Pack appeal plays a particularly crucial role in deciding how successful a product is at self-service outlets: the appearance of the pack reflects the quality of the goods it contains and provides information about how innovative and sophisticated the product is.

The packaging machine manufacturer Multivac from Wolfertschwenden in Germany has therefore developed the new Serve Box, an attractive, reclosable pack made from rigid film, the distinctive shape of which makes it stand out clearly from the competition.

The transparent lid with its “dome“-like shape already makes a high-quality impression. It attracts attention to the pack, focussing on what is inside it and thus helping to present the product with maximum impact. At the same time as this, it emphasises the distinctiveness of the brand, which is easily recognisable on the supermarket shelf because of its dome shape. Formed lid rims enable the pack to be stacked safely too.

The tray is ingeniously designed as well: projections in the base support the product and stop it slipping around during transport; the recesses created as a result make it easier for the customer to remove the product. Closure knobs formed in the lid, which fit exactly in spaces of the appropriate size in the tray, guarantee reliable reclosure even when the pack has already been opened several times. The pack is suitable for such sliced products as processed meat or cheese, snacks and many different consumer goods that are used on repeated occasions. If long shelf lives are required, a modified inert gas atmosphere can be provided. To improve the circulation of the inert gas around the product, the base of the pack is not smooth; it is made instead with a “wafer pattern“, which stops the product from resting flat on the base. The packs are made from special, easy-peel plastic films. The advantage of them: the unopened sealed seam is very strong and provides dependable protection during transport and storage, but it is still easy for the consumer to open before use. An additional tear corner simplifies controllable handling. A transparent or coloured film can be used for the rigid tray; the lid is formed from an extremely transparent film so that the product is presented attractively.

The Serve Box is manufactured on the R 530 thermoforming machine supplied by Multivac, a high-speed machine with an upper web forming station. The machine operates at a speed of up to 25 cycles per minute; web widths of between 320 and 650 mm are possible, with a maximum forming depth of 190 mm.