New cold food packages earn accolades for enhancing quality, performance and more.

The Oscars, the Emmys, the Golden Globes, the Grammys. Each year – throughout the year – every major entertainment medium honors its best of the best.

And here’s some food for thought. Throughout the year, sub-segments within the food industry also are honoring their best of the best in new refrigerated and frozen food packages.

Here are thumbnail profiles of new products and packaging recognized by the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA), the Association of Industrial Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators’ (AIMCAL), United Fresh Produce Association (UFPA), Produce Marketing Association (PMA), Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC) and the 22nd DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation.

Package: Heinz Smart Ones Grilled Flatbreads (pictured, left)
Award(s): AIMCAL Technical Award, Food Packaging Category; Paperboard Packaging Council’s Excellence and Eco-Awards
Why: New Focus™ Inset Susceptor is functional, versatile enough so consumers can choose a crispier or softer product, simply based on how they position the sandwich and package in the microwave.
Supplier: Graphic Packaging International

Package: Fresh Express Artisanal Salads
Award(s): UFPA’s Best New Packaging Award
Why: New Natursave™ bag maintains product quality and shelf life but uses 50 percent less plastic than 2009 Fresh Express Spring Mix bag. 
Supplier: Not available

Package: Schwan’s Home Service Marinade on Demand
Award(s): FPA’s Highest Achievement Award; Gold Award-Technical Innovation
Why: Unique, two-part thermoform package separates meat and marinade. Easy-to-use, sanitary package preserves product quality.
Supplier: Sealed Air Corp. / Cryovac Food Packaging

Package: Key West Gourmet Chowders
Award(s): FPA Silver Award, Environmental & Sustainability category
Why: Officials describe this as a “trail blazer” package made entirely of sustainable materials, which are compostable.
Supplier: Genpak LP

Package: Cryovac Grip & Tear bag
Award(s): DuPont “Silver Innovation” award
Why: Cryovac says its new Grip and Tear® bag combines superior shrink, toughness and oxygen barrier properties of a traditional vacuum shrink bag with the addition of an easy-open feature. A user simply grips the package and tears it open. Easily opened by pulling a tab, the bag’s knifeless design improves employee safety, reduces the risk of cross-contamination, eliminates mess, and keeps the workspace clean.
Supplier: Sealed Air Corp. / Cryovac Food Packaging

Package: Earthbound Farm salads
Award(s): 2009 PMA Packaging Impact Award for Environment / Sustainability; 2010 Silver award (Energy, Sustainability category) in Edison Best New Product Awards
Why: Clamshell package uses 100 percent post-consumer recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PCR PET) plastic, which requires significantly less energy and water to produce, generates far fewer greenhouse gases than virgin plastic, and diverts reusable materials out of the waste stream. Earthbound Farm was the first in produce industry to use 100 percent PCR PET for its clamshell containers.
Supplier: Packaging Plus LLC