Ruggles Premium Ice Cream, produced by Dairy Enterprises, Inc., Orrville, Ohio, can now be found in eye-catching new cartons that were designed to satisfy consumer preference. According to a consumer focus group, an easily identifiable flavor name topped the list of factors that make the purchase decision easier. The results showed that purchasers also want to see a description of what is in the carton.

Shape and size were important, too. Consumers said they liked a carton that would fit easily in freezer doors, and could stack for convenient storage. They also asked for a lid that stayed tightly closed to keep the ice cream fresh.

"We chose a design that is different from anything found in the ice cream freezers," says Penny Baker, director of marketing for Ruggles. "Ice cream is a fun food, so our approach was to make the package design fun as well. Each package features a unique pattern and bright color scheme that tie in with the name of flavor printed in bold type on the front of the carton."

Flavor descriptions and a photo of the actual ice cream appear on every package. Consumers can scan a quick-response (QR) code on the back panel of the carton to find entertaining and fictional stories about each flavor, and can upload their own Ruggles ice cream stories, photos or videos about their favorite flavors to win prizes in the "What's your Ruggles Story?" section of the website.

The new look carries through all Ruggles ice cream, frozen yogurt and no-sugar-added ice cream products, which are available in 1.5-quart containers with a suggested retail price of $5.59-5.99. The transition to new cartons for all flavors will be completed this spring.