Beverage, news for and from all over the world

By Brau Beviale

People will always drink – a fact that has a calming effect on the beverage industry particularly when times are difficult. According to the German Association for Nutrition (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung), the recommended daily consumption of fluids is 1.5 l, which may be as much as three litres or more in summer and in southern countries. Unfortunately, however, a large demand for body fluids does not as such mean smooth business in the European beverage industry. It is a matter of producers convincing consumers to consume a certain category of drinks and ultimately their own brand. In saturated markets like Western Europe, North America and Australia, 66 % of the required body fluids are covered by packaged drinks. On the other hand, packaged drinks account for just 22 % in maturing markets like Eastern Europe and Latin America, and only around 10 % in markets still to be developed, like Asia, the Middle East and Africa (Euromonitor International).

Biodegradable packaging boards

Stora Enso is meeting the growing demand for biodegradable packaging solutions by expanding its selection of biopolymer-coated packaging boards. Biodegradable coating options are available for a number of the company's board grades for use in cups, plates, trays and folding cartons. The paper cups used at the Finnish Pavillion at the current World Expo in Shanghai are made from biodegradable Cupforma board.

New Study Gives “Green” Light to PET Bottles over Glass or Aluminum

A newly released life-cycle inventory of single-serving soda containers concludes that PET plastic bottles offer a better environmental footprint than aluminum cans or glass bottles by using less energy, generating less solid waste, and creating significantly fewer greenhouse gases.

The cradle-to-grave study, conducted by Franklin Associates for the PET Resin Association (PETRA), compared total energy, solid waste and greenhouse gas emissions per 100,000 ounces of soft drinks packaged in typical 20-oz PET bottles, 8-oz glass bottles, or 12-oz aluminum cans. The PET bottles showed appreciably lower numbers across the board.

From O-I: glass packaging design through time

Glass, packaging and design: three words that have together woven a story that impacts strongly on our everyday life, not only on our consumption behaviour and preferences, but also on our lifestyles and even on our awareness of and commitment to the environment.

Glass: used as a material to package and serve beverages for centuries because of its preservation qualities, glass is still valued by consumers today for its ability to preserve taste and aromas. It is also trusted by consumers as a safe and healthy material for themselves and for the environment.

Food Packages 32: a lot of news

The first need of perishable products as meat and fish is that to extend the shelf- life, operating both on the conservation of the sensory characteristics on the slowdown of the microbial growth. This one, together with the ease of processing and the good display of the contained product, is the main requirement helping during the choice of air-packed, vacuum-packed or modified atmosphere packaging, also on the basis of the kind of product to pack and of the market it is addressed to. Read on Food Packages 32 the interview to main retailers and Italian food companies.

Spice girl

If it is indirectly the quest of spices that led to the discovery of the Americas by Europeans, the passion has definitely not had much influence on American cuisine and, in fact, except salt, pepper marginal and some spices, we are collectively ignorant regarding all these subtleties that distinguish the food of men from that of animals.

Geneviève Côté in my packaging course has investigated this issue and tried to solve some problems identified as a cause for the cultural deprivation. First, the spices should not be exposed to light and therefore; she must develop an opaque package. Secondly, the fact that spices are often poorly identified and badly presented, there is a problem of identification but also recovery to be solved. In short, we forget the contents of all bags lying in the bottom of the closet and therefore we don’t use them. The major concept was based on the recovery of the spice through a very graphic gesture.

Genevieve was very busy in developing those pretty triangular prisms for a large number of spices known and less known. The result is striking and the modular boxes allow very interesting geometrical configurations.

Starbucks wants to reduce waste

Starbucks Coffee Company underlines the urgency to improve and maximize recycling systems across United States.

As recycling capabilities are different along the areas, Starbuck is trying to involve key stakeholders to develop by 2012 a recyclable cup solution which can reduce packaging waste.