The 'Chocolatine' concept from Eastman: a new consumer sensory experience

Chocolatine offers brand owners the opportunity to appeal to the sense of smell of the consumers generating a true impulse reaction that guides to a purchasing decision.

CAPELLE A/D IJSSEL, THE NETHERLANDS - Eastman Chemical Company has initiated a joint leading edge development project to deliver a new marketing concept based on the use of scent in packaging, in particular for key markets such as cosmetics and personal care. "Chocolatine", a fully realised product which combines a number of market innovations, offers brand owners the opportunity to appeal to the sense of smell of the consumers generating a true impulse reaction that guides to a purchasing decision. This innovative approach combines expertise from four leading companies, Eastman Chemical Company (Europe/USA), Rotuba (USA), Eurofragance (Spain) and EJ Pack (South Korea).

"Chocolatine" consists of a clear injection blow-moulded jar containing a scented cream with a chocolate/vanilla/orange fragrance and with a jar lid that actually encapsulates and disperses a scent identical to that of the cream. Although there are no plans to market "Chocolatine", by creating this application the four partners set out to demonstrate the latest technologies that are available to producers and marketers in high end markets for providing additional appeal to their products. "Chocolatine" proves that it is possible to render a complex fragrance and trap it durably into a plastic part produced from natural feedstock using encapsulation technology.

Creator and overall coordinator of the project, Valérie Bouvignies, CPC European Marketing Manager, Eastman Chemical said: "By locating and bringing together the right partners, Eastman was able to demonstrate how we can successfully develop ideas and overcome problems. We now have a winning combination of products and the technical ability to add an extra functionality to packaging that has not yet been exploited by the industry. "Chocolatine" offers brand owners exciting new opportunities for differentiation by means of innovative packaging."

The jar

The jar for this application is one of the first standard jars produced in The Glass Polymer™ by EJ Pack (South Korea) using the injection-blow moulding process. This process makes it possible to produce complex shapes (the jar is square and thick walled) that would not be feasible through injection moulding alone. New and different standard packaging using the same technology have already being developed by the company.

The Glass Polymer from Eastman Chemical Company is ideally suited for the injection blow moulding process as it combines high aesthetics, perfect clarity at high wall thicknesses and chemical resistance. Thanks to its good impact resistance this polymer is perfect for applications that are used "on-the-go".

The fragrance

The scent was developed by Eurofragance, a Spanish company specialising in the design and manufacture of fragrances and flavours. For the "Chocolatine" concept, Delphine Hitier, Export Manager, suggested to use a complex warm fragrance of dark chocolate, with a mild note of vanilla and cacao and the addition of a delicate note of orange touch, conveying a natural gentleness and freshness. To ensure a perfect match, development partner Eurofragance was responsible for the creation of the fragrance formulations for both the cream product and the jar lid, that permits to demonstrate our technical abilities in "capturing sensations" in any support/application.

The lid

The Chocolatine jar lid is a technology first. It consists of two parts: one inner part made from The Glass Polymer from Eastman and an outer part that is scented and made in Auracell™, a specialty material created to encapsulate and durably render complex fragrances.

Auracell was developed by Rotuba, a compounder specialising in encapsulation, using cellulosics from Eastman, a polymer that is produced from woodpulp – a renewable natural resource – combining a high level of aesthetic attributes (clarity, high wall thickness, depth of coloration , design freedom), chemical resistance and good processability.

According to Hugh O'Neill, Director Cellulosics Sales for Rotuba: "We are seeing major interest in this high end fragrance delivery system which is suitable for premium applications in a wide range of industries. Although fragrances have been used in packaging and other applications in the past, they were not in vogue then. Today's marketplace does understand the importance of scent and fragrances - as demonstrated by the increased sales of scented candles and oils."

Mr O'Neill adds: "We believe that there are many possibilities for products such as these - and even for cross promotions such as linking scent and CD/DVD packaging to name but one possibility."