Case Histories
Thanks to Cryovac Easy-Opening Shrink Bag, Steinhaus Sausages Offer Outstanding Presentation and Consumer Convenience
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To provide consumers with unprecedented convenience and quality,
in addition to achieving a striking presence on the display shelves, the German
meat processor Steinhaus has recently opted for an innovative, easy-opening shrink
bag from Cryovac to package its premium quality sausages.
Steinhaus Gmbh, located near Cologne, is a well-established smoked
and processed meat producer and retailer in Germany. Its sausages, ham and salami
products, a variety of delicacies typical of the area nearby Bergische Land, are
well known for their traditional quality. Steinhaus also produces and distributes
a variety of convenience foods, including fresh pasta and sauces, soups, meat
products and various snacks. In this segment, the producer holds a leadership
position with a market share of 50-60% in the country.
With 500 employees and 17 wholly-owned retail outlets, Steinhaus
is a major fresh food producer in Germany. The company produces 13,000 tons of
food products annually, for a turnover of over 66 million Euros. Steinhaus products
are distributed throughout the country, either through its own retail shops or
through major distributors such as Rewe, Metro, Walmart, Spar and Karstadt.
For the past two decades, Steinhaus has been a dedicated customer
of Cryovac, the leading food packaging innovator. In the mid-90's, a CRYOVAC®
VR8610 vacuum sealing machine was installed to package most processed meat products
in CRYOVAC® shrink bags.
Earlier this year, Steinhaus decided to introduce Cryovac's latest
and most innovative shrink bag to package a variety of pork and poultry sausages
in attractive triangular packs containing 3 sausages, a perfect and appealing
consumer portion. In view of the increasing trends for more convenience and consumer
portions for small or singles' households, Steinhaus decided to adopt this new
packaging.
 The
latest generation Cryovac SMARTPAK® "Notch" bag features an innovative
easy-opening device in the shape of a notch. It is designed to package
processed meat products in attractive consumer units. This transparent
bag - the Cryovac CN300 shrink bag - offers high seal strength, heat and
abuse resistance, good barrier properties as well as an excellent shrink.
Its transparency, improved optics and excellent print quality result in
very attractive product appearance. The recently developed easy-opening
feature brings additional consumer convenience. It consists in a notch,
placed at the bottom of the bag, surrounded by an additional seal to ensure
that the bag remains hermetic. The bag is opened very simply by tearing
on the notch.
Numerous tests followed a product and design development phase,
in close partnership between Steinhaus and Cryovac. The process proved to be highly
successful. The Cryovac CN300 bag is functional and consumer-friendly. It clearly
fulfils consumers' demand for increased convenience, superior quality and small
retail portions. Thanks to its easy-opening feature, knives are no longer necessary,
making the pack safer. There is no risk of damaging the product. In addition,
the sausages can be re-heated in the shrink bag, ensuring no taste impairment
by dilution and optimal quality preservation.
The new Steinhaus line of triangular shaped, 3-pack sausages in
Cryovac shrink bags was introduced in retail outlets in the second quarter of
2000. The new product line is positioned in a premium quality segment, acting
as an image enhancer for the German producer. The outstanding presentation of
the innovative packs makes for striking differentiation on the display shelves.
Says Klaus Uhlendorf, Chief Buyer Food for Karstadt: "This innovative product
design clearly satisfies the demands of both retailers and consumers, offering
increased product differentiation as well as consumer convenience".
According to Steinhaus management, the benefits of this new packaging
are evident. "We are very pleased with the optimal presentation of our product,
as the packaging offers transparency and a smooth surface, reflecting the natural
appearance of the sausages", comments Helmut Gerfer, Manager Product Development
and Quality Assurance for Steinhaus, who adds: "Not to mention the easy-opening
feature which offers ideal handling". Carsten Gust, Key Account Manager for Steinhaus,
agrees: "This pack offers an ideal size as well as premium character. It is a
perfect product for stores in urban areas, where many single individuals with
high income look for top quality and convenience."
Following this successful introduction, Steinhaus are planning
to enlarge their range of convenience foods and have already opted for the unique
Cryovac fluid packaging technology to package pasta and sauces. Other plans include
a strong focus on premium products of superior freshness, with specialisation
in salami, ham and sausages.
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