I was reading an interesting article about global ingredients giant Chr Hansen and how much time and effort and ultimately money they spent on a cap or a cap system for a fast growing line of probiotic beverages. While this doesn't involve a spouted stand up bag in particular, it does emphasize something many people take for granted when packaging beverages or liquids of any kind in a spouted stand up pouch.
If an engine is what makes a car run, then a spout and cap are the equivalent to a spouted stand up bag. They are counted on for the fill and discharge but most importantly the convenience a consumer is looking for. As anyone can imagine, there are your basic down and dirty versions and the more elaborate styles for sprays and drops as well as tamper evident and easy pour, etc.
Spouted stand up pouches are made from multiple layers of barrier film laminated together. This combination of laminated film provides the thickness and strength for the spouted stand bag to stand effectively on a store shelf while providing the barrier properties to keep the contents inside fresher for longer. However, when packaging liquids there is absolutely zero room for error, any problem in the construction of the pouch or the seals or even the film strength can lead to liquid being leaked. Even a few drops of liquid from one pouch inside a case of product will give the impression that the entire case is leaking which usally leads to a rejection of the case and sometimes the entire order...let's face it, Walmart, Target, Whole Foods do not mess around!
The problem when leaking occurs with spouted stand up bags can certainly be the film and the seals but more often than not someone is using a cheap spout and cap combination to save a few pennies. That's right, pennies, but soon they add up into big dollars in lost revenue, returns, and ultimately a product's failure to succeed on a store shelf. Just as I described earlier of a relationship between an engine and a car, a spout and cap combination to a liquid stand up pouch should not be minimized.
In the coming days I am going to go into further detail about some of the best suppliers of spouts and caps in the world, not just the US, and some tips we've learned over the years to minimize or even eliminate problems with your spouts and caps. We'll also discuss sealing the spouts to the pouches and even screwing on the caps automatically or shipping them loose and separate. The goal is to provide you with all the info you need to package and ship your product with confidence!
Silly side note for Tabasco lovers, they ran a banner ad on a website recently that said something to the effect of..."Tabasco, buy it buy the bottle or the barrel." I know those little bottles go hand-in-hand with Tabasco but someday we'll see it in a spouted stand up bag and I'll know then that the spouted stand up pouch business has arrived!
