Packaging of Ice-Cream

While a lot of customers purchase ice cream on impulse, the appeal and brand image become one of the
biggest factors for ice cream manufacturers. In this situation, the design and high quality of the product
packaging become vital to driving sales and staying ahead of the competition.
With shrinking marketing budgets and smaller margins, advertisement moves from the TV screens and
billboards to the shelves of the supermarkets. On-shelf advertising is much more effective, too, as the
amount of time between the ad and the decision to purchase is minimal – thanks to the right choice of
ice cream packaging, as it helps your product stand out among others, informs the customers, and
conveys company message.

Composite combinations for ice cream packaging

There is an ample choice of composites for ice cream pouch. Uniflex experts will take multiple factors
into account to choose the best combination that suits both your packaging needs and your vision.
Every packaging solution is created individually, so please keep that in mind for the schemes
demonstrated below.
SCHEME 1. Packaging based on transparent and metallized polypropylene films offers high
protection for the chocolate coating – the thin layer of aluminium foil provides good insulation from
the environment, greatly improving shelf life and design options.
• transparent polypropylene film (good barrier properties against water vapours, high
transparency)
• oriented metallized polypropylene foil (good protection against moisture, reflects sunlight)

SCHEME 2. Pearl-white polypropylene film is ideal for ice cream pouch: it has a porous foamed
structure, which is light and looks extremely white, allowing for unrestricted design concepts.
• polypropylene film (good water condensate blocking properties, high level of whiteness)
SCHEME 3. This is a single-layer laminate. Oriented transparent polypropylene film is used to
emphasize the attractiveness of the product. 
• transparent polypropylene film (good barrier properties against water vapours, high
transparency)

Paper or plastic? That’s the choice that ice cream manufacturers have to make, right from the start,
when they are planning their process, choosing equipment, and designing their containers. Ice cream
can be packaged in paperboard cartons or in plastic packaging. There are many benefits and advantages
that result from choosing plastic packaging for ice cream products. These benefits begin on the
production floor, and extend all the way to the enhanced marketing possibilities for the product, when it
is on the shelves in store freezers.
In fact, the container can have a life beyond its intended use as an ice cream package, if the customer
chooses to use it as a container for other foods at home – and because a plastic container is much more
durable than one made of paper, the container can continue to present the brand’s printed message to
the customer, long after the ice cream is gone!
Which Type of Plastic to Choose?
At MEC Packaging, we can help you evaluate the choices, when it comes to picking a particular type of
plastic to use for your packaging. You will want to choose a material that can withstand freezing
temperatures associated with ice cream manufacturing and storage. You may want to choose a single
type of plastic, rather than multiplayer products, to make recycling more easy and convenient for the
customer.
Hi-density Polyethylene, or HDPE, is a popular choice for both containers and lids. It is flexible, strong
and impact resistant, and can be formulated to withstand cold temperatures very well. It is lightweight,
which can be a consideration when shipping costs are considered.
For products like ice cream popsicles or bars, several types of plastic film are available. These films
can also be preprinted with eye-catching graphics.

Containers and Tubs

Plastic tubs are available for packaging ice cream, ranging in size from a few ounces for single serve
portions, to several gallons for use in ice cream shops. These tubs are dimensionally stable, and work
well with automated filling equipment. They can be printed in any number of ways: during the molding
process; as they are going down the assembly line at the container manufacturer’s facility; or at the ice
cream manufacturer’s facility, either with direct printing, or with a label applied during filling.
Tubs can be ordered in many different shapes. They can be round or rectangular; have straight sides or
tapered sides; an oval shape, which makes scooping easier; and even fluted sides, popular for single
serve portions. Larger tubs are available that have colored plastic handles, making a family sized “pail”
of ice cream convenient for the customer to carry home.
Many colors are available for tubs. One interesting container choice for ice cream products is clear – a
raspberry swirl in vanilla ice cream, for example, shows up very well in a transparent container, and
can really draw the customer’s eye. Clear containers can have printing in some areas, and the
transparent parts of the container can show off the delicious product inside.

Options for Lids

A lid can be designed to fit onto the tub in several different ways. Most snap tightly over the top. For
easier opening, the lid can be made with a special tab; the customer pulls up on the tab, and pulls it to
remove the lid from the ice cream container. For single serve packages, the lid can be designed to have
a built-in spoon on the underside, which makes eating the contents easy, convenient – and fun!
Plastic lids can be manufactured with very tight tolerances, to ensure compatibility with automated
filling equipment. In fact, even if paperboard is chosen for the tub and the lid, a plastic rim can be
bonded to the paperboard lid, for increased dimensional stability to improve the fit during the
manufacturing process.
Any of the printing processes used on the tub can also be used on the top of the lid. Printing can also be
applied to the side of the lid. And don’t forget about the underside – printing can be applied here, too,
to give more information about the product, offer a coupon, or perhaps provide a fun message to the
customer.
If a tamper-proof seal is desired, a plastic film can be applied to the top of the tub after filling; the lid is
then pressed onto the top of the sealed container during the manufacturing process.

Manufacturing Considerations
The benefits of plastic packaging are evident on the production line; the high tolerances possible with
manufactured plastic parts will help ensure that machinery operates smoothly. With MEC Packaging as
your distributor, we can help you choose plastic packaging that has been fabricated to work well with
your automated filling machinery.

Plastic Packaging Can Show off Your Brand

Plastic containers and tubs are available in plain white; these will do the job of packaging ice cream
perfectly well – but so much more can be done! Plastic packaging lends itself to printing and
decorating. For a consistent brand image throughout your product line, you may have already chosen
specific colors for your brand. You can specify that the same colors be used in your plastic packaging,
too. With available eye-popping colors, your ice cream products will stand out from the competition in
the frozen foods section.
We look forward to helping you create fantastic plastic packaging for your ice cream! Please send us an
email at: wyx@mec.com.cn