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Pretty Packaging Tips For Edible Gifts

Tara Sharp — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 04:45:17 PST

From homemade gin to chocolate caramel corn, we've got you covered when it comes to edible gifts for the holidays. But now it's time to wrap 'em up! We've grouped your tasty goodies into five categories: cookies, jams and sauces, spirits, nuts and popcorn, and spices. Click on for tips and wrapping products to package your yummy gifts with style. And if you're shipping them, be sure to check out FedEx's tips for crumble-free packing.

Pepsi Unveils 100 Percent Plant-Based Bottle

Susannah Chen — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:40:27 PDT

Pepsi isn't just making a killing off of the past - it's also banking on the technology of the future with a new plastic bottle made completely out of plant material.

The company claims it has "cracked the code" on a first-of-its-kind bottle made from switch grass, pine bark, corn husks, and other materials, and it purportedly looks, feels, and protects the drink in exactly the same way as traditional plastic packaging. It beats out the carbon footprint of competitor Coca-Cola's PlantBottle, which is only 30 percent plant-based.

Pepsi is even thinking further ahead: in the future, it plans to use orange peels, potato scraps, and other leftovers from its food enterprises in its new plastic bottles.

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Kraft's Macaroni and Cheese Has a New Look

Katie Sweeney — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 11:27:58 PST

The iconic blue box of macaroni and cheese has got a new look. Kraft Foods and design firm Landor Associates have revealed an updated package for the wildly popular Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. The box is still blue, but it has a noodle smile that will become an extension of the brand's new multimillion-dollar advertising campaign.

For well-known food products like Kraft's Mac and Cheese, a redesigned box can be a risky move. In 2009, Tropicana attempted to change its orange juice cartons but ditched the new logo due to customer backlash. However, I think the new look is fun and modern and have a feeling it will be a success. How do you feel about it?

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Diet Pepsi Shows Off Its New Slender Figure at Fashion Week

Susannah Chen — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 10:39:44 PST

Who's the first star to make an appearance this Winter at New York Fashion Week? Why, none other than iconic brand Diet Pepsi, which has debuted a slender new look.

According to PepsiCo, the "taller, sassier new Skinny Can" is a "celebration of beautiful, confident women" and will be available come March, alongside the classic can, which won't be going away.

The redesign's already been met with some serious criticism. "Pepsi needs to can the 'skinny' equals 'beautiful and confident' marketing," wrote Brand Channel. What do you think of it? Which will you buy: the new can, or the old?

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Cold-Activated Beer Bottles: Is Busch Light Onto Something?

Susannah Chen — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 04:00:54 PDT

Anheuser-Busch wants to heat up the competition by cooling down with new packaging. At a distributor meeting in New Orleans, the company revealed plans to unveil new cold-activated bottles for the Busch Light label that will turn blue when the temperature is optimal for drinking.

The "ice cold easy indicator," as it's called, isn't exactly original - it was just used on Coors Light bottles, which have mountains that turn blue, as the company says, "when it's as cold as the Rockies." The reaction from MillerCoors reps has been tepid: "I've heard that's been done before," one spokesperson remarked.

The temperature-sensitive packaging will be central to the bulk of Busch Light's advertising.

While it's a way to spend advertising dollars, I'm pretty sure one can already tell if beer is cold enough just by touching it. What do you think? Can you warm up to this idea?

Source: Flickr User inazakira

SunChips Disposes of Compostable Bag Concept

Susannah Chen — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 13:00:53 PDT

In an era when eco reigns supreme, Frito-Lay plans to cut back on what may be its most famous green effort - the SunChips 100 percent compostable bag.

A year and a half ago, the chip brand made noise when, rather than using conventional, landfill-bound, petroleum-based plastic bags, it switched to a bag made of biodegradable polymers that decompose within 12-16 weeks. But effective immediately, Frito-Lay will switch five out of six SunChips flavors back to the original bag.

The reason? Backlash over the bag's loud noise, especially from secret snackers. Although Frito-Lay is trying to develop a quieter, next-generation chip bag, for now, the only eco-friendly flavor will be the Original variety.

Are you as disappointed as I am over the fact that consumers can't get past a little noise?

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How Important Is Gadget Packaging, Really?

GeekSugar — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 08:30:10 PDT

Nothing will make you feel the rage of a ten year old on Christmas morning like a gadget shipped in packaging you can't open. Consumer Reports has detailed the reasoning behind the intense packages, including regulations that products shipped from abroad must be able to withstand travel and that all seals must be clearly tamper evident. Now, an initiative from Amazon aims to lead the charge for frustration-free packaging.

For more on the details (and why you should care), keep reading.

Gisele Announces P&G Switch to Eco Packaging

BellaSugar — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:45:00 PDT

Gisele Bündchen, Pantene's endorser in Brazil, announced today that Procter & Gamble will be making some changes. Over the next two years, look for the packaging for Pantene Pro-V, CoverGirl, and Max Factor (if you're outside the US) to go green. In lieu of the more traditional petroleum-based plastic, packaging will be made from renewable Brazilian sugarcane.

Lots of brands have gone to more sustainable packaging already, but P&G is an enormously powerful company and a dominant player in the personal care market. So the fact that it's making this push is perhaps indicative of a directional shift on the industry's part, and could spill over into even more mass market products. What do you think? Is this a sign of more changes to come?

How Much Does Eco-Friendly Product Packaging Matter to You?

BellaSugar — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 12:00:02 PDT

People like pretty packaging - no surprise there. But now, eco-conscious consumers want beauty products to be as green on the outside as they are inside.

Increasing numbers of manufacturers are offering products with minimal, recycled, and/or sustainable packaging. Pangea Organics' soap wrappers, for instance, are embedded with seeds for eventual planting. Gisele Bündchen's new skincare line includes packaging made from wind energy and is printed with soy-based inks. Green packaging might not always look as luxe, but it makes for a far better reduction on our carbon footprints in the long run.

Most of you have said that lousy packaging isn't a deal-breaker, but when it comes to the eco-friendliness of packaging, how much does that matter?

Pantene Gets a Makeover

BellaSugar — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 04:00:19 PST

If you find the eternal sameness of the Pantene bottle comforting, then you're in for a rough time. The brand is giving all of its packaging and marketing an overhaul. The new bottles will be shinier, more colorful, and differently shaped than their predecessors.

What's more, they won't be arranged in the usual way on store shelves. Instead of having all the shampoos and conditioners together, all the products for a given hair type will instead be in the same area, including styling products like mousse. Pantene is the most popular shampoo brand, and it's been Bella readers' favorite in the past. Do you think this change was necessary?