Unique Pack for a Unique Gum: Peppersmith

Instead of using a synthetic petro-chemical gum base, Peppersmith gum is made with chicle; the sap from a sapodilla tree which is sustainably harvested from the Central American Rainforest.

3 May 2010 --- Benson Group, one of the UK's leading privately owned carton printers, is delighted to be able to detail news of its unique packaging solution for Peppersmith, a new, high-quality chewing gum that contains no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives, and no aspartame.

Instead of using a synthetic petro-chemical gum base, Peppersmith gum is made with chicle; the sap from a sapodilla tree which is sustainably harvested from the Central American Rainforest.

The cartonboard "shell & slide" packaging for the gum includes a highly unusual "fifth-side" on the shell that acts as a dispenser for wrap-and-throw sheets, a booklet of small papers that has been added to help ensure that every used piece of gum can be disposed of responsibly. Benson Group produced both the outer transit/shelf display unit as well as the inner consumer pack. Embossing and spot UV coating adds a quality feel to the finished pack. Denny Brothers assisted with the supply of paper booklets for the gum disposal system. All stock for packs and papers is FSC accredited.

Commenting on the packaging, Mike Stevens, co-founder of Peppersmith, said: "Right from our first meeting I was impressed with Benson's desire to want to innovate and accommodate our requirements. We were asking for something quite different and the Bensons/Medica team were excellent at helping us turn our ideas into reality. They have delivered a great solution for us and now the fun really starts as we introduce the pack to the market"

Peppersmith was founded by Mike Stevens and Dan Shrimpton, two young entrepreneurs who met while working in the start-up team at Innocent drinks. Their shared passion to create a chewing gum that is both natural and healthy has resulted in a quality confectionery product which is great tasting, sustainable and good for you.

The cartonboard packaging was produced at Benson Group's Medica facility in Crewe. "Whilst this plant is normally associated with pharmaceutical packaging production, Medica has the equipment suited to tipping-in the booklet of papers that are used to wrap-and-throw the used gum," said Mark Kerridge, Managing Director of Benson Group. "We were delighted that our design team were able to offer their skills and packaging knowledge to help come up with the unique pack design for Peppersmith. The resultant pack incorporates input from the customer and from right across our business."

Dan Shrimpton, co-founder of Peppersmith, comments: "Over the past decade chewing gum has really fallen behind other food and drink categories. We're really pleased that we can now offer gum chewers an alternative that has a fantastic taste of real peppermint, contains no rubbish and is good for your teeth. It's time to shake up the chewing gum sector with some innovation and quality."

Peppersmith gum has also been fully accredited by the British Dental Health Foundation*. This is because it's sweetened with wood sugar otherwise known as xylitol ("xyl" is Greek for wood - think xylophone). This ingredient comes from beech and birch trees and is proven to reduce plaque and the risk of tooth decay. Peppersmith is available in select delis, coffee shops and health food stores across the UK. The first flavour launched was peppermint, with further flavours to be added shortly.

Graphic design for the product was in the hands of B&B Studio. "The Peppersmith name reflects both the Englishness of the mint and the artisan feel of the product," says B&B Creative Partner Shaun Bowen. "The design has a similar feel, but we've had great fun disrupting its seriousness with our moustache icon, which carries across into broader brand communications."