PACKAGING OF MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS: TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN

Packaging helps to keep the product intact and ensures compliance with sanitary standards. Packaging protects dairy products from the environment.

Several factors affect the quality of milk and fermented milk products:

• product composition;
• manufacturing technology;
• product packaging conditions;
• quality of the packaging material.

Poor packaging can reduce the quality of fermented milk products. For example, dense cardboard packaging lets in less sunlight than clear plastic packaging. So milk will keep longer in a cardboard carton. Milk and fermented milk products absorb foreign odors very easily. Therefore, quality packaging does not have its own odor and does not allow foreign odors to pass through.

In addition to odors , dairy products absorb metals and volatile compounds. Therefore, the packaging must be made of materials that are as harmless as possible. Packaging should be resistant to the fats that dairy products contain.

Also on the package is placed the basic information about the product: its purpose, rules of use, shelf life, manufacturer.

When choosing packaging for milk and fermented milk products, you should be guided by the characteristics of these products.

1. Glass containers. Glass for packaging dairy products began to be used in the 18th century. The transparent surface made it possible to assess the quality and freshness of the product. Glass packaging can be recycled. Therefore, it is bought by people who care about the environment. Nowadays, glass packaging is used for premium and children’s products. It is glass packaging that best preserves the flavor of dairy products.

However, such packaging has many disadvantages. For example, the short shelf life of the product. Milk can be stored in glass packaging for only 36 hours. Such a short shelf life does not meet modern requirements. In 36 hours, it is difficult for sellers to sell all the goods. Glass packaging can break during transportation. This leads to additional losses.

2. Polyethylene film. It is also called milk film. This film is used to make soft bags. Packaging can consist of several layers of film, which increases its density and fat resistance. For dairy and sour-milk products, the film that consists of 3 layers is most often used. They protect the product from the effects of sunlight. Such packaging is widely used due to its low production cost.

3. thermoformed containers. It is used for packaging dairy products with pasty consistency. Such packaging is made of thermoplastic polymers, impact-resistant polysterol and other materials with similar characteristics. Products can be stored longer in such packaging.

4. Combined materials based on paper and cardboard. For fermented milk products, several packaging formats are most commonly used.

Tetra Brick. This package consists of 4 layers of polyethylene, a layer of paper and a layer of foil. It has a rectangular shape.

Tetra Brick Aseptic began to be used in 1963. The packaging is shaped like a brick. It is among the most popular milk cartons in the world.

Pure-Pak This type of packaging was patented in 1915. In 1936-1937, milk began to be filled into Pure-Pak packaging. The packaging has an elongated rectangular shape. Pure-Pak is made of multi-layer chalked material, which increases the barrier properties of the packaging.

Thanks to its near rectangular shape, packaging made of composite materials takes up little space during transportation and on store shelves. It is easy to store in warehouses. The packaging is very robust. It can hold several liters and does not tear.

Consumption of dairy products in Ukraine

Ukrainians consume220 kg of dairy productsper capita per year. This figure is much lower than in the EU, where people consume 260 kg of dairy products per year.

When choosing dairy products, most customers are primarily focused onthe price. Products made from natural milk are more expensive, so people take dairy products with additives.

Of all the dairy products, milk is the one people buymost often. In addition to its standard use, it is used for cooking many dishes and added to coffee. Drinkingyogurt is another popular product. They are nutritious, quickly satiating and convenient to take with you. Drinking yogurt is loved by office workers, students, people who are on diets or watching their diet. The popularity of healthy lifestyles among the population has increased thedemand for cottage cheese. Parents buy various yogurts and cheese masses for their children.

Consumers considerproducts labeled “for children” to be of higher quality. Therefore, adults often buy them for themselves. Children’s dairy products often contain vitamin supplements.

You can read more about the state of the Ukrainian dairy market in our reviews for 2016 and 2015.

You can order a more detailed desk study at KOLORO. Contact us and our manager will answer all your questions.

Manufacturers of packaging for milk and dairy products

1. “Ukrplastic”. The history of the enterprise began in 1927, when the rosin and turpentine plant was established. In 1960 the plant became Kyiv Chemical Combine. In 1997 the enterprise started reconstruction aimed at introduction of new technologies. The enterprise produces packaging for such groups of goods as:

• cosmetics;
• household chemicals;
• household goods;
• groceries, etc.

2. PE “Aventine”. Since 1999 the company has been engaged in the supply and production of packaging materials. Aventin is one of the industry leaders in Ukraine. The company takes an active part in international exhibitions of packaging materials.

The company manufactures packaging for:

• dairy products;
• groceries;
• snacks;
• household chemicals, etc.

PE “Aventin” cooperates with such brands of dairy products:

• “Slovya’nochka.”
• “Generously.”
• “Olcom.”
• “The Prize.”

3. “Interagropack. Since 1998 it has been engaged in the production of polymer packaging.

The company manufactures packaging for:

• oil and fat products;
• sour milk products;
• convenience foods, etc.

The company’s packaging is used by more than 150 enterprises in Ukraine and neighboring countries.

Dairy product packaging design: 4 examples

Attractive packaging design encourages people to make a purchase. KOLORO’s team of marketer and designer picked four examples of dairy packaging design from 2015-2016 that illustrate the top trends in the industry.

1. Dairy product design: minimalism in packaging

White is the primary color for dairy products. Järna Mejeri’s dairy packaging design (Sweden, 2016) is a perfect example of how to use it correctly. The black serif font adds sophistication and allows you to complete the image. A small, inconspicuous logo is a trend that is gaining momentum. Back in 2014 such a logo was used exclusively for STM retailers. But later, traditional brands began to move the logo to the background as well. This allows the product itself to be prioritized, showing that quality is the main thing.

Dairy packaging design by Järna Mejeri

2. Dairy packaging design: revision of green meadows image

The use of greenery on packaging is a classic dairy brand technique. It is used to distance itself from the industrial associations associated with dairy production. When consumers see meadow flowers, they associate the brand with a natural product. Usually, manufacturers limit themselves to a small illustration of a green meadow. There may also be cows, sheaves of hay, mills – all of these things are associated by consumers with country life and milk We wrote more about this in our article.

The Rodnaya Priroda brand of dairy products (Russia, 2016) is an example of a different approach to “green” elements in dairy design. Illustrations of wildflowers do an excellent job of creating a “fresh” image of the products. Another plus is the individual images of each product. The color scheme differentiates the products, and this design is clearly visible on the shelf. The consumer can quickly find the right brand among a couple dozen competitors.

Packaging design of the Native Nature dairy brand

Milk design: futuristic and technological

An interesting approach was demonstrated by the creators of the packaging for the Cheburashkin Brothers dairy brand (Russia, 2015). They emphasized on technological efficiency. This is expressed in the use of unusual colors (such shades of purple and lilac are rarely used for dairy products) and font geometry. The packaging as a whole also looks extraordinary and more modern than any other representative of the Russian dairy shelf.

Kefir packaging design “Cheburashkin Brothers”

Like the previous players, they relegated the logo to the background and put the category name in the center. To demonstrate the boldness of the product, the designers used the power of typography. A product with a minimum fat content has no extra serifs in the center lettering (below is an example with an “M” for milk). As the percentage of fat content increases, new details appear on the letter designation (“M” for milk, “Y” for yogurt and “K” for kefir).

Cheburashkin Brothers milk packaging design

4. Spoonable yogurt packaging design: illustration as a way to the heart of a young audience

Kourellas (Greece, 2016) offers several types of Greek yogurt and soft cheeses. The key element of communication with the consumer here is a bright color scheme, (sets the mood for fun), handwritten font (emphasizes the organic origin of the product) and illustrations that successfully complete the image. Kourellas is a brand that caters to a young audience and the visual image hits this target audience well.

Kourellas packaging design

For on-trend design, turn to KOLORO. We know how to find the heart of the consumer.

Results

1. High-quality packaging is the guarantor of product safety. The quality of the chosen packaging determines the shelf life of the product.
2. The type of packaging should be selected based on the basic properties of the product: fat content, viscosity, density, etc.
3. For milk and sour milk products, combined materials and polyethylene film are most often used. Glass is used for premium dairy products.
4. Modern developments are focused on finding packaging that will allow produce to stay fresh for as long as possible.
5. The main trends in the design are an emphasis on the product and a revision of classic approaches to the image of a dairy brand.

To become a regular guest in people’s homes and make your brand a popular favorite, contact KOLORO. We will create a brand image that will stay in the hearts of consumers for a long time.