The market’s requirements for commercial snack packaging have become stricter. High-quality automated snack packaging machines can not only reduce labor costs but also enhance food packing safety, consumption value and brand marketing value of snacks. This article will introduce you to the types of snack packaging, materials, and equipment, hoping to help you find the most suitable solution!
What is Snack Packaging?
Snack packaging refers to the process of securely packaging snack products using packaging materials and equipment, along with structural design and sealing techniques. This ensures that the snacks can be safely consumed by the consumers once they reach them.
Why is Packaging Important for Snacks?
Protecting Snacks From Physical Damage
The snack packaging can maintain the original taste and quality of the snacks, and prevent them from being crushed or contaminated during transportation or sale.
Providing Product Information & Complying With Industry Regulations
Clearly display the ingredients list, shelf life, and nutritional components of the snacks to safeguard the rights and interests of consumers.
Ensuring Food Safety & Extending Product Shelf Life
Effectively prevent direct contact between the snacks and external substances such as moisture, oxygen, sunlight, dust, bacteria, etc., to avoid the snacks going bad in a short period.
Enhance Brand Image & Market Competitiveness
Great packaging enhances brand recognition, quickly attracts consumers’ attention and increases their purchase intention.
Convenient for Transportation & Shelf Display
Uniform packaging not only makes the products easy to transport but also allows them to be neatly displayed on the shelves.
Upgrade User Experience & Repurchase Rate
Optimize the opening design of the packaging to make the snacks easy to open and carry, thereby increasing consumers’ satisfaction.
Adapting to the Sustainable Development Trend
Adhering to the environmental protection requirements of the global snack market, it can use environmentally friendly packaging materials.
What are the Different Types of Snack Packaging?
The appropriate packaging method not only ensures product quality, but also enhances production efficiency and user satisfaction. Snacks come in many categories, and the corresponding packaging methods also vary.
You need to make a choice based on your budget, brand positioning, snack types, and other specific circumstances. The types of snack packaging are as follows:
베개 가방
This is the most common and cost-effective snack packaging type. It has a low cost and can be automatically packaged using a vertical form seal machine (VFFS), achieving high production efficiency and is suitable for large-scale production. It is mainly used for packaging snacks such as peanut candies, potato chips, and biscuits.
스탠드업 파우치
If you want to enhance your brand image or target the high-end snack market, you can choose stand-up pouches. This packaging method features a unique bottom structure and excellent display effect, allowing the snacks to “stand” on the shelves and be fully showcased, thereby increasing customers’ purchasing intention.
Reusable Zipper Pouches
The most distinctive feature of this packaging is its zipper structure, which can be opened and closed repeatedly. This design not only facilitates the storage of snacks but also significantly enhances the convenience for users. It is particularly suitable for snacks that cannot be consumed all at once, such as nut snacks and pet snacks.
Gusset Bags
Gusset bags are similar to pillow bags, but with a larger capacity. It is highly suitable for packaging large quantities of snacks, such as family-sized snacks, coffee, tea, etc.
Single-Serve Sachet Packs
If you want to hold some promotional activities to offer customers free tasting opportunities, this kind of individual small packaging is the best choice! The small-sized snacks not only make people feel clean and hygienic, but also allow people to finish them in a short time, avoiding waste.
Besides, the individual packaging is also convenient for carrying. During promotional activities, different flavors of products can be combined together for sale.
진공 포장
Vacuum packaging involves completely removing the air from the inside of the packaging bag, thereby maximizing the freshness of the product and extending its shelf life. It is particularly suitable for various meat products, seafood, cheese, etc.
개량된 분위기 포장(MAP)
Unlike vacuum packaging, which removes the air, modified atmosphere packaging involves filling the packaging bag with gases (such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen). This not only helps maintain the freshness and taste of the products, but also effectively protects them from damage.
This packaging type is particularly suitable for snacks with crispy textures, such as potato chips and popcorn.
Tray Packaging
Tray packaging usually consists of two parts: a hard tray and a sealing film process. Customers can easily see the products within, and the packaging also adds to the product’s quality. Although the cost is relatively high, it is widely used in the high-end snack market.
Paper-Based Eco-Friendly Packaging
In order to adapt to the trend of sustainable development, paper-based packaging is becoming increasingly popular in the snack market, especially in the markets of Europe and America. Paper packaging usually uses renewable raw materials, reducing the impact on the environment and helping to establish the green image of the brand.
What are the Materials Used for Snacks Packaging?
If you choose the wrong packaging material, it may affect the quality of the product itself. Therefore, you need to select the appropriate packaging material based on the storage conditions and shelf life of the snacks, in order to protect the product. The materials for snack packaging are as follows:
Plastic Films
Plastic film is one of the most common and widely used snack packaging materials on the market. Common products such as biscuits, chips, candies, and popcorn are all packaged in plastic film.
On one hand, plastic film effectively protects snack products by isolating them from the external environment, shielding them from moisture and contamination.
On the other hand, due to its lightweight nature, it offers advantages in both production and transportation costs, and is compatible with automatic packaging machines. So it significantly improves production efficiency, and supports flexible customization in packaging design.
Common plastic film materials used in snack packaging include BOPP, PET, PE, and CPP, which are typically combined into composite structures to achieve better packaging performance.
Aluminum Foil Laminated Materials
If your product has strict packaging requirements and you want to maintain its quality for a long time, aluminum foil laminates (which are usually made by combining aluminum foil with materials such as PET and PE) is a very good choice.
Factors such as oxygen and moisture in the environment, temperature differences, and ultraviolet rays can all lead to a decline in the quality and taste of the product. These problems can be effectively solved after the product is packaged with aluminum foil laminates.
This packaging method is mostly used for high-end snack foods such as nuts, dried fruits, meat, and seafood. However, it is worth noting that aluminum foil and aluminum-coated films are different materials.
The barrier properties, light-shielding properties, and preservation capabilities of aluminum foil are all superior to those of aluminum-coated films, and its overall performance is stronger. Therefore, the cost will be higher, but it is also more suitable for various high-end products.
Kraft Paper Packaging
With the concept of sustainable development increasingly taking root in people’s minds, the application of kraft paper packaging has become more and more widespread.
If your products are mainly organic foods or health foods, or if your brand places great emphasis on environmental protection concepts, you can choose kraft paper packaging. It is mostly used for high-end snacks such as organic snacks, dried fruits, nuts, and cereal.
After undergoing special processing, the quality of kraft paper improves, featuring excellent toughness, tear resistance and load-bearing capacity.
To enhance packaging performance, it is usually combined with plastic films. Besides the packaging itself, kraft paper is derived from renewable resources. Coupled with its simple and natural appearance, it has established a favorable environmental image for the brand.
Kraft paper has a promising future in the snack packaging market, but it also has certain limitations. Compared to composite materials, its barrier properties are weaker. If you want to extend the shelf life, you need to add a barrier layer structure.
What are the Different Types of Snack Packaging Machines?
After selecting the appropriate materials, the next step is to utilize snack packaging machines for efficient production and packaging. The application of automated packaging equipment is becoming increasingly widespread. It not only reduces labor costs but also ensures food safety.
Vertical Form Fill Seal Machines (VFFS)
VFFS is one of the most common equipment in the snack packaging market. It can automatically complete multiple processes and achieve continuous production. It is mainly used for products such as puffed snacks, coffee beans, candies, potato chips, popcorn, peanuts, etc.
It has several advantages: small floor space, low operating costs, fast packaging speed, and is highly suitable for large-scale production.
Horizontal Form Fill Seal Machines (HFFS)
HFFS refers to the process where the product is packaged and sealed during its horizontal transportation. It is commonly used for products such as biscuits, chocolates, energy bars, and baked snacks.
If your snack products are fragile or you desire a better packaging effect, you can choose the HFFS equipment, which supports various packaging options.
Premade Pouch Packing Machines
If you place importance on the display effect of snacks on the shelves, you can choose pre-made pouch machines.
Premade pouch machines are increasingly being used in the high-end snack market. They simply use pre-made packaging bags for filling and sealing. Whether it’s self-sealing bags, zipper bags, flat-bottom bags, or suction-holding bags, they can all be compatible. They are mainly used for nuts, dried fruits, pet snacks, and healthy foods.
Multihead Weigher Packaging Systems
The multihead weigher packaging system, although it is a type of measuring equipment, is usually used in conjunction with other packaging machines to achieve high-precision automatic measurement. It is an important component in snack packaging. It is mainly used for puffed food, nuts, candies, frozen food and pet food.
Vacuum Packaging Machines
Vacuum packaging machines work by completely removing all the air from the packaging bag and then sealing it. This method significantly extends the shelf life of food and preserves the original flavor of the product. It is commonly used for snacks like dried meat, seafood, cheese, and high-protein foods.
Nitrogen Flushing Packaging Machines
Nitrogen flushing packaging machines fill nitrogen gas into the packaging interior. This not only prevents the snacks from oxidizing, but also extends the shelf life of the snacks and protects them from cracking during transportation. They are mainly used for crispy snacks such as potato chips, crackers, popcorn, and biscuits.
플로우 포장기
Flow wrapping machines are generally used for the rapid packaging of individual snack products. The products are continuously conveyed, and the packaging equipment automatically packages and seals them. They are mostly used for individual packaged products such as wafers, chocolates, energy bars and biscuits.
Cartoning and Case Packing Machines
The packaged products can be automatically loaded into paper boxes by cartoning machines. This not only reduces labor costs but also improves packaging efficiency. It is mainly used for biscuits, combined snacks, snack gift boxes, etc.
마지막 생각
High-quality snack packaging can enhance product quality in shelf life, transportation, preservation and display on the shelves, thereby improving the consumer experience and helping the brand build a good reputation. Jochamp is a professional snack packaging equipment manufacturer, if you have any needs, please feel free to contact us at any time!