Tray is fudge factor for convenience

The company's Minute Fudge was launched mid-2002 in a microwavable kit form using a black polypropylene tray and a clear PP reclosable lid. Friesinger's won't divulge packaging specifications or suppliers.

The company's Minute Fudge was launched mid-2002 in a microwavable kit form using a black polypropylene tray and a clear PP reclosable lid. Friesinger's won't divulge packaging specifications or suppliers. The packaging helps make fudge preparation fast and convenient, "just three minutes start to finish, and five minutes if they need to read the detailed directions," says brand manager Jeff Kreidenweis. To make fudge conventionally requires the proper ingredients, a double boiler, usually taking 30 to 60 minutes, he points out. The kit comprises the shrink-wrapped lidded tray that contains a 14-oz plastic pouch of dry ingredients that makes one pound of fudge, either vanilla or chocolate. A 20-pt paperboard sleeve carries four-color process-printed graphics. Shelf life is one year. "The tray provides convenience, which is the product's main selling feature," Kreidenweis states. The ingredients are mixed by consumers right in the tray. Rather than employing structure-strengthening ridges, the 18-mil PP tray's flat bottom facilitates the removal of the fudge after preparation, according to general manager Kyle Maschino.