This year again the Alufoil Trophy, the most important competition for innovation and technological advances in aluminium foil organized by the Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA), attracted a strong field of entries in five categories. Constantia Flexibles was successful in two of them.

Award for EasyOpenLidretort allowing an easier and more convenient opening

In the category Consumer Convenience EAFA awarded Constantia Flexible's: EasyOpenLidretort - a newly developed alufoil-based food container system, used for in-pack sterilization processes that allows an easier and more convenient opening. The company set out to address challenges often experienced by consumers using containers with peelable alufoil lids. These challenges were identified as: too much force needed to open them; torn lidding material during the opening process; spillage; and their suitability for use by seniors and children.

Head judge Laura Fernandez, Senior Packaging Technologist at Marks & Spencer summarized the benefits of the EasyOpenLidretort as follows: “It is always pleasing to see something which improves the consumer experience. This innovation offers easy opening and handling, while still maintaining the necessary seal integrity...,”

And as Dr Martin Kornfeld, Vice President R&D at Constantia Flexibles added: “Consumer convenient packaging is one of the most important development areas of Constantia Flexibles. And with our product EasyOpenLidretort we significantly enhance the opening characteristics of retort food products for consumers“.

Constantia Flexible's DecoTainer is the leader in Marketing & Design

Constantia Flexible's and saturn petcare's DecoTainer for Premium Pet Food won 2019 the race in the category Marketing & Design. The judges valued the modern styling, compared to traditional foil pet food trays, which also took fool use of the print surface to convey a quality image. The design also improves stability while the ergonomic bowl shape supports the easy removal of the contents.

“Here is a pack which takes advantage of its shape and smooth texture, combined with excellent graphics and print, to really jump off the shelf. We felt the overall concept was a great design coup,” said Laura Fernandez about Constantia Flexible's DecoTainer.

EAFA's Alufoil Trophy is open to products which are either made of foil or contain aluminium foil as part of a laminate, structure or packaging system, as well as aluminium closures.