The drinksplus technology from SIG Combibloc is set for global success. Following the well-received market launch of the first drinksplus products in China, consumers in Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Thailand are now able to experience added value in unique new premium drinks.

Packaged in aseptic carton packs, real fruit pieces added to juice and milk drinks intensify the character of healthy snacks that are right in line with the current health and wellness trend. The drinksplus products, containing up to ten per cent natural particulates, are filled using standard filling machines from SIG Combibloc for liquid dairy and non-carbonated soft drinks (NCSD). Further advances in the drinksplus technology now make it possible to aseptically fill drinks with pieces of fruits and vegetables in carton packs, as well as drinks containing coconut flakes, nuts or a wide variety of cereal grains.

With drinksplus, a technology has been developed that makes it possible to aseptically fill in carton packs new trend drinks containing pieces of food that add extra value – and this can be done quickly and cost-effectively using standard filling machines from SIG Combibloc for beverages. The individual particulates in drinksplus products can be up to six millimetres in length and width. “When we started working on the drinksplus project, the focus was on the development of product concepts and the technical implementation of the system. The aim was to offer our customers total solutions to enable them to create added-value products. We wanted solutions that comprise the product treatment and the process technology prior to filling, the filling and the downstream process”, says Norman Gierow, Global Market Segment Manager at SIG Combibloc, who has been involved with the project from the beginning. Working with experienced global technology companies, SIG Combibloc developed three basic technical variants for the product processing and filling of drinksplus products. These variants can be customised to suit the food manufacturer's production facilities, and the respective product concept.
The drinksplus concept makes it possible for manufacturers in the beverage industry to break into a completely new product segment for products aseptically packaged in beverage cartons, enabling them to supplement an already successful product range or a brand portfolio with added-value products. Combining top-quality drinks with added extras underscores the premium nature of the products, and fits perfectly with one of the key current trends in the beverage market: on the one hand, consumers want healthy food, and on the other hand they are looking for interesting and unusual new taste experiences. Natural pieces of real fruit or vegetables and grains are valuable not just as components of a balanced diet – they are also perceived and rated by consumers as added-value extras. In addition, drinks containing nutritious particulates have a special consistency and provide new, unusual drinking experiences.
More info:
www.sig.biz