ITC opts for Sidel to cater to new market segments

Surfing the healthy consumer wave in India
Due to the change in consumer behaviour caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Indians are looking for better-for-you beverage options with added nutritional benefits on a daily basis. Busy and stressful lifestyles are increasingly representing the rule for the majority of the Indian population to look for convenient ways to cope with time constraints. Thus, they are willing to pay a premium for so-called naturally healthy beverages in small formats, says ITC.

Recognising this shift in consumer preferences, the company recently decided to expand its product range to include liquid dairy products with the launch of Sunfeast Wonderz milk – a milk-based drink bottled in PET. Available in 200 and 300ml formats, the drink is offered in vanilla, mixed-fruit, mango and Badam flavours.

In addition, the company has boosted its portfolio of premium Not from Concentrate juices with source certified fruits to its existing B Natural brand. The portfolio includes an exotic range of Himalayan mixed fruit, Ratnagiri alphonso mango and Dakshin pink guava. These additions have made ITC the first fruit beverage brand in India to provide a portfolio of source certified fruit beverages with 100% Indian fruit and zero concentrates or preservatives, claims the FMCG major.

To make this move, ITC needed a flexible PET packaging solution. “Strengthening innovation across the organisation is a key business imperative for us in these times of rapid business change and heightened competition. It also ensures that we enlarge our market share, create brand differentiation and are future-ready. All of that while pursuing responsible competitiveness – a socio-economic-environmental framework that is pushing us to always guarantee that growth is sustainable and inclusive,” explains Rajesh Ponnuru, category manager juices and dairy at ITC.

The first in many ways
ITC widened its nutritional drinks portfolio by expanding the packaging choices for its B Natural juices and by launching Sunfeast liquid dairy products in PET. Sidel says that the resulting aseptic complete line project was a first in many ways – it was the first time that both companies partnered; the first time they entered the dairy-based beverage market and the first time UHT milk-based drinks with fruit pieces were launched in India leveraging the benefits of aseptic PET production with dry preform decontamination.

Gaurav Kumar, project manager execution, global key accounts at Sidel, said, “Our global leadership in this field, based on more than 40 years of expertise and over 150 references of our Aseptic Combi Predis installed worldwide, were the key drivers behind ITC’s decision. Further strengthened by the opportunity to take care of the process phase through Tetra Pak Processing System (TPPS) technologies.”

This is the first time that Sidel and ITC have partnered

He added, “We are really proud to be the first ones in India to leverage the benefits of aseptic PET production with dry preform decontamination. This unique system perfectly supports the complete aseptic PET solution Sidel provide to us, offering flexibility, sustainability and efficiency. Plus, the Predis system uses no water and very little chemicals during production.”  

The thought process behind PET packaging
ITC chose PET because it facilitates the creation of innovative and functional packages, thus enabling FMCG companies to address the rapid local market and get a competitive edge through product differentiation. The latter aspect was especially important for ITC, as the majority of milk products in the country are packaged in pouches, glass bottles and cartons.

Bottled in PET and decorated with colourful sleeve labels, the B Natural and Sunfeast products immediately gained a distinctive look and feel while providing an enhanced brand experience, therefore receiving a very positive response from local consumers, says the company.

Sidel said that it had advised ITC about PET production at every step of the supply chain. “The experience they have shown around packaging, beverages and raw materials was key in winning our trust,” says Ponnuru. “We visited Sidel’s centre for packaging expertise in Octeville-Sur-Mer (France) multiple times to check the new bottle designs, developed around two main shapes – round and squared, the latter representing another first in this project; the first squared PET beverage bottle offered to Indian consumers.”

ITC has boosted its premium juices portfolio with source certified fruits to its B Natural brand

Sidel’s expertise – aid for ITC’s product launch
Sidel’s Liquid Package Interaction laboratory ran shelf life tests on a number of juice and milk-based recipes to simulate real-life distribution conditions and ensure, in advance, the products’ quality, safety, and organoleptic properties. The resulting insights helped ITC decide, which recipes to launch in the market and which PET barrier material to choose; the goal being to protect its dairy drinks and juices against microorganism growth and alterations caused by the effects of light, oxygen and temperature.

To meet the highest food safety standards and ensure a six months shelf life, Sidel’s packaging scientists recommended ITC to use an O2 PET barrier for their milk-based product range and an O2 – combined with light – barrier to protect its organic juices.

“To find out more about aseptic PET production with dry preform decontamination, we decided to visit a similar installation in Indonesia. During this visit, we had the opportunity to experience the Aseptic Combi Predis in action and talk with operators,” says Rajesh Ponnuru.

Based on this experience, ITC’s order for the Sidel complete aseptic PET line was placed. The scope includes TPPS technologies and, as the heart of the line, the Aseptic Combi Predis complemented by Capdis, the company’s dry cap decontamination system. The line also features a RollQuattro labeller, a sleever, packing and stretch wrapping systems, a PalKombi palletiser and Efficiency Improvement Tool, with the latter one significantly improving production efficiency.

The aseptic PET complete line – operational since early 2019 – was installed in a new area of the ITC production site in Kapurthala (Punjab) and laid-out to account for production operations and raw material logistics. The line ensures ease of operations and maintenance, hygiene and food safety while offering flexibility to switch easily from one product to another.