger than a half gallon due to the container's flexibility. Foil board is used for long shelflife products (100 days or more). Its construction offers vitamin and flavor protection and increased durability through distribution. These squared containers are very lightweight and stack tightly on shipping pallets, which controls shipping costs. Flexible pouches can be as simple as large volume plastic bags of HTST-processed milk to shelf-stable, single-serve containers of UHT (ultra-high temperature) milk. The film used for pouches can be foil or metalized material for added barrier properties, or simply an all-plastic design. Pouches can be block-style or stand-up and even include a reclosable plastic spout that contains an integral straw. Flexible pouches enable innovation in shape, size and graphics. They are especially appealing to kids because of their interactive nature and fun look. Even the gabletop paperboard industry will agree that plastic jugs were a welcome replacement for the very awkward paper gallon with plastic handle that was phased out of distribution more than 20 years ago. However, the paperboard industry is not ready to throw in the towel for other container sizes. Gabletop manufacturers today offer sleeker cartons that feature striking graphics and consumer-friendly pour spouts. Of all package types, the four-sided gable-top carton best boasts its billboard space. Morningstar Foods Inc., a subsidiary of Suiza Foods Corp., Dallas, says that "A large group of consumers who shop the dairy case have told us that they still want the classic paperboard carton \[for half-gallons and quarts\]," says Morningstar's Toby Purdy, senior v.p. of marketing. As the exclusive manufacturer, distributor and marketer of Hershey's brand flavored milks, Morningstar has added value to the paperboard carton in the form of reclosable pour spout and high-impact graphics. Paperboard is very economical. Like aluminum cans, gabletop cartons do not require additional labeling. The carton is the label. And unlike pre-formed bottles, paperboard does not require large amounts of warehousing prior to filling. Cartons come flat and are formed on-line. Polymers are used to form a thin layer on paperboard, providing barrier properties and enhancing performance such as printing. Barrier coatings vary in their effect on light, oxygen, humidity, oil permeability and heat resistance. In order to provide consumers with a leak-proof, easy-open seal, it's very important to properly use (i.e., correct time and temperature) adhesive sealing equipment to secure the carton. A word of caution to processors using paperboard cartons for extended shelflife (ESL) filling. Though the milk and container both go through a sterilization process to kill harmful and spoilage bacteria, mold spores imbedded in paperboard may not be destroyed. Refrigerated ESL milk can in fact have mold develop between 60 and 90 days. Also, research conducted at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich., indicates that paperboard flavor can develop in fluid beverages packaged in polyethylene-coated cartons (Journal of Dairy Science 75:2105-2111).  | | Promised Land Dairy uses custom-designed, non-returnable glass bottles to market quarts of milk—flavored and white. | Glass is the most inert container available to dairy processors. Because it has no impact on taste whatsoever, many consumers find glass to be the most "all-natural" container for fluid milk. It is reminiscent of home-delivery days. Glass is also the only material (except for steel) suited to retort packaging of milk. Not only is it able to withstand the high heat of retorting, it also adequately protects product quality. Glass bottles are economically available in stock sizes and shapes. They can also be customized to include features such as logos and textured surfaces. Single-serve bottles are resealable, however, like aluminum cans, the popularity of glass continues to decline as the marketing advantages of plastics improve. When it comes to glass vs. plastic, glass's breakable nature makes it undesirable, particularly for distribution in public venues. Clear glass provides shelf stability to UHT-pasteurized dairy drinks but minimal protection from UV light, which means that full-body labels or tinting are very important for maintaining product quality. Because it's inert, glass is the preferred package for nutritional and highly fortified beverages that contain vitamins, minerals and other reactive ingredients. Glass usage in the beverage industry is relatively flat, with whatever new business coming from niche, value-added products.  | | Ocean Spray’s grip top has the company logo and name molded into the bottle. It’s easy to pick up, carry, open and pour. There’s no reason why milk can’t do the same thing with half-gallon PET bottles. | When it comes to plastics, HDPE (high-density polyethylene) continues to be the most common container for fluid milk, particularly with larger volume packages such as gallons and half-gallons; however, PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is trying to take over the single-serve business, with plans to move into larger sizes as it becomes more economical. Plastic containers made with the right combination of barriers and used in combination with ESL processing, can provide milk a lengthy refrigerated shelflife. The limiting word here is refrigerated, because FDA has not approved plastic for low-acid, aseptic beverages such as milk. For dairies to take full advantage of value-added features that plastics offer, marketers should look outside of dairy to see what other drink manufacturers are doing. Go a step further and look at liquid laundry detergent to see how these companies have designed containers that are easier for consumers to manage.  | | Hydrade sports drink is the first U.S. beverage to come in the Cheer Pack®. Made of Mylar, this pouch uses a screw-on spout with integral straw for added on-the-go convenience. | HDPE dominates the jug business because it is low-cost, durable and lightweight. Standard HDPE resin produces a translucent container, which offers some protection against UV light. UV protection ingredients can be added to resin to further prevent oxidative flavors from developing in milk, as well as protect light-labile vitamins and minerals. Pigments can be added to HDPE resin to provide even greater protection to milk from destructive elements in the environment. Almost any color is possible, but yellow and white are dominant with fluid milk. "We feel consumers are more likely to accept white because it's a better representation of what's inside. The white package also contributes to the clean, modern look we are after," says Jill Schroeder, brand mgr., Schroeder Milk Co., Maplewood, Minn. Schroeder Milk recently upgraded its look. "After 115 years, we had outgrown our farm image and wanted to make a change that truly projects a modern and progressive dairy," says Schroeder. Unlike most dairies that have simply added single-serve bottles to their fluid milk line, Schroeder Milk converted its entire line to white resin. "We wanted to extend our personality to the entire line, not just single-serve as we have seen with other dairies," adds Schroeder. Most dairies using pigmented jugs purchase them preformed, rather than blow mold them on-site, even if the dairy has blow-molding equipment. This eliminates the possibility of contaminating non-pigmented packaging with color. When pigmented HDPE is used for bottling ESL milk, blow molding is often done on-site as part of the ESL-controlled environment. Either way, turning HDPE resin into a milk container is a single-step process that involves blow molding melted resin beads. Color helps sell beverages. Expect to see more colors very soon such as coffee-milk brown and raspberry fuchsia. Even though it's more expensive than HDPE, PET's glass-like clarity and very low oxygen transmission rate makes it an extremely attractive container to beverage manufacturers. PET also has considerable mechanical resistance, is lightweight and is very versatile for designing unique shapes with sharp and contrasting profiles. According to research conducted at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va., milk packaged in traditional HDPE containers showed higher levels of oxidative off flavor than milk packaged in PET bottles with UV additive, but not higher than clear PET or glass. Interestingly, amber-colored PET had developed the least amount of oxidative off flavor. In fact, it gave complete protection to UV light, comparable to the control, which was glass wrapped in tin foil. Researchers concluded that amber-tinted and/or UV-treated PET bottles are competitive packaging choices for high-quality milk (Journal of Dairy Science 84:1341-1347). Turning PET resin into a milk container is a two-step process. Resin is melted and converted into a preform through an injection-molding process. These preforms can either be blow molded by the packaging company, which then ships pre-formed containers to the dairy, or dairies purchase the preforms, and blow mold on-site. Below a certain size bottling operation, it's not economical for dairies to install their own in-line PET bottle blow-molding machine, especially if there are a number of sizes involved or elaborate designs. Both preforms and finished bottles are available from suppliers in stock shapes and sizes; however, customization is the trend in today's beverage industry. Like with HDPE, if the bottle is being used for ESL milk, it's best that it be formed as part of the ESL operation. Because of PET's smooth finish, it's possible to use innovative caps and closures on bottles. This smooth finish is a major advantage over HDPE, which can leak when no inner seal is used. Milk can dry on the threading, which most consumers find to be very objectionable. With PET bottles, the opening's threads are so defined and smooth that inner seals are not necessary. While most glass bottles can be replaced with PET, if the PET bottle is to have the same fill volume, it needs to be designed slightly smaller than its glass counterpart because its walls are thinner than glass. Because PET bottles weigh only about 10% of comparably sized glass bottles, PET reduces freight costs. | 
Austria-originated Bomba Energy Drinks, which recently entered the U.S. marketplace, uses a hand grenade-shaped glass bottle with steel cap and ring closure to convey the "explosive energy" contained inside. The bottled is designed to be an eye-catcher, the company says. The wrap-around paper label is centered on the widest part of the 128-mm high bottle, which is 68 mm in diameter. The company also says it is currently developing a similar bottle in PET. 
Paperboard for school milk continues to be the preferred container around the world; however, the possibilities are endless on how the carton can be made to make milk more exciting. The United Kingdom's Associated Co-operative Creameries uses classic cartoon characters to give milk "child appeal" and "playground credibility," the company says. Marketing Manager Adrian Sharland says, "The key to success in school milk is the character merchandising. We deliberately chose classic characters as they have staying power, gaining instant recognition from children, teachers and parents."