When Cool Frootz, Boulder, Colo., launched its wholesome range of Froozer all-natural whole fruit snacks in frozen bars, they were faced with two challenges—how to convert their initial carton from a manually erected, hand-loaded and closed horizontal style to a fully automatic carton forming and closing operation that is flexible enough to handle the wide variety of bar count quantities, and have that equipment delivered on a very short lead time that would enable them to meet a rapidly expanding demand from large club and supermarket groups.

Froozer is a grab-and-go frozen snack that is made from 100% whole fruits and vegetables. Cool Frootz’ proprietary technology maintains and fuses fibers for maximum nutrition and converts frozen fruits and vegetables into a smooth, creamy texture. The result is a premium product that tastes like soft-serve frozen yogurt.  

The answers to their problems were presented by Bradman Lake, Rock Hill, S.C., who advised that Cool Frootz switch the method of cartoning to a top-loaded 3-flap lid cover style, which provides excellent graphics, ease of product loading and flexibility to produce a wide variety of different carton sizes and count quantities all on the same machinery.

In record time, Bradman Lake used their expertise to assemble a flexible line of top-load cartoning machine incorporating the HS double-head carton forming machine, an integrated carton takeaway and packing conveyor linked to the RA90 right angle, lugless, 3-flap carton closer.

This machine is currently housed in the Cool Frootz Salem, Ore., facility.

“This relationship with Bradman Lake is crucial to our success in that their equipment dramatically increases our efficiency,” says Arnie Zweben, Cool Frootz founder.