Tetra Pak bids for consumer cachet with new ‘curvaceous’ shapes and easy-opening closures

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Michael Grosse, Tetra Pak’s executive vice president of development and service operations, said that, following its 2005 launch, the Tetra Gemini Aseptic Range was now available in 30 markets via 80 brands, while the company had supplied around 70 related filling machines.

He said that the firm would roll-out two new shapes via a limited release over the next six months, followed by a full commercial release at the end of 2012.

“What we are adding to this segment is what I would call the most appealing aseptic carton package in the market,”​ he said.

Grosse added: “We call it ‘TGA new shapes – Crystal and Leaf’, and when we looked into the performance of this and researched consumers in both juice and liquid dairy across Europe and Russia, consumer ratings from 1-5 show the attractiveness of the package.​

“I truly think that it adds functionality to what we have already in Tetra Gemini (with excellent pouring) with a new shape that adds functionality for the consumer to hold the package, and at the same time it adds a new appeal and a fresh look.”​

Innovation potential​

Both new designs can be produced using Tetra Pak’s A3/Flex platform, and the firm said this gave customers the potential to produce three different shapes using the same machine, and innovate in response to market demands.

Tetra Pak said that Tetra Gemina Aseptic 1000 Crystal maintained key attributes of the original product – including a slanted top to provide the best possible product flow – within a new shape including four crystal-shaped panels to support retail differentiation.

A new closure used with Tetra Gemina Aseptic 1000 Crystal and 1000 Leaf – the HeliCap 27 – also offered better usability, providing a 27mm neck size with better one-step functionality and superior pouring quality, the firm said.

Used on the Tetra Prisma Aseptic Square – launched in Portugal and Italy – HeliCap 27 became the first one-step opening to be recognised and approved as ‘easy to open’ by the Swedish Rheumatism Association (SRA) in March 2012.

Grosse said: “We’re reducing the opening force by 60%, and we tested the closure primarily on elderly consumers…and pouring performance improved by 30% due to a larger opening surface, while we have cut CO2 emissions by 18% simply by cutting the production injection time from 10s to 4.3s.”​

Tetra Rex Pearl​

Another new launch, Tetra Rex Pearl is a brand new package designed for premium milk and juice drinks that Tetra Pak said delivered improved branding possibilities for retailers.

Scheduled for launch in Q1 of 2013, and Tetra Pak said this moved away from the ‘faceted’ shapes traditionally associated with cartons towards a “more curvaceous simplistic shape”​.

The firm added: “The curved, droplet-shaped keyline creates an impactful side profile and defines the overall new look. In addition, the absence of a front horizontal crease line creates one large front panel that not only opens up new branding possibilities, but also affords the space for a large, premium-looking closure.”​

Elsewhere, to meet demand for daily dose drinks, energy boosters and probiotics (a market it said it expected to expand globally by 4% from 2011 to 2014) Tetra Pak also announced the wider launch (beyond Finland, where it is already available) of its Lokka tear-off opening (pictured) for the Tetra Top Carton Shot.

Heralding the apparent success of Tetra Brik Aseptic 1000ml Edge, Tetra Pak also announced new Tetra Brik Aseptic Edge 200ml and 250ml ‘portion’ packs, with either screwcap closures (for release in Q2 2012) or straws (now available globally).