Today’s consumers, especially in urban areas, lead a busy\nlife. They are always on-the-go, spending a lot of time at work, in commuting,\netc. As a result, snacking is on the rise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Increasing disposable incomes, a need for convenience from\nfast-paced lifestyles and a cultural tradition of snacking<\/strong><\/a> between meals have fuelled\nexplosive growth in this sector. What’s more, children are having more say in\nbuying decisions. As a result, the market has witnessed a high growth\ntrajectory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fuelling this\ngrowth is the ever-increasing varieties of snacks penetrating the market. There\nwas a time when branded salty snacks were mostly potato chips. However, players\nnow offer new products like extruded snacks, \nbesides expanding their traditional snacks offerings, e.g. Murukku,\nChakali, Mathri, Gathiya, Samosas, Daal, Farsan Mixtures, etc. which has seen several\nconsumers upgrade from the unbranded market to branded products. Also, given\nthe increasing concerns surrounding \u2018unhealthy\u2019 snacking, players have\npositioned brands and products around \u2018health\u2019, e.g. baked, roasted,\nmultigrain, low fat, etc. to reach out to the health-conscious segments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Given this exciting potential in the snack market,\nmanufacturers need to find the best packaging solution<\/strong><\/a> for their\nproducts. Worldwide, and increasingly in India too, stand-up pouches are the\nway to go. Here are 5 reasons why stand-up pouches are your best choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Stand out on\nthe retail shelf<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Packaging is not just a container to hold and carry your product. It’s an important branding<\/a><\/strong> and sales tool, a crucial part of the consumer experience. Packages that lie flat on retail shelves provide minimum visibility while a stand-up pouch<\/strong> attracts attention and builds better brand awareness. Standup pouches stand upright on the shelf, acting like its own poster or hoarding. They also offer more space for high-resolution graphics to entice consumers, and for other important product information, that earns consumer trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Freshness\nimproved<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Studies show that a large percentage of foods get thrown\naway by consumers due to lack of freshness and fast approaching expiration\ndates. Increasing shelf life for dry snack products<\/strong><\/a> is therefore\nextremely important. <\/p>\n\n\n\n High-barrier materials and resealable zipper closures used\non standup pouches protect snacks against moisture, odor, punctures and spills\nwhich help to keep food fresher for longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Convenience and\nportability<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Flexible stand-up\npouches<\/strong> for snacks are smaller and more compact so they occupy less space\non the shelf – both in the retail store and the kitchen shelf at home. In\noffice or at home, stand-up pouches take up less space than boxed products or\nflat pouches. Stand-ups are lightweight, no-nonsense packs that can be easily\ncarried by people on-the-go. If they feature a recloseable zipper, convenience\nis doubled as consumers can re-seal the pack if they have not consumed all the\ncontents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Flexibility and\nfunctionality<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Stand-up pouches<\/strong><\/a> come in a variety\nof formats across numerous market segments, with different barrier technologies\nto provide protection, and stiffness requirements for performance. Snack\nmanufacturers can choose from a growing number of formats (sizes, shapes), material\naspects (clear, white and metallised) and production methods (pre-made,\nhorizontal and VFFS) depending on their product and desire for differentiation\nin the market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Stand-up pouches also offer innovative user-friendly\nfeatures such as the press-to-close zipper or slider to make usage even more\nconvenient. This increases value, freshness and convenience; it also decreases\nthe need for additional storage items and reduces waste. Resealability also\nhelps consumers access their snack easily, wherever they may be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. Savings and\nsustainability<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Stand-up pouches, like all flexible\npackaging<\/strong><\/a>, require less material to make. Rigid packaging costs three\nto six times more per unit than flexible packaging. So choosing stand up\npouches mean reduced cost and better profit margins for your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In distribution too, stand-up pouches offer cost savings.\nMore units fit in a single truck and being lightweight, fuel costs are lower\ntoo. Warehousing is easier \u2013 you can store more in the same space, and they are\nlighter and cheaper to move around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s more, stand- up pouches are better for the\nenvironment. This packaging uses fewer materials and less energy and water to\nmake, and takes up less space in landfills. Ongoing R&D for innovative\nbiodegradable or recyclable materials is adding to the futuristic application\nand advantages of this packaging format.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n No wonder stand-up pouches are one of the fastest growing\npack formats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In India, Nichrome has innovated the first stand-up pouch packaging machine<\/strong>: Vertipack 320. This sturdy, high-speed machine offers unmatched versatility in stand-up packaging. It produces stand-up pouches with or without zipper, and can pack products in a variety of pouch formats with short changeover. The applications too are diverse: Dry Fruits, Pasta, Snacks, Confectionaries, Indian Namkeens, Grains, Pulses, Sugar, Powdery Products, etc. A range of compatible fillers increases versatility of this automated snack packaging machine<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As India\u2019s leading\npackaging solutions company<\/strong>, Nichrome offers extensive domain knowledge,\nindustry experience and pro-active R&D to innovate integrated packaging solutions<\/strong> for a broad gamut of applications\nand customer challenges. Packaging machines<\/strong><\/a>, packaging systems, filling systems<\/strong> \u2013\nNichrome offers them all, partnering with customers through the complete life\ncycle, to enhance productivity and return on investment.\n\nFor stand-up\npackaging<\/strong> and all other flexible packaging needs, connect with Nichrome.\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n