To take advantage of specialty-cheese consumption during the holidays, San Antonio-based H.E. Butt Grocery Co. (HEB) introduced its family of private-label 2-pound chunk cheeses in packaging designed to both stand out in the dairy case and increase ease of use for the consumer: Clear-Tite® 13 Surround® barrier shrink bags from Oshkosh, Wis.-based Curwood Inc.

The HEB packages feature Curwood’s patented EZ Peel opening system to make the cheeses especially convenient to access and serve. The bags open easily at an engineered peel point without the use of knives or scissors, yet exhibit uncompromised shear, puncture and seal strength to protect freshness and flavor throughout distribution and handling.

The HEB bags also feature full-color graphics around the entire perimeter to draw attention at retail, thanks to Curwood’s award-winning 360-degree Surround printing. This technology enhances branding by eliminating traditional “no-print zones” that reduce the billboard effect and create a visual interruption at the side of traditional shrink bags. “The EZ Peel feature, combined with 360-degree ‘uninterrupted’ printing, is an ideal way to differentiate and add value to chunk-cheese products,” says Dave Engen, cheese market manager for Curwood. “The opening technology can be applied to packages containing as little as two ounces or as much as several pounds of cheese.”

Graphics for the seven natural chunk-cheese varieties are flexo printed using four process colors plus four line colors for a dramatic visual effect. Each cheese is color-coded to make it easy for shoppers to differentiate individual cheeses in the family of branded products.

Clear-Tite 13 Surround bags are made from high-gloss, low-haze materials to create an attractive package with excellent visibility for product viewing. Bags are available in a variety of factory-seal shapes and feature precise width control and high shrink to eliminate unsightly excess film. The tough, high-barrier bags are engineered to protect cheese for maximum shelf life during refrigerated storage, and offer excellent abrasion resistance to minimize scuffing during transport and handling. They also offer excellent heat-sealing performance to minimize leaks.
— Curwood Inc., A Bemis Company, 2200 Badger Ave., P.O. Box 2968, Oshkosh, Wis., 54903-2968, phone: (920) 303-7300, fax: (920) 303-7306, e-mail curwood@bemis.com, Web site: www.curwood.com.