Exopack and RJR to Supply Retort Pouches

Published: February 21, 2003, By PRESS RELEASE

SPARTANBURG, SC, USA—Exopack LLC will now have the capability to supply retort pouches for food and pet food. The manufacturer of stand-up pouches announces an alliance with RJR Packaging that "enables an important domestic supply of this fast-growing package format."

Explains Lani Craddock, VP of marketing at Exopack, "Retort pouches represent a tremendous opportunity for flexible packaging to displace cans and bottles. Foods packaged in cans are often over-cooked during the canning process. A retort pouch provides all the protection while delivering a better-tasting product. In Europe and Asia, where retort pouches have been common for years, packagers love its portability and minimal storage requirements. I believe they have just begun to blossom in North America."

According to Exopack, RJR Packaging, a supplier of laminates for various retort applications, will produce the printed laminate used in the pouchmaking process in its Winston-Salem, NC, facility. Specialty Films & Associates LLC (a subsidiary of Exopack) will manufacture the pouches in Hebron, KY.

"It's a winning combination," says Jane Dirr, Specialty Films president. "I'm thrilled we can participate as the market for retort pouches [in the US] begins to grow. Our unique capability to make pouches in a variety of shapes will lead to an array of options for the consumer."

Visit Exopack at exopack.com.