Jan 30 2012 --- Heritage Family Specialty Foods Inc., a leading Southwest supplier of specialty food products for retail and food service markets, has introduced its Brack Ranch Sweet Pepper Glaze in new 32oz decanter-size polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles from Amcor Rigid Plastics, the world’s leading producer of PET Packaging. The move to lightweight and break-resistant PET gives Heritage Family an entry into the club store market segment with a launch late last year at Costco’s locations throughout the Southwest.

The stock PET bottle, weighing in at 50-g, was chosen over alternative packaging options thanks to its premium look and sustainability benefits. Most important was the 32-oz PET container’s ability to deliver cost benefits and improved manufacturing efficiencies for club store distribution, according to Michael Moss, Vice President of Marketing for Heritage Family Specialty Foods. “If we hadn’t found an acceptable bottle like Amcor’s we would have been forced to use two shrink-wrapped 16oz bottles which would have added cost and increased production time,” said Moss. The final product would have required twice as much packaging and increased the cost for consumers, he added.

Up until now, Heritage Family has only offered its Brack Ranch Sweet Pepper Glaze in 16oz glass containers for retail and specialty stores. For club stores, the specialty food supplier opted for a PET alternative that also delivers significant performance and cost advantages including portability and light weight, along with sustainability benefits including recyclability, reduced transportation costs, and a significantly reduced carbon footprint. Moss noted that PET meets the growing sustainability requirements of the packaging and retail industry, resulting in greater penetration in retail/club store channels. Consumers are drawn to the attractive and lightweight features of the PET bottle compared to traditional glass containers. The sweet pepper glaze bottle also further extends Amcor’s growing penetration in the food category.

“In the end, lightweight PET not only delivered a savings in terms of transport costs and breakage but also gave us the glass-like appearance and shelf life appeal to maintain the brand image of our Brack Ranch Sweet Pepper Glaze product,” said Moss. The specialty food product is co-branded with Country Living magazine’s Country Living Specialty Food Collection. Heritage Family was the first to offer a pourable pepper jelly glaze product in the U.S.

The PET containers are seamlessly integrated into existing glass filling lines with minimal adjustment. Amcor’s 32oz ambient fill (up to 140°F) and hot fill (up to 185°F) decanters are targeted for barbecue sauces, salad dressing, and other sauce products.