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The example of Capri-Sun shows how much the pouch format has grown up. The kids' favourite has launched an adult variant of its juice drinks. Fruit Rush is still in a foil laminate pouch, but with a reclosable spout rather than a straw.

The pouch format has caught the imagination of brands and consumers in sectors as diverse as liquid and dry foods, pet foods, household products, haircare, bath products and even prescription creams.

As the convenience benefits of the format have become better understood, it has migrated from being a second-best alternative, or refill for rigid containers, to being seen as a classy container in its own right.

Guido Winsel, communications director at the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA), cites the example of pet food in the emerging markets of central and Eastern Europe. “In other markets, there was a move from traditional cans to other types of foil container and only then to pouches,” he says. “But in these newer markets that hasn’t happened. Led by the big brands such as Nestlé and Masterfoods, products have gone directly into pouches.”

In 2002, there were 3.24 billion units of pet food sold in stand-up pouches in Europe. By 2007, this figure had doubled, according to Pira International. The EAFA can point to new categories where foil laminate pouches are conquering a share of the market, from cosmetic towels in a reclosable pack to dairy products such as cream, where one brand has replaced a cup and foil lid combination with a pouch.

But foil’s main strength is also a limitation, given that aluminium is an excellent barrier to microwaves, as well as gas and moisture. With huge growth in ready meals, this means foil pouches are missing out. And here, non-foil, retortable ceramic-coated laminates have been quick to spot an opportunity.

Amcor Flexibles (AF) produces foil and non-foil pouch laminates, as well as preformed pouches. Roy Van den Oudenhoven, commercial director at AF Schupbach in Switzerland, says: “I can’t think of any sector that uses pouches and that isn’t growing at the moment. In carbohydrate-based ready meals, for instance, based on the latest Pira International studies, we are seeing double-digit annual growth, even in mature markets like the UK. In France there is low double-digit growth, and huge growth in Germany.” The global market for stand-up pouches was estimated at around 30 billion units in 2007.

According to AF, this growth is affecting both types of laminate. Markets that have taken foil laminate retort pouches effectively as a standard, notably pet food, show no signs of slowing down. And, he says, the ceramic barrier structures segment is “probably growing at an even faster rate, probably because it’s a less mature market”.

Barrier performance
Van den Oudenhoven adds that ceramic barrier materials are “significantly more expensive” than foil. That differential is enough to dictate that brands are only likely to opt for a non-foil barrier if they require microwavability, product visibility, or metal detection capability.

There are also differences when it comes to performance in and out of the retort. “So long as it remains intact, aluminium foil clearly offers the perfect barrier,” he says. AF’s development manager for retort, Dr Helmar Utz, adds: “A foil laminate gives you an 18-month shelf-life. Even with the best quality transparent barrier material, shelf-life will be closer to 12 months.” He also makes the point that no two ceramic barrier films are the same, so correct specification is essential.

Generally, there is no reason why these ceramic barrier materials cannot perform as well as foil laminates in an autoclave. But, as Utz explains, the greater sensitivity of non-foil structures means that if the process settings are wrong, the barrier is more likely to be damaged.

AF is now seeing greater take-up of form-fill-seal (FFS) options in pouch packaging. FFS has already established a sizeable market in pouches for hot-fill applications. And now more companies are going that way for retort packaging. 

Meanwhile, at Interpack 2008, Mondi Packaging Consumer Flexibles showed FFS pouches created from its own Neo-Steam material, which integrates a steam valve.

Elsewhere, FFS pouches are stretching conceptions of what actually constitutes a pouch. Huhtamaki’s Ronsberg site in Germany is producing materials for its new Cyclero pouch. Global director for Cyclero, Gerhard Hartmann, says: “It looks like an ordinary can, but in reality it’s a pouch.”

That definition depends upon the fact that it uses a flexible laminate for the walls of the cylindrical container. Different base and closure options are available. There is a visible longitudinal seal, and the top and bottom are ultrasonically welded to the container wall, says Hartmann.

The version so far produced for beverages combines a foil barrier with PP for additional stiffness, but different material options are possible. The current structure can withstand pasteurisation at over 80°C, but cannot be sterilised, and gives up to six months shelf-life.

Naturally, it is not only the barrier layer that ensures pouch performance. Speciality chemicals company Rohm & Haas supplies different grades of adhesive used to bond the various layers in foil and non-foil pouch laminate structures. As development and technical services manager at the group’s Bremen Technical Centre, Hans–Günter Schetschok has been responsible for many trials combining different materials.

Generally, says Schetschok, solvent-based adhesives give good results with both foil and ceramic-barrier laminates in a retort process. “But you do occasionally still see problems with leaking at the seam on non-foil pouches that you don’t find with foil structures,” he cautions.

Colour leaks
One further issue that has been tackled in recent years is the penetration of food dyes and colouring into the white pigmented layers of the retort pouch laminate. Unlike foil, a ceramic coating will not prevent this on its own, and the resulting discolouration can be a problem at the point of sale. One solution is the use of an organic barrier layer such as ethyl vinyl alcohol (EVOH).

Development work in ceramic-coated retort laminates continues to yield results in terms of reliability, quality and potentially cost. But foil laminates look likely to retain their share of the pouch market, especially in fast-evolving sectors such as pet food. And non-barrier pouches will also win new markets, this time for reasons of lightness, convenience and – in some cases – sheer novelty value.

NON-FOIL OPTIONS

Where there is no need for heat processing or for high-performance gas barriers, pouches can be created from simpler, foil-free film structures. However, ceramic coating developments mean that better product protection can be provided, too, even where foil is absent from the laminate.

When PZ Cussons brand Original Source wanted to dress up its showergel products as food and drink lookalikes, it turned to the clear, stand-up pouch. “We started looking at packaging that might complement the ingredients in our shower products, packs that were already established in food and, to a lesser extent, in haircare,” says marketing manager Bruce Furlonger.

The development team had to ensure that issues of stability and easy dispensing were addressed. But, as Furlonger explains, the benefits from packaging weight reduction were also important. The pouches are already in-store in 250ml and 500ml sizes. 

In the case of Original Source, the preformed pouches are filled by a contract manufacturer. After filling, the top of each pouch is sealed and the spout and closure applied.

Mondi Packaging Consumer Flexibles specialises in the production of non-foil pouch laminates incorporating a SiOx barrier. Marketing manager Alexandra Lindenthal highlights two of the benefits of this transparent barrier material in the food arena. Firstly, she says, microwavability is a huge benefit, as the ready meal market expands. Mondi is experiencing growth in applications from pasta and couscous to soups and sauces.

The issue of visibility is a more sensitive one, and depends both on the market and the product. With many products, the artwork may be more appealing than the chilled or ambient reality. “There’s no demand for a clear window in the pet-food market, for instance,” Lindenthal says.

“At the same time, consumers in Germany and Austria, for example, are open to the idea of greater product visibility.” This might not be the case in other parts of Europe, she suggests.

With many food products, the on-pack description and artwork may be more appealing than the chilled or ambient reality. But with at least one recent application of a Mondi pouch, freeze-dried Magic Fruits, the clear window could have the opposite effect of actually encouraging the consumer to buy the unfamiliar product, says Lindenthal.