Schur’s resealable bags provide on-the-go convenience for Swedish vitamin strips
03 Jun 2021 --- A new supplement brand called Lewa of Sweden is launching novel vitamin and antioxidant gum strip-resembling products as a “healthy and flavorful alternative to energy drinks and chewing gum.”
The “small energy bombs” are packed in SchurStar Zipper Bags, hermetically sealed on-the-go pouches from Schur. “We see a bright future for this solution,” Ola Svarfvar, sales manager responsible for the Lewa of Sweden commission, tells PackagingInsights.
Svarfvar highlights the reclosable pouches ensure a longer shelf life for the the gum alternatives compared to an open pouch and lower packaging weight compared to a lidded can.
“The SchurStar Concept [packaging machine] gives us the important flexibility that enables us to easily adjust the packing capacity, as the product gains a foothold and we expand the range,” says Peter Johansson, Lewa of Sweden’s founder and CEO.
Lewa of Sweden supplements are sold at an increasing number of local Swedish retail shops and will be launched abroad toward the end of 2021.
Energy supplements high in demand
Lewa of Sweden’s novel supplement format consists of green tea, vitamins B12, C and D, antioxidants, and caffeine. Free from sugar, nicotine and tobacco, all Lewa ingredients are 100 percent natural, states the company.
Lewa of Sweden advises the products should be placed flat and horizontally under the upper lip on the left or right side of the lip band. During use, consumers can moisten and adjust the position of the product with the tip of the tongue.
As on-the-go nutritional health boosts become increasingly popular, Innova Market Insights data shows the use of vitamins in supplements has increased globally, featuring a 10 percent year-over-year growth when comparing 2020 and 2019 launches.
Supplements with an energy claim continue to soar. Innova data pegs a 50 percent average annual growth (2017-2020) for supplement launches tracked with an energy and stamina claim. One in four 2020 supplement launches featured an energy claim in Europe specifically.
Energy and alertness claims in sports are specifically in demand, evidenced by 44 percent of global sports nutrition and supplement launches in 2020 being tracked with this health positioning, just behind High/Source of Protein (47 percent).
Lewa arrives in spearmint, apple and spruce, cola and lime, and licorice and raspberry variants. New flavors are on the pipeline horizon, but there are currently no plans to produce a caffeine-free version.
NutritionInsight recently reported on how caffeine remains a staple ingredient for energy nutritional boosters.
Lewa of Sweden’s “small energy bombs” are packed in pocked-sized zipper bags for on-the-go convenience.High capacity packaging machines
The reclosable bag contains 18 supplements each and prevents the contents from drying out.
“These products require a high-barrier packaging solution,” says Svarfvar. “We are constantly working on new formats to help support our customers’ needs and requirements and already offer a vast range of recyclable options.”
The fully automatic SchurStar Concept machine is equipped for double index filling, resulting in “an extremely high packing capacity,” according to the company.
The packaging process is easily switched between manual, semi- and fully automatic filling and allows for easy transitions between bag formats and sizes.
PackagingInsights recently spoke with Schur Star Systems in a video interview about the packaging machine Schur StarLight, which also boosts operational convenience and flexibility in resealable bags.
By Anni Schleicher
