Deli meats package features slider zipper closure - New packages: Food beverage pharmaceutical medical HBA

Hormel premium sliced dell meats are now packaged in a clear flexible pouch with an integrated Hefty Slide-Rite closure system, supplied by Pactiv Corp., that helps the meat retain its fresh flavor even after the package has been repeatedly opened and closed.

Developed in a joint effort among Hormel Foods, Pactiv Corp. and Multivac Inc., the new Hormel deli meat package is touted as the first application of a slider-type zipper closure on a horizontal thermoform fill-and-seal machine.

"The adoption of this closure system by Hormel Foods was driven by our desire to offer premium dell meats in a package that offers both a technical advantage and consumer convenience," says Dan Miller, manager of packaging development, Hormel Foods. "The end result is a package that gives us a true marketing point of differentiation."

The line operates similarly to horizontal form-fill-seal (HFFS) machines that apply press-to-close zipper applications. The Multivac R530 Zipline forms a pocket, and then sliced meats are loaded. As the machine indexes, the filled portion of the bottom web transfers to the pre-seal station, where film and slider track come together. By adopting the R530, Hormel has increased production capacity for this product by 40%.

"Typically, adding a new feature to packaging requires some level of compromise on production speed," explains Miller. "In this case, we not only enhanced our brand by adding the slider zipper, we also increased our output."

The closure helps to reduce spoilage due to dehydration and makes access to the product quick and easy. The new closures are also convenient for individuals with reduced dexterity, who may have problems with press-to-close zippers.