Are you looking for the most effective soup packaging solution for your business? This article will enlighten you about the latest soup packaging materials as well as their suitability for specific purposes.
Soup packaging involves a wide range of materials and advanced machines throughout the whole process. Also, the soup packaging type contributes to the success of your business. Want to learn more? Let’s dive in right away-
What is Soup Packaging?
Soup packaging is the process of storing dry soup mixes or liquid soup with high-quality packaging materials until consumers are ready to eat them. As a matter of fact, soup is packed in filling, sealing, and canning machines using materials like metal, plastic, and glass before it is ready for shipping.
Benefits of Soup Packaging
- Flavour Preservation: Proper packaging keeps the flavours of the soup fresh and intact for a long period.
- Protection against Environmental Hazards: Packaging protects the soup inside from the external environment.
- Assurance about Quality: Soup packaging reassures customers to buy the product by maintaining product quality.
- Prevention of Product Loss: Soup packaging also prevents product loss during transportation and storage.
- Targeted Advertisement: Soup packaging is a viable method of product advertising as it contains the necessary information about the product for target customers.
Different Types of Soup Packaging
Canned Soup Enclosures
Metallic cans are used here for packaging soup, which are good for maintaining its flavour and quality. It is ideal for long-term storage because of its superior barrier against air and light. To elaborate, canned soup enclosures are cylindrical in shape and come with a chic metallic finish. You will need either a separate can opener or just pull the ring handle attached to the can lid to open the can.
Retort Pouches & Spout Pouches
Retort pouches are made of a hybrid of plastic and metallic layers. This type of packaging is lightweight and flexible. In addition, it is resilient enough to endure the sterilisation process. You can store it either upright or flat, based on free space. Again, spout and stand-up pouches are space-efficient and good for long-term storage. Moreover, retort pouches have microwave compatibility, and so, the customers use them for their ease of use.
Soup Glass Packaging
If you want a premium packaging for your soup products, go with glass packaging. You can use transparent glass jars or containers for this purpose. As glass is inert in nature, it will guarantee the highest standards of quality. In contrast, be extra cautious while handling and shipping glass jars, as they are fragile and brittle.
Soup Bowls, Tubs & Cups
Soup bowls, tubs & cups come with heat-sealed film and plastic top cover. Generally, they are microwave-safe in nature. Again, these tubs and cups are easy to handle since they are made to be leak-proof and come in various sizes.
Structural Soup Boxes
Soup boxes are usually crafted from rectangular cardboard structures and used for dry soup mix or secondary packaging. Also, these are recyclable and efficient for branding purposes. However, you will need an extra internal liner if you want to pack liquid soup in it.
Types of Soup Packaging Materials
Plastic Lining in Containers
Among the soup packaging materials, polymer lining in containers has become popular due to its impermeability and leak proof nature. In addition, these materials can tolerate high-temperature liquids and are featherlight in nature. However, you need to be cautious while selecting the polymer or plastic lining for the container. Make sure the lining material is biodegradable and does not pose any harm to human health.
Flexible Packaging (Soup Pouches)
Soup pouches packaging materials require fewer resources compared to traditional packaging methods. You can use it for brand enhancement as it is suitable for customisation in design and printing. Sometimes the flexible packaging is considered less premium that can influence the buying decision of the customers.
Glass Containers
Glass containers are highly recommended to preserve the organoleptic qualities of soup. Also, it is sustainable as it can be used repeatedly. However, this packaging material costs more than plastic or malleable counterparts.
Metal Containers (Canned Soup)
Metal elements in canned soup packaging offer protection against oxidative agents and light. Therefore, it is used when long-term storage of soup products like tomato soup is needed.
Types of Soup Packaging Machinery
Let’s see the machinery used in soup packaging that optimises the entire production process:
VFFS Soup Packaging Machine
The VFFS packaging machine saves space with its compact design, and it is suitable for a wide array of films like laminated film, OPP, PE, etc. It works with a range of pouches like 3 side seal pouches, 4 side seal pouches, and pillow pouches. Also, this equipment makes less noise while working. First, it unwinds the film, then forms it into a tube, fills the tube with soup products, seals the bottom and top, and finally, cuts individual bags.
Premade Pouch Packaging Machine
The premade pouch packaging machine works with different kinds of premade pouches, including spout pouches, zipper pouches, 3 side seal pouches, and many more. Again, it is easy to operate due to its touch screen. Here, the types of filler should be changed depending on the viscosity of your soup products.
For example, you will need a piston filler for thick soups like chowder soups, bisque soups, and cold soups. On the contrary, use a cup feeder with piston packing for products like meat soup.
Premade Pouch Packaging Machine for Soup Packaging
Soup Bowl Filling & Sealing Machine
The soup bowl filling sealing machine fills the soup product into cups and bowls, and then seals them. Initially, the machine drops the bowls from the holder onto the conveying device. After that, the bowls are moved to be filled through the nozzles. Lastly, the machine puts the film onto the bowls and seals them.
Soup Bottle Filling Machine
A soup bottle filling machine is used to fill containers like bottles, jars, and cans with soup products. The bottles are moved to the filling station, and the automatic detection system of the machine detects them. After aligning the container, the filling process starts. As a result, spillage and product waste can be prevented using this machinery.
Soup Canning Machines
Canning machines are used in large-scale soup production to rapidly fill cans with soup. Also, it performs the sterilisation process by heating the soup to specified temperatures. As a result, the risk of bacterial growth is minimised, and the nutritional value of the soup is maintained.
Labelling and Coding Machines
The final step in soup packaging involves labelling and coding the products. The labelling and coding machines put essential information like expiration date, batch identifier, and manufacturing date onto the packaging.
Branding With Packaging for Soup
Let’s find out how packaging can be a strong medium of building brand identity for you-
- Custom Branding: Integrate your brand identity into the packaging of the soup product through personalised design, short tagline, QR codes linking the whole menu, quirky illustrations, or bold typography.
- Thoughtful Additions: Use eco-icons on the packaging to relay the ideas of sustainability to your customers.
Soup Packaging Tips for Manufacturers
- Prioritize Customer Convenience: Use resealable spout pouches for precise pouring. In this way, customers can use part of the product and store the rest for later. After that, utilize microwave-safe packaging materials for the convenience of the consumers.
- Use Disposable Packaging Elements: You need to use biodegradable packaging elements in manufacturing to reduce carbon footprint and grab the eco-conscious customer groups.
- Highlight Recycling Information: Label and mention how to recycle the soup product clearly on the packaging to ensure sustainability.
Conclusion
If you have read the whole article, then you know everything about soup packaging machines. Now you can purchase a machine based on your production requirements.
Therefore, to get the best one, contact HonorPack now. We offer different types of packaging machines with various configurations to match your needs.
FAQs
What is the perfect temperature for soup packaging?
For hot foods like soup, 150°F to 200°F or 65°C to 93°C should be maintained while packaging.
