Bag-in-Box 2.0: Finnish start-up teams with DS Smith for creative beverage packaging

11 Jul 2018 --- Finnish start-up company NWB has launched a new bag-in-box packaging design for beverage products in collaboration with DS Smith. Rapak, part of DS Smith Plastics Division, supplies the inner bag with VINIflow dispensing tap. Bag-in-Box 2.0 is recyclable, user-friendly and logistically efficient.

The new concept, called NWB packaging, builds on the Bag-in-Box principle and consists of 3 parts: an outer cardboard box, a flexible bag and a dispenser. The box protects the product from direct sunlight and saves up to 90 percent in waste transportation compared to plastic bottles as it is flattened after use.

The bag and the dispensing tap, supplied by Rapak, part of DS Smith Plastics, ensure minimal contact of liquid with air even after opening. Compared to any other packaging, the air-tight flexible bag allows for an additional 1-20 weeks of product shelf life depending on the product type and storage conditions.

“NWB managed to create a unique box design preserving all the advantages of Bag-In-Box packaging: it is easy to use, convenient to store, and extends the product shelf life for longer,” Anastasia Khodakova, Marketing Manager Flexibles Europe at DS Smith, tells PackagingInsights.

“This is a big size beverage container that is not only practical but also nice to put on a table – it is perfect for a brand that wants to stand out on the shelf and to support the environment by reducing packaging waste,” she says.

“Compared to PET bottle, NWB packaging drastically optimizes logistic costs since it is stackable when full and folded when empty,” she adds. “Having 35 percent fewer trucks for deliveries and 90 percent fewer trucks for waste transportation makes a big difference to environmental sustainability.”

NWB packaging is suitable for all liquids such as water, wine, fruit juice, milk, and olive oil. Thanks to its unique design, NWB looks equally appealing in a bar, office meeting room, outdoor event, or on a kitchen table. NWB fits easily into the fridge and keeps the liquid cooler for longer, making it ideal for picnics or trips to enjoy a glass of rosé wine or fresh water any time.

By Joshua Poole