Four Secondary Packaging Trends in the Dairy Industry

The dairy industry is seeing significant changes in secondary packaging as new technologies and consumer preferences have impacted how products are packaged and displayed on the shelves. PMMI’s latest dairy industry report on innovation, adaptation, and transformation reported that manufacturers most open to advancements and adapting will avoid falling behind the competition.

From sustainability to convenience, we’ve identified four trends in the dairy industry that require increased packaging flexibility and expertise to support new packaging formats and styles. We’ll explain each trend and how partnering with BPA can help dairy manufacturers remain competitive for space on the retail shelves and for consumer attention. 

Incorporating More Sustainable Materials 

Consumers are aware of the hazardous effects of some packaging materials on the environment. They want more sustainable packaging solutions made from recycled or recyclable materials. However, barrier protection and other requirements can sometimes create friction for dairy manufacturers when balancing sustainability and flexibility.

We can handle various secondary packaging materials from an automation perspective to meet sustainability and other packaging requirements. For example, we are often asked to minimize corrugated cardboard as much as possible, which is usually a sustainability initiative but also relates to reducing overall material costs. 

In this example, our engineers can recommend a solution to minimize the square inches of case blanks going into the machines. This can often be done creatively by reducing some of the major flaps. We also often recommend using a wrap around case style to reduce corrugated secondary packaging and improve sustainability. 

Reducing Carbon Footprint

Dairy producers have traditionally focused on reducing the energy required to produce and transport their products. This focus is driven by various industry initiatives, government regulations, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals. While these initiatives and goals usually involve the equipment that processes the dairy products, minor tweaks in packaging can also support them. 

For example, if a change in packaging allows a manufacturer to fit more products per case, more products can fit on the truck, reducing CO2 emissions per product. BluePrint Automation is good at accommodating these changes. We’ve seen many packaging formats, patterns, and sizes that standard machines couldn’t support, but we have robotics solutions to tackle those challenges to reduce energy consumption. 

Improving Shelf Appeal

We are seeing more stand-up pouches, squeeze bottles, and other packaging formats to replace the big dairy tubs and accommodate consumer demand for responsible packaging and smaller portions. Yet, it’s not perfect. The shredded cheese pouches with the center punched hole indexed on the wall will take time to stock and are susceptible to tearing. 

Display-type secondary packaging is an option for these formats. Retailers who want to simplify their stocking and inventory management welcome it. However, handling is a challenge, especially in the dairy industry. We’ve worked on a retail-ready solution to offset handling challenges. Our Easy-D case is a Walmart approved alternative retail-ready case that, in addition to a large offering of gantry and robotic top load systems, can be erected, loaded and sealed on our all-in-one wrap-around style case packer . 

• Products are loaded horizontally; all stockers need to do is flip the case over and easily remove the front cover. 
• The Easy-D is designed with a clean machine-cut display and sides for great appearance on the shelf. 
• Higher back wall for better support of products and with look-through functionality to full cases behind.
• No perforation on the outside flaps of the Easy D case which prevents possible case damage during transport
• It looks friendly to the consumer, and it is easy for the retailer to get the product from the pallet to the shelf. 

We are introducing this retail-ready packaging style for shredded, cubed and sliced cheese pouches, which will help retailers enhance shelf presentation in the easiest, quickest way possible.

Increasing Convenience for Consumers

Younger generations are pushing for more ready-to-eat products and snacks for meals with healthier ingredients. Refrigerated sections in grocery stores are growing to accommodate these preferences, and gas station food is much more nutritious and diverse than it used to be.

• Protein-rich ready-to-go dairy products, like cheese cubes or yogurt with nuts and fruit, are becoming more popular for consumers who like to snack and are always on the go. 
• Additionally, dairy-rich dips and charcuterie boards with various cheeses are growing in popularity, too, as consumers opt to snack more and eat fewer full meals at social gatherings.

We are seeing more easy-to-open and resealable packaging, single-serve portions, and on-the-go formats that cater to busy lifestyles. They are also adding complexity for dairy manufacturers by creating a diversity of lines, where one or two lines might be devoted to food service packaging, a few lines to retail stand-up display pouches, and a few more lines to retail ready-to-eat products. 

It can be much more challenging to accommodate these changes in packaging than in processing. In frequent situations, marketing determines packaging to increase brand effectiveness, and it’s left to the engineers to devise creative ways to satisfy these requirements. 

BluePrint Automation thrives in these situations as we offer flexible packaging solutions that address current and future needs down the road. We stay on the pulse of our industry and look at global trends that may impact our customers. 

Through innovative machine design that resolves these challenges and aftermarket service programs that help customers add new products and recipes to their existing lines, we feel we can better support these evolving needs than our competitors because we’ve been doing it for so long and successfully. 

We discussed automation throughout this article as it supports many of these secondary packaging trends. Now, let’s explore more how dairy manufacturers can benefit from partnering with a packaging machinery manufacturer for automation.

Finding the Most Effective Automated Solution for Dairy Manufacturers Starts with the Right Partnership

Some secondary packaging solutions will require a significant investment in packaging machinery. Flexible automation is crucial to help dairy manufacturers meet consumer demand for convenience and sustainability while accommodating diverse packaging formats that reflect their whole business model. Still, budget, lead time, and facility space are all considerations that could impact the solution.

As a leader in this market for over 40 years, we understand the unique challenges of the dairy industry and know how automation can help manufacturers address them. We leverage our experience, capabilities, and expertise to develop tailored solutions that make a lasting difference in throughput, efficiency, safety, and sanitation. This is more important now as dairy manufacturers deal with ongoing labor shortages and high turnover rates. 

For example, dairy manufacturers are looking at ways to limit human involvement in sanitation because it increases the risk of contamination and recalls. These environments are very harsh to stay in for an extended period—they are cold, dark, and wet, increasing employee turnover.

Automation can offset these challenges with the right partnership. We have designed many 3-a-compliant machines to serve 3-a-compliant dairy manufacturers to improve sanitation and reduce human involvement in these processes. 

Wrapping Up

BluePrint Automation can help manufacturers meet consumer preferences, satisfy retailer presentation requirements, and address operational limitations to increase capabilities and productivity in any environment.

If you’re considering automation to address any of the packaging trends we’ve identified here, please contact us and let us know how we can help. We will determine the right solution to increase flexibility and optimize your secondary packaging processes.