Packaging
Japanese Manufacturer Achieves
Reclosable Convenience
for Chocolate Snacks
In a bid to revitalise two chocolate-based products,
Morinaga Confectionery made a switch from
pre-made bags to form/fill/seal technology. The result
was a double dividend with material cost savings of
up to 20% as well as enhanced brand value thanks
to the introduction of convenient resealable zippers.
J
APANESE goods are well-known
worldwide for their high quality.
But beyond a product’s inherent
quality, Japanese brand owners know that
in the competitive processed food
industry, attractive and convenient
packaging plays a decisive role in
consumer purchasing decisions. The
challenge is ensuring that new packaging
concepts and designs reflect the high
quality of the packaged goods.
Around the world, flexible bags and pouches have
become one of the most popular ways to package
processed foods. Japanese food manufacturers in
particular have long preferred the high quality of pre-made
bags. In recent years, however, technology improvements
have increased the popularity of form/fill/seal (FFS)
systems because of the long-term cost savings and quality
that matches pre-made packaging.
Morinaga Confectionery, one of the largest
manufacturers in Japan’s confectionery market, recently
purchased new TWEX vertical FFS packaging machines
from Tokyo Automatic Machinery (TAM) Works Ltd to
produce eye-catching, resealable packaging for two of
its most popular product lines – Choco Flake cereal crisps
and Milk Cocoa powdered chocolate drink mix.
For this project, TAM sourced high-quality press-to-
close zippers from Zip-Pak Japan Ltd. in Tokyo to be used
exclusively on the TWEX machines.
Masayuki Matsui, General Manager, Management
Division at TAM, commented on the choice, “I learned
of Zip-Pak’s products and expertise while researching
options to develop a machine with zipper capability, and
30 FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA JUNE/JULY 2006
Morinaga’s new Choco Flake
packaging offers easy
resealable storage, with
attractive marketing graphics
on the back that describe the
benefits and use of the new
zipper packaging feature.
quickly recognised that Zip-Pak had the best in-line zipper
application knowledge and solutions. It was then that we
decided to specify Zip-Pak for our TWEX system.”
With the new equipment, Morinaga was able to refresh
its brands, offer greater packaging convenience with
resealable zipper solutions, and save on material costs,
while maintaining the quality of its packages. The Choco
Flake brand enjoyed increased sales, and Milk Cocoa is
expected to enjoy material cost savings of up to 20%.
Resealable zipper rejuvenates confectionery
brand
Morinaga has been serving popular confectionery
products to Japanese consumers since 1899. The well-
established confectionery manufacturer is one of the
largest in Japan, with hundreds of products that families
and individuals have enjoyed for generations.
Based on a 2004 company sales study that reported
slowing demand for Choco Flake – a crunchy chocolate-
coated cereal crisp – Morinaga decided to make an
investment to refresh the brand. “Morinaga recognised
the growing popularity of resealable packaging amongst
Japanese consumers and decided that adding zipper

technology would increase consumer
convenience,” said Mr Matsui.
“Adding a zipper allows Choco
Flake’s young consumer base to
easily reseal the bag and keep
contents fresh until the next
consumption.”
Matching zippers to the
machine
Morinaga now produces its
medium and large size bags of Choco
Flake with resealable zippers,
offering press-to-close convenience
to consumers of all ages. The newly-
developed TWEX, a vertical FFS
system that can form pillow bags with
zippers, was developed with Zip-Pak
technology.The new machine makes
45 bags per minute, and runs
metallised, laminated polyethylene
film printed with attractive Choco
Flake marketing graphics. Instruc-
tions on how to enjoy and easily store
unconsumed portions of the product
are indicated on each package.
Mr Matsui commented, “Zip-Pak
was the only company in Japan who
had patented in-line zipper
technology for VFFS machines.
Other zipper companies only
supplied zippers for pre-made bags
and didn’t have the technology that
we wanted for the TWEX. Most
importantly, the quality of Zip-Pak’s
products met our high standards, so
it was easy to work ith them on this
new development.”
Sales for Choco Flake began to
increase once the new packaging hit
store shelves, and Morinaga
successfully reinvented its well-
known chocolate snack brand.
A second purchase
After the success of using Zip-Pak
and TAM’s products for Choco Flake,
Morinaga decided to explore vertical
FFS technology for another brand,
Milk Cocoa, a popular powdered
chocolate drink mix. Morinaga had
been using pre-made stand-up
resealable bags, and wanted a cost-
effective yet high quality option.
TAM worked closely with Zip-
Pak on a new version of TWEX, one
that could produce stand-up block-
bottom bags with press-to-close
zippers more efficiently and
accurately. The new machine has one
Packaging
of the most precise zipper applicators
available on the market and works
15% faster than the previous model.
The zipper applicator developed
jointly by Zip-Pak and TAM offers
reliable, accurate, and stable feeding
of the zipper profile in-line, consis-
tently forming high quality bags.
Zipper position accuracy in both the
cross direction and web advance
direction has a possible variation of
under 0.5 mm, enabling greater
efficiencies in package production,
thus reducing material wastage.
“The new version of TWEX
provided Morinaga with faster and
more accurate packaging and
placement of zipper on bags,” said Mr
Matsui. “With Zip-Pak’s expertise in
developing world-class zipper
applicator systems and high-quality
zipper products, we were able to
achieve our goal of developing
TWEX quickly and smoothly.”
With the new TWEX, Morinaga
can vertically form, fill, and seal the
stand-up bags with Zip-Pak’s press-
to-close zippers at a rate of over 35
bags per minute. The TAM machine
can produce various types of
At Morinaga Confectionery,
the TWEX Vertical Form/Fill/
Seal Machine from TAM
produces high quality pillow
or block-bottom bags at high
speeds with increased
accuracy and materials cost
savings of up to 20%.
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA JUNE/JULY 2006 31
 Packaging

resealable bags such as pillow or block-bottom bags, with bags, Morinaga expects to enjoy long-term packaging
widths ranging from 80 mm to 250 material cost savings of up to 20%.
mm. It can run various types of TAM is optimistic that more
heat-sealable film material and also and more companies will look
has a smoother filling process to beyond the initial investment in
prevent end-seal clogging or vertical FFS systems to realise
contamination of food product greater cost savings on packaging
during bag forming. materials in the long-run. The
company is confident that demand
Enhancing shelf appeal and for resealable packaging solutions
consumer convenience will continue to increase as more
The new packaging for Milk innovative package applications
Cocoa hit Japanese store shelves in come to market.
September 2005. The attractive “The fact that a well-
bags reflect pre-made bag quality, established Japanese company like
and are made of metallised Morinaga has adopted form/fill/
laminated polyester film with high seal technology for zippered bags
gas barrier properties. Each bag is proves that the packaging meets
formed with a Zip-Pak press-to- the market’s high quality
close zipper incorporated for standards,” Mr Matsui concluded.
consumers to quickly and easily Morinaga’s Cocoa Mix is packaged in “Companies who do not wish to
store unused portions of Milk attractive resealable stand-up block- compromise on quality when
Cocoa. The packaging acts as an bottom bags that offer zipper convenience making a decision to incorporate
to users young and old.
efficient marketing billboard, zipper convenience can now rely
featuring Morinaga’s Milk Cocoa graphics and messaging on FFS technology as a cost effective solution.”
prominently on store shelves.
By adopting TWEX technology instead of pre-made Enquiry No: 025

Double-clamp horizontal poucher for greater package control

THROUGH Bartelt, KHS has introduce a new pouching machine that features a new leading and trailing clamps
which are located on independent chains and are fully adjustable.
Previous models had only trailing clamps. The benefits of double clamps include improved pouch control
during filling and top sealing, the ability to run heavier fill weights and even faster size changeover. The poucher
produces sachets in a wide range of sizes and styles. Pouch heights can vary between 102 and 203 mm with
widths ranging from 127 to 228 mm. Pouch
styles include 3-sided and 4-sided fin seals,
gusset bottom pouches and stand-up pouches
with or without resealable zipper. The machine’s
speed is 70 cycles/minute.
Pouches are produced from film which is
unrolled and formed over a plow. Side seals are
added, and the pouches are cut apart and
conveyed horizontally to the filling station. A
top seal is added after the pouches are filled with
product. The basic machine produces 3-sided
fin seals. The other pouch styles mentioned
above can be created with change parts.
Available options include gas flush, tear
notcher, hole punch, code dater, fillers and dust
control provisions. Enquiry No: 026

32 FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA JUNE/JULY 2006

 Packaging

Wet gravies debut in

retortable pouch
AMPAC Packaging, a flexible packaging supplier
with manufacturing facilities in North America and
Asia, has developed a stand-up pouch that is both
retortable and microwaveable.
The retort pouches are currently used by
McCormick & Co., Inc. for a new line of Finishing
Sauces, which are believed to be the first time wet
gravies are being marketed in a retort pouch in the
US. Typically, wet gravies are packed in glass jars.
The Finishing Sauces range consists of five
microwaveable flavours for use with home meals: Honey on the back panel. This enables for venting during heating
Mustard, Red Burgundy Wine for Beef, Roasted Chicken and also facilitates pouring. Leftover sauce can be
Gravy with Herbs, and Creamy Mushroom and Roasted refrigerated and used for subsequent meals.
Beef. The pouches are shipped six to a corrugated case that
To make the pouches both retortable and microwaveable, doubles as a point-of-purchase display tray once the top panel
Ampac had to develop a structure without a foil layer that is removed. Enquiry No: 027
could also withstand the temperature
of the retort. The result is an adhesive
lamination which is (outer to inner Laser marking system tested on
layer) reverse printed, made with high- polyethylene bread bags
barrier polyester/oriented nylon/
polypropylene. The package does not DATALASE’s PACKMARK laser marking system has been successfully
need refrigeration before it is opened tested by the American Bakers Association (ABA) for the marking of
and has a shelf life of 12 months. variable information on polyethylene bread bags. In four field trials
To provide ease-of-use, Ampac conducted in bakeries, time, date and expiration codes were laser marked
developed “cool grip” heat seals on on a blank white panel on the top and end of the bags.
either side of the pouch. The grips are The field trials were part of an ABA project initiated in response to
located on opposite edges of the upper growing pressure on bakers and their suppliers to display increasing
half of the package and create a way amounts of readable information on baked food packages. The initial tests
for consumers to handle the package for date and code marking involved 25 companies and results were very
after microwaving. In the shape of a positive, according to DataLase. The UK-based company added that the
vertical half oval, the heat seals prevent success of the experiments demonstrates that there is room for more
the hot microwaved sauce from applications involving the whole gamut of variable data such as security
coming in contact with that part of the marking, special graphics, nutrition facts panels as well as ingredient and
structure – making it cool to the touch. allergen information.
Additionally, Ampac needed to Requiring no ink or ribbons, DataLase PACKMARK is environmentally
make sure that the heat seals were wide friendly and virtually maintenance free. This marking process combines
enough to provide an adequate grip chemistry, substrate conversion and a very low power laser energy for the
surface but not too wide as to interfere high speed printing of variable information on primary packaging. Benefits
with the opening needed to efficiently include increased pro-
fill/seal the pouches. The pouch is also ductivity and image
gusseted and has a clear bottom so the stability for brand
consumer can see the contents. protection. DataLase
The 5-ounce pouch makes two to PACKMARK is equal-
three servings and can be either ly suitable for any type
microwaved (approximately 45 of primary packaging
seconds) or can be poured into a substrate including
saucepan and heated. Prior to flexible packaging,
microwaving, the pouch is cut paper, board, plastics Enquiry No: 028
diagonally across a score line printed and metals.

FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA JUNE/JULY 2006 33