Smurfit Westrock equips UK brewery with protective beer packaging

19 Aug 2024 --- Woodforde’s, a UK-based Norfolk brewery known for its craft beers, is elevating its presence on supermarket shelves by teaming up with Smurfit Westrock Saxon. The brewery commissioned the packaging company to design shelf-ready packaging (SRP) to create custom beer boxes for its 8 x 500 mL packs.

The durable packaging ensures it is designed as a cross “between functionality and flair,” reducing the risk of product damage during transportation, while cutting down on waste and saving Woodforde’s on damage-related costs. 

“This project was an exciting one for Smurfit Westrock Saxon and is a great example of working closely with our customers to tackle their packaging challenges together. We worked with Woodforde’s to fully understand their packaging needs and struggles and helped them to navigate them with our sustainable packaging solutions,” says Adam Futter, business development manager at Smurfit Westrock Saxon. 

Flexo printed design

Smurfit Westrock worked with Woodforde’s to ensure that the new packaging is eye-catching. The teams collaborated to refine the brewery’s artwork for flexo printing, conducting a press pass to ensure that the final product matched the brand’s vision. The result is a three-color flexo-printed design that complements Woodforde’s beer.

One year after the initial launch, the partnership evolved further with an upgrade to a “waste-based board” for the packaging. This material is better suited to withstand moisture, addressing an issue where condensation from freshly bottled beer was affecting the integrity of the original boxes. 

Woodforde’s eco-friendly packaging also meets the growing consumer demand for sustainable products. 

The latest packaging innovation represents the culmination of years of collaboration between the two companies, with a focus on fit-for-purpose solutions that “enhance the customer experience while staying true to the brand’s roots.”

“We’re delighted with our new beer box design. The Smurfit Westrock Saxon team took our existing boxes and transformed them into something better, prioritizing durability and aesthetics. Even when we had a problem with moisture, the team quickly found a solution that works even better than we could have hoped,” says Chris Fuller, marketing manager at Woodforde’s.