31 Oct 2009 --- Extremely sturdy and crushproof with long-term aroma protection: Packages made by the Weidenhammer Packaging Group (WPG), Europe’s leading manufacturer of composite cans, composite drums and luxury tubes, are ideal for sweet or salted snack foods. Practical with individual design options, Weidenhammer composite cans clearly stand out from competing products at the point of sale and ensure maximum snacking pleasure for consumers. A classic in the range of Weidenhammer packaging products, the SnackCan designed for stacked chips has gained cult status among consumers as the package used for Pringles chips.

More than in any other food product segment, impulse buying plays an important role when it comes to sweet and salted snack foods. The process of seeing a snack product on the shelf, picking it up, and putting it in the shopping cart is one that normally takes place within just a few seconds. The decision is often triggered by a package that is not only appealing and perfectly matched to the product, it also offers maximum convenience. Meeting these criteria increase the probability that a customer will spontaneously reach for the particular snack food and specifically look for this product in the future.

In a company history spanning more than 50 years, the Weidenhammer Packaging Group (WPG) has become one of the leading manufacturers specializing in modern, durable and attractively labelled packaging. The best-known Weidenhammer product is the SnackCan designed for Pringles brand chips made by Procter & Gamble. Weidenhammer Packaging Group CEO Ralf Weidenhammer explains: "This is an excellent example of how product and package can be joined into a perfect combination. The packaging is an inherent part of the Pringles brand. Not only does the composite can offer optimal protection for the product, it provides an extremely high recall value. As a typical on-the-go package, it also offers consumers maximum convenience."

Composite can replaces tinplate: SnackCan for nuts and candies

Since 2007, Weidenhammer has been the sole supplier of Pringles packaging in Europe. The company operates a production facility in Mechelen, Belgium, adjacent to Procter & Gamble. Several million Pringles cans leave the facility each month on their way to destinations around the world. The standards for this packaging are extremely high and widely diverse. To ensure the crispy, fragile contents are perfectly protected under all climatic conditions, and to serve the needs of sustainability, Weidenhammer continuously works to further develop the SnackCan. According to Ralf Weidenhammer, "Each year we invest a substantial amount of money in research and development for our packaging solutions – especially in the snack food segment. The SnackCan is a prime example of how we have continuously developed and improved this premium quality packaging over the years – and have successfully gained new customers."

The Weidenhammer SnackCan meets the highest quality standards. An extremely thin aluminum layer sealed with a special coating serves as an inner lining to give the composite can the required barrier properties. The airtight seal ensures a minimum shelf life of 18 months – regardless of ambient conditions. The SnackCan also offers a full range of individualized labeling options. This is something that is greatly appreciated by Procter & Gamble and many other manufacturers of salty snack foods. For example, Intersnack Knabber-Gebäck GmbH & Co. KG now packs stacked chips in Weidenhammer cans. In the UK, Kolak Snack Foods Ltd. packs its chip products in the Weidenhammer SnackCan. Weidenhammer packaging is also used by the company Aktiv Back! e.K. for its Vita-Sticks as well as by Italian snack food specialist San Carlo for its popular potato sticks.

Nuts packed in composite cans

A new product segment was added to the SnackCan list in 2008 when Vamvalis, a Greek snack specialist, started packaging its "Cashews and Almonds" mixed nut product in Weidenhammer SnackCans. According to Rolf Regelmann, WPG executive in charge of sales, "We are very interested in the nut product segment. In the past, nuts were packed in tin cans, bags or boxes. We are expecting to see the trend change from tin cans to composite cans. This is directly related to costs and environmental considerations." Compared to tin cans, composite cans are less expensive and keep contents fresh essentially just as long. In addition, composite cans weigh only 170 grams, which results in real savings when it comes to production and transport of millions of packages. The resealable cap enables consumers to enjoy fresh nuts longer.

For temporary product promotions at the point of sale, composite cans offer more value-added with labels that can be changed with minimum expenditures. This means that packages can be labelled in different designs to quickly and inexpensively adapt them to specific occasions. Marketing is further supported by the package cap. The transparent version gives the consumer a clear look at the printed membrane that can be used to attach coupons, etc. Colored caps can be used to identify the brand or product. Recent developments have made it possible to design plastic caps with inmould labelling (IML). This is carried out in cooperation with the IML specialists at Weidenhammer Plastic Packaging (WPP).

Safe packaging for sweets

Composite cans are not only ideal for salted snacks. These Weidenhammer packaging solutions are also gaining popularity among candy manufacturers. Cavendish & Harvey started distributing various herbal candies in Weidenhammer packaging in 2009. "Compared to bags and other soft packaging, our composite cans attract more attention on the shelf and are more durable," explains Rolf Regelmann. There are also a number of advantages when it comes to launching new products. For example, special promotional actions are less expensive with smaller production runs. At the same time, the transition to new formats (filling levels) can be accomplished without additional costs.

Colorful mixture from the MixCan

The Weidenhammer MixCan offers more product packaging options. Using two or more elements, the MixCan makes it possible to combine different types of products. For example, tortilla chips packaged together with salsa dips. Thanks to a specially designed plastic cap, multiple composite can elements can be attached to each other. Each of the elements is separately sealed and recloseable for maximum product protection. Along with the standard benefits of composite cans, including sealed-in freshness and aroma, the MixCan offers ideal options for individualized label designs.