Confectionery: Multiflex
The idea originated from PAWI: a sustainable and innovative solution for attractively presenting chocolate, biscuits or confectionary in separate compartments and completely dispensing with plastic. The in-house team developed a sample and spoke to bakers and chocolate manufacturers to jointly find the best solution. Then one looked for, and found, suitable cartonboard and a mechanical engineering company that could supply the appropriate packaging machinery.
The Multiflex insert adds special value to chocolates as the cartonboard used provides an attractive appearance due to its naturalness and simplicity. The insert cartonboard is approved for direct contact with foods and includes grease barrier properties. The chocolates can be placed directly into the inserts. The Multiflex inserts can be manufactured on an industrial scale and are pre-creased. Automated packing at the customer’s filling line is possible. The cartonboard insert system represents an ecologically sound alternative to existing plastic inserts.
The new system is extremely successful, the first repeat orders came more quickly than expected. The presentation of confectionary has become considerably more attractive. Nearly all customers in Switzerland have already switched to the new solution, and launches in Germany, Belgium and France are planned. The customer given here as an example, was able to increase sales by 20 per cent by using the new system.
Jury comments
The judges were in full agreement that this packaging concept would work well and be attractive at the same time. It was designed to be used in stores where consumers select their own choice of chocolates. It was made up of different sizes and shapes of cartons and also inserts that were designed to fit the various sizes of cartons and hold the chocolates securely. The cutting complexity on the inserts appealed to the judges who noted that they worked well and were simple to insert into the cartons before the chocolates are added. An excellent concept.