Single Lip bag - attractive and convenient

In the developed world, cats and dogs and to an increasing extent smaller pets are treated by their owners as quasi family members. As a result, high-quality pet food is becoming part of the premium or even super-premium segment of FMCG according to a study conducted by the Mintel International Group Ltd entitled "Pet Food and Pet Care Retailing" (UK, May 2005).  This trend relates not only to the quality of the pet food but also the packaging, which is becoming more convenient and visually appealing. Mondi Packaging Flexibles is committed to ongoing innovation and development in the area of pet food packaging, with a view to providing the industry with economical solutions for a highly competitive market.

Consumers want easy-to-handle packaging
For decades, little or no attention was paid to the handling of pet food packaging: Tin cans and cardboard boxes were the norm. Today, discerning consumers want smaller portions that will stay fresh and appetising for the pet, but at the same time want to be able to open the packaging without additional implements, e.g. scissors or a can-opener. Naturally they also want to avoid messy product spills. Another primary concern is resealing, from the standpoint of hygiene as well as odours and leakage.

Single Lip bag - highly marketable
Mondi Packaging Flexibles' new Single Lip bag satisfies consumers' wish for convenience as well as marketers' demands for attractive presentation. It features an innovative design for the emptying area, which also enhances presentation at the POS. The emptying area consists of only two layers, yet there are no impediments to the filling process, thanks to the 45° corner sealing on the bottom half of the bag. To pet food producers, it offers premium-brand looks while ensuring the packaging process is economical.

Convenience for end-users
In response to consumers' discerning requirements regarding branded products, Mondi Packaging Flexibles nowadays offers a wide range of add-on features for pouches and bags. In the case of the Single Lip bag, laser perforation and a tear notch ensure easy opening without scissors, while a zipper integrated into the lip allows neat reclosing. The hopper-like design of the bag top means pet owners can empty it with a single hand, while the sealing design allows for complete emptying.

Optional feature – labyrinth de-aeration 
To meet customers' needs, Mondi Packaging Flexibles has recently developed an additional feature for pet food bags: labyrinth de-aeration, which ensures more economical storage and the highest levels of hygiene.

The initial goal of this technique was to optimise palletising. Experts at the recently established R&D Centre at Korneuburg, Austria cooperated with Stéphane Soudais who is responsible for the Click&Close product range. Together, they developed a novel valve/seal combination for de-aeration that is leak-proof and keeps out insects and dirt particles.

Labyrinth de-aeration is achieved via a unique K-seal on the bottom of the bag, consisting of small bars. When the pressure inside the bag increases, e.g. during palletising, the air overcomes the statically charged area and escapes through an X-valve.

Once the pressure inside the bag is equal to the outside pressure, the static charge between the bars automatically ensures reclosing, thus providing optimum protection against outside impurities.