In a bid to promote food safety and packaging differentiation on retailer shelves Sidel’s PET cartons have been chosen to carry dairy and dairy beverages. Leveraging its Aseptic Combi Predis technology, ITC Limited (ITC), a newcomer to the Indian dairy beverage sector, has opted for Sidel’s aseptic PET 200 mL and 300 mL cartons for its range of milk-based fruit juices. In addition, the company’s PET cartons have been chosen by Spanish dairy company Andía Lácteos de Cantabria for its ultra-high-temperature (UHT) milk. Sidel’s technology boasts efficient external decontamination, microoriganic protection and omits water usage.

“To get to know our technology for aseptic PET production featuring dry preform decontamination, ITC first decided to visit a similar installation in Indonesia. There they were able to witness an Aseptic Combi Predis in action and see its functionality, which made it easier for ITC to trust in our technology and to move forward with the project,” Rohit Sawhney, Sales Director India and Indian subcontinent at Sidel, tells PackagingInsights.

The aseptic PET complete line which was installed in a new area of the ITC production site in Kapurthala, Punjab, includes Tetra Pak Processing System technologies. At the heart of the line is the Aseptic Combi Predis complemented by Capdis, Sidel’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. Lastly, it also includes the world’s first processing solution for aseptic milk containing (fruit) particulates.

First time partners
For ITC, the resulting aseptic complete line project marks its first time partnering with Sidel. It’s also the company’s first time entering the dairy-based beverage market and launching UHT milk-based drinks with fruit pieces in India while leveraging the benefits of aseptic PET production.

Sunfeast Wonderz Milks arrive in four different flavors (Credit: ITC Limited).The portfolio revamps come as Indian consumers are increasingly looking for better-for-you beverage options to pace with their busy lifestyles. The launch also addresses demands for absolute food safety and packaging differentiation on retailer shelves. Recognizing this shift in consumer preferences for better-for-you beverages, ITC has expanded its product range to include liquid dairy products. Sunfeast Wonderz Milk is now offered in four different flavors: Vanilla Milkshake, Mixed-fruit Milkshake, Mango Milkshake and Badam (Hindi for almonds) Milkshake. 

In parallel, ITC has added a portfolio of premium Not From Concentrate (NFC) juices with source certified premium fruits to its existing B Natural brand. The portfolio includes the exotic range of Himalayan Mixed Fruit, Ratnagiri Alphonso Mango and Dakshin Pink Guava, making it the first fruit beverage brand in India to provide a portfolio of source certified fruit beverages with 100 percent Indian Fruit, without concentrate or any preservatives. Bottled in PET and decorated with colorful sleeve labels, Sidel affirms that the B Natural and Sunfeast products have gained a “distinctive look and feel” while providing an enhanced brand experience, therefore receiving a “very positive response” from local consumers.

“Given the good experience ITC has had with this project, we are confident there is scope for us for further collaborations in the future,” concludes Sawhney.

Spanish milk moves from HDPE to PET bottles
Sidel’s Predis technology employs the injection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into the preform just before the bottle enters the oven. This results in the activation of the H2O2 by the existing preform heating stage, ensuring a high decontamination level while minimizing the sterile zone and controlling all risk of potential contamination. Sidel operators continuously monitor critical parameters to ensure full production sterility, beverage integrity and food safety, regardless of liquid type or beverage characteristics.

The Aseptic Combi Predis is designed to ensure beverage safety, product integrity and a longer shelf life without preservatives (Credit: Sidel).This provides a 100 percent aseptic filling environment with continuous production run of 200 hours between cleaning and sterilization cycles. Its aseptic output range spans from 10,000 to 60,000 bottles per hour.

Now in operation across Andía Lácteos de Cantabria’s modernized plant, Sidel Aseptic Combi Predis can bottle extended shelf life milk, UHT milk and milkshakes in three formats (0.25 L, 1 L and 1.5 L), giving the dairy player the opportunity to broaden its spectrum of stock keeping units.

Moreover, Sidel Aseptic Combi Predis was integrated into an existing bottling line for HDPE bottles, which provided simple, cost-effective and flexible production. “The new low-speed Aseptic Combi Predis is working at full speed and offers the best food safety conditions, perfectly matching with our extreme production quality requirements,” says Javier Villafranca, Industrial Director at Iparlat Group, the mother company of Andía Lácteos de Cantabria. The line is currently running at 9,000 bottles per hour with 97 percent efficiency.

Due to “soaring sales,” Andía Lácteos de Cantabria has recently decided to invest in another Sidel Aseptic Combi Predis, combined with the conveying and accumulation solution Gebo AQFlex to increase its production capacity even more.