4 lessons hidden in a K-cup by Tishma Technologies

We are sure you have heard about the most popular single-serve coffee container for coffee brewing – the famous, yet controversial K-Cup! Today,  many homes and offices have K-Cup machines for individual serving size and flavors, which is why entering this competitive market might seem so appealing. K-Cups brought revolution. The coffee pods’ share of total coffee sales in 2000 was almost negligible, but, with the launch of K-Cups, this market was taken by storm, commanding a strong 34% share of total coffee sales in 2014.

When it comes to packaging, K-Cups are quite an inspiring topic. There are many useful lessons we can learn just observing K-Cups, their development and principles they apply. So, what are the most important lessons we can extract?

K-cup: How it works? by Tishma Technologies

1.        Be creative - Package as an innovation

Innovative packaging can help a product penetrate new markets and it can also change the way consumers perceive a product. Just like stick pack revolutionized the way we use sugar (learn more here), Keurigs coffee machines and K-cups introduced an entire new way of brewing coffee, forming a new market.

Lesson? Be creative and persistent with your ideas! At first, the creators of K-cups were making the pods by hand. The prototype brewing machines were a work in progress and unreliable, and the company needed funds for development. After numerous pitches to potential investors, they finally got $50,000 from Minneapolis-based investor Food Fund in 1994, and later the Cambridge-based fund MDT Advisers contributed $1,000,000.

2.     Be economic - Space saving

K-cups are transported and stored in carton boxes, packed in a certain manner that saves space. Good K-Cup packaging system can invert every-other cup, so the cups interleave and minimize space usage in the box, so that means more K-cups can fit into one carton. This is exactly how you should treat your floor space when you are purchasing any type of industrial line. No matter how big your space is, why cluttering it with huge machines and massive pieces of equipment? Look for a manufacturer that can cater to your specific needs and create a custom solution with respect to your floor space.

3.       Be eco-friendly - Recycling

Unfortunately, K-cups fail when it comes to recycling. The K-cup system has a lot of quite demanding technical requirements: being able to withstand a certain amount of temperature, to have a certain kind of rigidity, to provide the right kind of moisture barriers and oxygen barriers etc. So, recycling isn't the easiest challenge. Keurig has been publicly criticized by environmental activists and journalists for the billions of non-recyclable and non-biodegradable K-Cups, which end up in landfills. Prevent this from happening to you! Being eco-friendly and responsible towards the environment is the one of the top requirements for companies in the 21st century, so make sure your packaging is recyclable or biodegradable.

 

Be eco friendly by Tishma Technologies

4.       Stick with the original - Authenticity

Only licensed and standardized K-cups are compatible with Keurig’s coffee machines. There are a large number of unlicensed coffee pods  available in the market, but even though they are cheaper, their use is not recommended because they can cause damage to your coffee machine. Use of strictly licensed K-cups may seem costly in the short term, but in the long term it saves money, because it makes your coffee machine last longer. Same goes for acquiring printer cartridges, mobile phone chargers or spare parts for an industrial machine – always buy from a reliable manufacturer. This is the only way to be sure that materials or add-ons you bought are fully compatible with the system you already have.

So what is our final advice, after going through these lessons? If you want to get your share of profit in coffee brewing market, your next step is finding the right packaging system that will allow you to quickly pack and ship your K-Cups to the final users.

The most important requirement for K-Cup packaging machines is being able to handle the cups coming in, top –up, at a very high rate of speed (sometimes up to 900 cups per minute) and inverting every-other cup in order to save space.

Start by checking out Tishma Technologies TI 100 vertical Cartoner. TI 100 is a High-Speed small center vertical system with a patented computer scale interface or volumetric cup fillers for high speed cartoning of K-Cups. Our 100 Series Cartoners feature user-friendly PLC’s combined with mechanical, state-of-the-art simplicity, and besides K-Cups, they are also very convenient for Fruit Cups and Yogurt packaging.

From Forklifts to Robots by Tishma Technologies

Pallets and pallet handling, invented in the 20th Century, became one of the most significant logistics tools. Over the past century pallets continued to develop, thus enabling the evolution of modern logistics. Use of pallets brought important efficiency improvements in the handling and transport of unit loads. During World War 2, some additional improvements were added to pallet design and management.

Army logistics in WW2 by Tishma Technologies 

The first to take steps in developing new warehouse handling and storage methods was The Office of The Quartermaster General, Field Operations Branch of the Storage Division. They were faced with the big pressure and big responsibility: their new methods had to give results quickly. At the time, one manufacturer was able to deliver an amount of a fork trucks with a load capacity of 2000 lb.  As a result, the system was predicated on this particular truck, and the pallet of the Quartermaster Corps was designed to fit that truck load capacity. A standard Quartermaster pallet is 32 in. long and 40 in. wide.  A million or more of these were procured and placed in service during the following year.

As the time passed, manufacturers of fork trucks increased their production and the Quartermaster General procured the larger trucks for all services, making the use of larger pallets more common.

The Navy started its materials handling program in 1942.  By then, the manufacturers of fork trucks were in quantity production, so the Navy ordered more of the larger trucks with load capacity up to 15,000 lb.  This is why the pallets made for inter-depot and overseas shipment are bigger: they are standardized on the 48 x 48 in. for inter-depot and overseas shipment, and 42 x 66 in. pallet for the intra-depot movements

According to some experts’ predictions, somewhere between one million and three million pallets will be disposed of by the government once they are no longer needed by the Army. The largest volume will be in the 32 x 40 in., 48 x 48 in. and the 42 x 66 in. sizes. Some of the 42 x 66 in. pallets will be picked up by stevedoring companies for use in marine terminals, and other pallet sizes will be used by manufacturers who are now learning the value of this shipment.

Before the Army ordered so many pallets, industry had been reconsidering building pallets of light, cheap construction, so called “single shippers,” intended to carry one load and then be discarded as scrap lumber, but since a large surplus of pallets is expected, this cheap “one use” type of pallet will not be developed.  Instead, the industry is probably going to absorb the surplus pallets.

 

Palletizing than and now by Tishma Technologies

Many companies utilize pallets for shipping and stacking of their products and since manually placing boxes on pallets can be time consuming and expensive these companies turn to automatic palletizing systems. If you still haven’t, consider investing in a good, automated palletizing system built to meet your needs, check out robotic Palletsizers by Tishma Technologies.

Who invented a cardboard box?

Have you ever imagined how the world would look like if the cardboard box was never invented? How would you pack for moving to a new place? How would Amazon deliver their goods to you? This four angled, square shaped invention spontaneously became a symbol of transport, protection, efficiency and change. But who is to be credited for this innovation, and when did it all start?

Corrugated (also called pleated) paper was at first used as a liner for tall hats, and it was patented in England in 1856. Fifteen years later, on the 20^th of December, 1871, first corrugated boxboard was patented and used as material for shipping containers. Credits for inventing a single-sided corrugated board are given to Albert Jones from New York City and three years later, Oliver Long improved Jones's design by adding liner sheets on both sides of corrugated board creating a design that we know today.

In 1874, G. Smyth built the first machine for producing bigger amounts of corrugated board, but it took 15 years for people to start using this new material to create a case packaging.

In 1890, a Brooklyn printer and paper-bag maker, Robert Gair invented the pre-cut cardboard box. He came to this invention by accident. One day, while he was printing an order of seed bags, a metal ruler which is used to crease bags changed position and cut them. Gair then discovered that by cutting and creasing at the same time he could make prefabricated paperboard boxes! This idea was applied to corrugated boxboard when the material became available around the turn of the twentieth century.

In 1915 John Van Wormer of Toledo, Ohio, took the credits for inventing first "paper bottle," - folded blank box for holding milk he called "Pure-Pak." The fact that milk carton could be folded, glued, filled with milk, and sealed at a dairy farm was considered a great innovation at the time. Increased demand for lightweight flaked cereals lead to the rise in the use of cardboard boxes and first company to use cardboard boxes as cereal cartons was the Kellogg Company.

During all this time, Japan was way ahead of Europe and USA when it comes to the use of cardboard boxes. Since 1840, Japanese silk manufacturers have been using these boxes for transporting the Bombyx mori moth and its eggs from Japan to Europe.

Today, cardboard cases became an immediate association for shipping and stacking of various goods. Close to 100 billion boxes are produced each year in the U.S. That is a lot of boxes and just imagine all the time and money that can be saved if each of those boxes was filled by efficient and economic packaging line! For more on Tishma Technologies case packaging systems, please click here.

Shelf ready packaging – Do you fit the requirements?

It seems unbelievable, but good choice of secondary packaging can help you increase your revenue up to 35%! Not only that, but good secondary packaging can make your resellers embrace and support your product, because your packaging helps them to keep in-store logistics more efficient and economic.  Secret lies in shelf-ready packaging, or shorter: SRP.

Main task of shelf-ready packaging is delivering your product to a retailer, packed in a special unit that can be easily placed on the shelf without unpacking or repacking.

Most SRP solutions typically consist of a tray and a cover, and they are made out of corrugated cardboard.  

Tray Packaging by Tishma Technologies

There are 5 conditions that need to be fulfilled in order for your packaging to be considered shelf-ready: easy identification, easy open, easy dispose, easy shelf and easy shop.

1.       Easy identification helps the store staff to select the right products; it allows faster filling of the shelves and it reduces placement error in the stockroom and in the store.  Product, product code, content, versions and expiration date must be clearly visible on the SRP. If products are placed on a pallet, make sure they are arranged and aligned so that brands can be seen.

2.       In order to secure easier and quicker replenishment, every shelf-ready packaging must be easy to open. Consumers are influenced by sight of overcrowded aisles and out-of-stock situations and to avoid slow and inefficient replenishment, a good SRP needs to be easy to open without use of any tools. It also has to be robust enough to ensure safe transport through the supply chain.

3.       SRP should be easy to dispose with minimum interaction, and no assistance. In order to save space, empty SRP’s should be foldable. Minimal disposal time and responsibility towards environment are mandatory and they can be accomplished through reduction of material for SRP. Don’t forget to put clear instructions for its return or recycling!

4.       Shelf ready packaging also means that your secondary packaging can easily be placed on a shelf, without losing its stability and original shape. Integrated handles can make the placing of goods easier, and to avoid out-of-stock-situations, two SRP should be placed on one shelf.

5.       Consumers will also interact with your secondary packaging, and it is up to you to make that interaction easier. Consumers need to easily locate their desired product inside and easily remove it from the SRP. Front panel of a SRP should be used to show the products included in the SRP.  Keep your SRP in bright colors, so that it attracts the attention of customers and make sure relevant information from the primary packaging are also provided on SRP. Don’t arrange your products too close in a SRP and do not stick them on the tray so that a customer can easily take or return the desired product to the SRP. Remember, SRP’s must remain visually appealing and stable even in a half-empty state.

5 Requirements of Shelf-Ready Packaging by Tishma Technologies

All of the numerous advantages of shelf ready packaging start with a good packaging line. If you have decided to make your secondary packaging shelf-ready, look up for Tishma Technologies Tray Packers, available with tuck and glue closing, accumulation conveyors, small overall footprints and user-friendly HMI operator interface.

Dress to impress: Candy Packaging Tips by Tishma Technologies

So you entered the candy manufacturing business? That means it is the perfect time to invest in a reliable packaging line. Of course, you shouldn’t judge a candy by its packaging, but according to a Nielsen’s 2016 study, candy needs to be “dressed to impress”.

The Candy industry has come a long way since the packaging was just a way to maintain safety and hygiene. Today, packaging is also an important marketing tool. The Study conducted by Nielsen in 2016 gave the candy packaging industry new insights, and it is a matter of time until manufacturers all over the world start to apply the Nielsen findings to their packaging designs.

The Top aspects of candy’s packaging that made the most impression on the consumer, according to this study, are visuals, in the following percentage: the image of the product (51%), a window that shows the actual product (49%), logo or brand name (46%) and the color scheme of the package (41%). 

The main goal of every packaging design is to stand out from the competition and win the battle for consumers’ attention, while keeping it original. For example, if two or three brands’ packaging features the color yellow (because they all heard that yellow draws the most attention) then the color is no longer making a distinction of the brand, and it certainly doesn’t draw attention.

Sometimes distinction is accomplished through experimenting and innovations that have not yet been seen on the market. It could be innovative packaging format like mini single-serve packaging, standup pouches, re-sealable packaging or shareable packs. It could mean new materials, specific colors or artwork. The Sky is the limit, but remember, experimentation can be risky! Sometimes it can cause consumer backlash for legacy brands, with consumers passing over the new packaging for other more visible varieties.

If you feel like pioneering a new packaging design, know that it won’t be long before other manufacturers start implementing your innovation across the category.

On the other hand, secondary packaging can indirectly help you to drive sales. The more common packaging solutions for candy are Horizontal and Vertical Cartoning Machines (check out cartoners by Tishma Technologies on the following link: https://goo.gl/nKLHwO). These machines make shipping and stacking of candy much more efficient, and well-chosen, shelf-ready secondary packaging enables easier identification of your product, easy shelf placement and easy extraction of product from the packaging by consumers.

When you have a good packaging line, all you need is a sprinkle of innovation and then you can enjoy the taste of success - sweet as the candy you manufacture.

Stick Pack – Japanese packaging innovation

Famous for their traditional values and technological innovations, Japan is moving toward becoming a leader in the packaging industry. This comes as no surprise, since one of the most popular packaging designs of today, the Stick Pack, originates from Japan. Forty years ago, the simplicity and elegance of Japanese culture inspired this innovation and we couldn’t help but to dig deeper into this Japanese packaging tradition and discover what makes the Stick Pack a good example of Japanese packaging principals.

1. Packaging is an inseparable part of the product experience

Japanese tradition suggests that even the plainest products should have a “pleasant touch” that evokes aesthetic reactions in the user. Stick Packs are elegant and compact, but they are still visually appealing.They can easily be displayed by checkouts, where they grab most of the attention and where most of the purchases are being made.

2.Nature as inspiration

Ever since 710 AD, Japanese designers have been inspired by natural shapes and motifs: flowers, bamboo and wood. Japan’s love and respect for nature also makes the responsible use of packaging very important. Stick Packs are environmentally friendly. Depending on the size of a stick pack, it is possible to accomplish up to 20% or 40% of material saving, against 4 side sealed sachet, and since user takes 100% of product - there is no waste that can cause environmental issues.

3.Easy opening

Japanese packaging is all about the process of opening, which has to be easy, without scissors or any other tool. Consumers enjoy stick packs because of the easy opening and easy use: they can be emptied directly into your mouth, over your food, or in your drink, which is the reason why instant drink manufacturers decided to put their drink mixes in stick packs.

4.Tradition and innovation

Simplicity, aesthetics and the elegance of a stick pack were inspired by Japanese tradition, but the true innovation lies in terms of hygiene.  Restaurants used to use salt shakers, sugar shakers or even bowls with sugar in them. Many people use these items, so it was easy to contaminate and also waste the product. Stick packs are more hygienic and since entire the portion is getting used, there is no waste.

When it comes to secondary packaging, cardboard boxes are one of the best ways to stack and ship a stick packed product.

Make sure  to check out the various cartoners by Tishma Technologies (link here) including models TI-50 and TI-60 that can receive your packs (in any count) and provide you your required pack counts (in any count) in the finished cartons.

Tishma Technologies Bag in Box Packaging Solutions Are Highly Cost Effective & Efficient.

Over the last four decades, Tishma has been manufacturing superior quality, high-efficiency packaging systems that have been used all across the world. Their products are widely implemented in many major industries including Food & Beverage, Pharma, Confectionery, Cosmetic and many others. Tishma packaging solutions range from fully automatic to semi-automatic and manual load, stand-alone systems. Superior construction combined with hi-tech engineering, means more productive packaging systems. Recently TISHMA was acquired by Nortech LLC, and with their merger, the company continues to address the ever changing market demand for more versatile, quick changeover machinery.

There are a many advantages with a standard bag in box packaging machine. With this type of packaging, the product's shelf life is extended as the package is sealed and it also is protected from light, even after it gets, opened. The packing is reasonably priced, simple to fill and stock, while the large area of the cardboard box offers good choices for profiling. Relative to cans or bottle, bag in box packaging also requires minimum raw material stock.

Tishma Technologies bag in box packaging machine are compact, cost-effective and highly efficient. In addition to this, Tishma’s Cartoners are ergonomic, environmentally-friendly and cover minimum work area. They offers great product handling options and are appropriately suited for everything that can be cartoned. Either, side load or top load, Tishma has the right machine for your package type. Bag in box packaging can be easily used in a multitude of industries. Tishma Technologies has specially designed the packaging machine for "bag in the box" that allows customers to pack items more efficiently.