Lightweight flexible pouch packaging for Swede success
Canadian Packaging
Sustainability Flexibles Ecolean AB Shou Quan Zhai (SQZ)The Ecolean packages are designed specifically for low environmental impact
Founded way back in 1760, Shou Quan Zhai (SQZ) is one of the oldest food companies in China.
Despite its age, SQZ places a premium of keep up with the times and satisfying modern-day consumers, having recently expanded into the beverage market with a new line of delicious ready-to-drink products packaged in lightweight 200-ml Ecolean Air Aseptic stand-up pouches produced by Swedish flexible packaging experts Ecolean AB.
A few weeks ago, the company’s new ginger tea and plum juice drinks have been launched in Ecolean packages—designed to be half the weight of many traditional beverage packaging formats—across China via SQZ’s online store, e-commerce channels and a multitude of retailers.
With 35 per cent of its content derived from chalk, the Ecolean packages are designed specifically for low environmental impact by using fewer resources and energy to make and transport, and they can be completely flattened to minimize food waste and take up less space in the waste bin.
“The new ready-to-drink beverages from SQZ represent the first non-dairy beverages in Ecolean packages in the Chinese market,” says Johnny Sajland, Ecolean’s regional director for Asia North and Oceania.
“We are excited to work with SQZ to bring new innovation and products to the more than 1.4 billion population in China both now and in the future,” says Sajland, adding that ultra-thin multilayer Ecolean packages offer enough rigidity to stand upright, in addition to being easy to open and pour from.
Moreover, the packages can be used in the microwave, which is a main benefit to SQZ because ginger tea is typically served warm in China.
“With a 259-year history, SQZ proudly respects the environment for generations now and in the future,” says Lin Lei, SQZ’s director of public relations and government affairs.
“Ecolean’s advanced packaging technology from Sweden has a minimum impact on the environment; it is easy to recognize on the store shelf; and it is convenient for consumers to use.”
Just as Ecolean is committed to producing lighter, flexible packaging, its filling equipment is also light and compact, using minimal resources.
The ready-to-fill packages are sterilized using electron beam treatment, hermetically sealed and distributed on reels from Ecolean plants—bringing a considerable part of the complex sterilization process from the liquid food producer back to Ecolean.
SQZ chose the Ecolean aseptic filling machine EL4+ for its operations, which follows all the basic Ecolean filling machinery philosophy of keeping it simple to providing a reliable, economical and lean operation, while being easy to operate and maintain for SQZ’s personnel.
“The new ready-to-drink beverages from SQZ represent the first non-dairy beverages in Ecolean packages in the Chinese market,” said Johnny Sajland, Regional Director, Asia North and Oceania, Ecolean.
“We are excited to work with SQZ to bring new innovation and products to the more than 1.4 billion population in China, both now and in the future.”
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