Ice cream evolution: ProAmpac and Huhtamaki unravel latest trends in dessert packaging

16 Aug 2023 --- As the diversification of ice cream and desserts continues to grow, so does consumer demand for more attractive, convenient and environmentally responsible packaging. Consequently, the market is witnessing higher demand for unique graphics and designs to make products stand out on the shelf while embracing connected technology.

Charles Golub, marketing manager for food and beverage at ProAmpac, tells Packaging Insights that the company is seeing an increase in demand for packaging solutions to suit broader product ranges and meet changes in consumer preference. 

“To meet consumer demand, ProAmpac works collaboratively with brands to ensure the packaging requirements to lock in flavor and freshness are met while preserving consumer experience,” he says.

Consumers are also driving the change toward environmentally sustainable packaging, including in the ice cream and dessert market. “This trend is slightly more difficult to meet compared to expanding general packaging to meet expanded dessert categories, but not impossible,” adds Golub.

Innova Market Insights data suggests that desserts and ice cream product launches are increasing globally, featuring a 2% average annual growth when comparing 2018 and 2022 launches. In 2022, Tub (29%) was the leading packaging format among desserts and ice creams tracked and Plastic (50%) was the leading packaging material.

Meanwhile, the top sustainability-related claims among global desserts and ice cream product launches in 2022 were Recyclable (44%), Green Dot Certified (9%) and Responsible Source (4%).

Recyclability leads the market
ProAmpac offers a recyclable solution in paper and film for frozen treats, even though they tend to be high-residue food products. 

ProAmpac’s flexible packaging for frozen smoothies.“Our ProActive Recyclable line offers paper and film solutions that are heat sealable and run exceptionally well on vertical or horizontal filing lines,” says Golub.

“The latest addition to our ProActive Recyclable family is ProActive Recyclable RP-1000, a curbside recyclable paper to give consumers a patent pending solution with unique heat sealable paper product that is available in both natural kraft and bleached.”

For brands packaging frozen treats unsuitable for recycling streams due to their high residue, ProAmpac also offers our ProActive Recycle Ready platform to serve as a novel solution. 

Meanwhile, Huhtamaki’s solutions have also evolved over recent years, not only because customers and consumers are becoming more demanding, but also because “we want to be the first choice of sustainable solutions,” Herwin Wichers, global head for New Business, FMCG category, Huhtamaki, tells us.

Wichers is identifying growing demand for environmentally sustainable packaging alternatives, with the key requests including recyclability, material reduction and differentiation. 

“Some demands also require a step further in sustainability, such as renewable sources and compostability. Sometimes we get requests around activations or promotional activities, new concepts, new features to support ice cream innovation and trends in frozen desserts.”

The company developed solutions with less plastic, packaging made from renewable materials, recyclable items and solutions that can reduce carbon footprint. “Besides that, we’ve also made our range wider, with different shapes, such as non-round paper tubs and lids, domed smooth molded fiber lids and more to come in terms of materials innovation, technologies and decorations,” adds Wichers.

Meeting customers’ varying demands
ProAmpac notices that customers seek collaborative innovation to help elevate their brands on store shelves. 

“By working with customers, we can help them find new ways to differentiate their products in the crowded freezer store and preserve a unified look for branding across their line of frozen treats. An elevated and unified branded package is critical as the diversification of ice cream and desserts continues to grow,” explains Golub.

ProAmpac is “uniquely” positioned to help customers bring their packaging dreams to life through its collaborative innovation process. Huhtamaki’s recyclable Icon packaging.

“ProAmpac also offers a way for brands to elevate their packaging with our Signature Surfaces line of finishes. These sensory finishes allow brands to engage with consumers at the moment-of-truth with two solutions: PaperTouch or Registered Matte. Our PaperTouch solution offers the look and feel of natural paper but the strength of film, making it an ideal finish for luxury brands,” continues Golub. 

The flexible packaging giant also offers an extensive portfolio of ice cream and dessert packaging with a broad range of capabilities. “We offer lidding solutions in rolls stock or die cut, specialty wraps for ice cream bars, spiral labels ideal for ice cream cones. ProAmpac’s portfolio is ideal for brands working to consolidate their packaging supply chain. Our service-based model helps to ensure supply chain needs are met effectively and efficiently in an affordable manner,” asserts Golub.

Meanwhile, Huhtamaki’s innovative ice cream packaging is available in a variety of shapes, sizes and materials, which are suitable for different needs. “Our solutions are sustainability-driven and can be provided from different technologies, such as folding cartons, paperboard forming, flexibles, micro-corrugated boards and smooth molded fiber,” says Wichers.

“We currently supply paper and smooth molded fiber cups and lids, flexible flow wraps and cone sleeves, paper tubs, paper squeezes, solutions with assembled cutlery, sealing membranes and bulk packaging. In some cases, we can also supply the in-house assembling systems for further optimization in the full chain.”

Last year, Huhtamaki introduced Icon packaging – an innovative, recyclable ice cream packaging solution to meet the growing demand for sustainable packaging alternatives in North America. 

Icon packaging contains 95% fiber-based material and combines Huhtamaki’s proprietary water-based barrier coating with SFI-certified paperboard. 

QR codes for unique experiences
In a 2023 market study on ice cream packaging by Future Marketing Insights, QR-coding was found to be among the key trends to watch as consumer experience continues to merge with marketing techniques. QR codes support ease of use for brands as stores sort and stock brand products and enhance consumer interactions on shelf. 

“ProAmpac works closely with brands to meet growing demands for incorporating intelligent packaging like QR-coding. Understanding and modernizing active and intelligent packaging is a key area of research that we call ProActive Intelligence,” says Golub.

ProActive Intelligence works to incorporate the next wave of smart packaging into consumer experience, ensuring brands increase consumer interactions by delivering key content digitally, tracking and tracing supply chain transparency while helping support sustainability claims by offering access to digital brand statements and certifications.

Huhtamaki’s Wichers agrees that QR-coding can support brand differentiation and deliver “an extra fun moment while enjoying a good ice cream.”

 “This is something the customers are asking for, and we are working to enable this through our current and future solutions,” he tells Packaging Insights.

By Natalie Schwertheim