For seven years, Ring Container Technologies has been supplying JBSS with PET snack containers. The two companies have become key strategic partners, collaborating on packaging innovation such as the new SmartCAN®, a 100 percent recyclable modern approach to the classic composite canister.
"The rationale was two-fold," said Eric Hermes, Sr. Packaging Engineer at JBSS. "First, customers and consumers are looking for primary packages that can be easily recycled, and SmartCAN® has a clear advantage over composite cans when it comes to recyclability and in-home reusability. Second, rising costs for composite cans make it more difficult to continue to provide consumers with the products they love at prices they can afford."
JBSS, whose brands include Fisher Nuts and Orchard Valley Harvest, prides itself on delivering quality products and packaging to consumers. Ring's quality, speed to market, and customer service are a perfect fit for JBSS.
SmartCAN® has many benefits over the standard composite canister, such as its transparency, which allows consumers to actually see the product before opening the container. JBSS research shows consumers prefer being able to see the product inside the canister because it helps them judge its quality and taste appeal.
The new SmartCAN® PET canister has the supply chain benefit of being lighter weight, uses less material than traditional composite cans and is 100% recyclable, which addresses a gap with composite cans and sustainability trends. SmartCAN® allows JBSS to offer a completely recyclable solution to customers who don't want to make a major change to their existing packaging functionality.
"The sizes and shelf presence are the same, thereby not disrupting shopper familiarity, but the container is entirely recyclable," said Tim Ferrel, Vice President of Business Development at Ring Container Technologies. "SmartCAN® is certified as widely recyclable by How2Recycle, which provides consistent and transparent on-package recycling information to consumers in North America. Sustainability is deeply ingrained in the culture of our company, and that's tremendously important to our food manufacturer customers."
For retailers, in addition to SmartCAN® offering them the 100% recyclability they prefer, it also offers them the benefit of not having to change their footprint, since the sizes and shapes of the containers remain the same and they don't have to make adjustments to their shelving.
