Florette | Encouraging convenient home vegetable consumption

AMCOR’S STAND-UP POUCH WITH PROTECTVALVE ENCOURAGES CONVENIENT HOME VEGETABLE CONSUMPTION

Part of a French-owned agricultural cooperative Agrial, Florette UK & Ireland is a salad and vegetable processing company based in Lichfield, Staffordshire. The company offers fresh, ready-to-eat salads and vegetables, sold by all major food retailers. Its aim is to encourage more consumers to enjoy the natural benefits of ready-to-eat vegetables.

CONVENIENCE IS KING

While everybody knows that they should eat healthily, many people simply don’t have the time to prepare fresh food and chop up vegetables every night. After extensive research, Florette found that a quick, convenient way to prepare vegetables would encourage UK consumers to eat more fresh veg at home, and the company was eager to capitalize on this trend. After developing a new line of microwavable green beans with seasoned butter to attract younger shoppers, Florette had the challenge of finding a suitable packaging option; one that would allow for convenient preparation without compromising on quality, freshness or shelf-life.

STANDING UP TO THE CHALLENGE

After investigating multiple options, the company decided that stand-up pouches with ProtectValve technology were the most suitable solution. The team at Amcor worked closely with Florette to develop a paper-textured pouch with a viewing window, enabling consumers to see the freshness of the product, and a steam valve for microwave cooking, which preserved freshness and flavor. The product could be cooked in three minutes, and the unique packaging design distinguished the brand, making it stand out in a crowded market dominated by private label suppliers.

A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION

Amcor’s Stand-up Pouch not only enabled Florette to appeal to a broader range of shopper but provided a lightweight solution. The packaging is easy to transport, and seals in product freshness to prolong shelf-life thanks to Amcor’s P-Plus technology. P-Plus films are specially designed for fresh fruits and vegetables using tailored-gas permeability, naturally creating a modified atmosphere without gas flushing. The packaging also comes in a range of convenient pack sizes for controlled portions.

The ProtectValve system provides an easy-to-use integrated venting system that enables microwave cooking without the need to open the pack. The result is a significantly reduced cooking time that involves lower energy consumption than more conventional cooking methods, thus enabling more sustainable and convenient food preparation for consumers. ProtectValve can also be included in a variety of package types without additional adjustments to the packaging process.

Sarah Williams, Innovation Controller at Florette, said: “Freshness and convenience are the ultimate selling factors in our market, so packaging is almost as important as the product itself. Microwavable steaming pouches offer amazing convenience without compromising on freshness, helping to introduce the Florette brand to new shoppers within the prepped veg category.”