This month Pack-Track's top innovation honor goes to Steam & Serve, a frozen rice-based ready meal in the WeightWatchers from Heinz range, new in the UK. The pouch has a glossy finish and its gusseted base allows it to free-stand well in the freezer display cabinet, but the most innovative element is a steam valve (a series of 25 tiny apertures arranged in a square pattern), which is positioned in the top front corner of the pouch and is accentuated by simple graphics to draw the consumer's attention. Andrew Streeter, packaging innovations director of Pack-Track, said: "The valve is large enough for the water content of the pack and the pack is easy to open. However, the pack was hot to hold, restricting dispensing opportunities when compared to products served at an ambient temperature."
Source: Pack-Track, PackFocus number 856799
