Selecting the most flexible, suitable, and efficient yogurt packaging machine type for a business largely depends on a handful of manufacturing and business-specific factors. Based on their yogurt products and packaging operations, a business may require versatility, stringent sanitation, and lower labor costs, or perhaps this same business has identified a greater need for low-volume cost efficiencies or end-of-line flexibility.

Form-fill-seal (FFS) machines and fill-seal (FS) machines provide a variety of advantages to yogurt cup packaging, including greater flexibility and exceptional standards when combating decontamination and meeting other sanitary requirements. With both FFS and FS machines, they deliver their additional benefits and attributes while remaining cutting-edge and prepared for increased sustainable packaging efforts.

Below are the capabilities and advantages of both FFS and FS yogurt cup machines to help dairy processors and brands determine the ideal option for their current yogurt cup packaging needs, as well as their future operations.

FFS Machines

FFS machines use heat and air pressure to convert a plastic film into custom-formed cups that are then filled, sealed, and cut. FFS machines can produce premium single cups by incorporating a variety of options based on material, shape, and decoration. In addition, these machines allow dairy processors and brands to create any SKU needed, as well as multi-flavor or multi-product packs.

FS Machines

Fill seal machines are ideal for premium, unitary primary packaging, whether they’re sold individually or grouped into different SKUs at the end-of-line. FS machines also provide solutions for everything from basic to sophisticated recipes and all types of runs from small production to larger volumes.

Benefits of FFS and FS Machines

• Operational Expenses (OPEX) — FFS machines offer lower OPEX for volumes above 12,000 cups per hour, ideal for processors and brands with longer runs. FS machines are very competitive for smaller volumes, tailored towards processors and brands with shorter runs, test runs, and quick change-over. These machines have a high-cost efficiency throughout the exploitation cycle.

• Operational Requirements — Because of their form-filled cups, one operator can manage FFS machines and require much less material infill than FS machines. However, FS machines require fewer maintenance operations and occupy a smaller footprint than FFS machines.

• Sustainability — FFS machines have a lower utility usage and require less material transport, resulting in a lower carbon footprint when packaging yogurt cups. Also, with FFS machines, it is possible to reduce the plastic-type (ex. PET) and thickness for more recyclability and less impacting packaging. FS machines can accommodate all preformed materials such as PP, PET, glass, and cardboard.

• Shelf Appeal — For high-volume production and multipacks, FFS machines offer dairy processors and brands greater flexibility in choosing their yogurt cup shapes and sizes, as well as different cup shapes on the same line. For small production batches, FS machines allow dairy processors to handle a large variety of yogurt cup formats, diameters with or without snap-on lids.

• Cup Quality — FFS machines deliver high-quality yogurt cups at a lower cost-per-cup when producing higher volumes of yogurt cup products and are ideal for PS, PET, PLA, and PP cups. With FS machines, high-quality preformed cups align better with low-volume production because they come at a higher cost-per-cup. FS machines also accept any shape, such as round, oval, or square, and material, including plastic, aluminum, cardboard, and glass for yogurt cups, regardless of if they are stackable.

• Hygiene Requirements — FFS machines have premium ultra-clean capabilities for dairy products sold in chilled environments such as yogurt. With the different levels of decontamination, they can be used for a variety of yogurt products packed in mini, individual, or multi-serving sizes. FS machines provide greater access to high log decontamination of their packaging materials and three levels of hygiene for standard, extended, and long shelf-life items.

• Pack Formats — FFS machines can accommodate multipacks without additional stretch plastic or secondary cardboard packaging. In addition, FFS machines provide a scalable solution that can be easily adapted for new production needs, such as new yogurt cup sizes or additional product layers. FS machines are more adapted to single-served yogurt cups than pack production and can have different cup shapes and/or diameters on the same line with increased flexibility and scalability.

When determining the best solution for a company’s yogurt cup packaging needs, it’s important to work with an expert packaging partner who can help answer additional questions and provide insight into making the right decision. FFS machines and FS machines can help all dairy processors and brands with their packaging while aligning with the ongoing rules and regulations for more sustainable packaging practices.

Author - Fabien Jégo, Marketing Product Leader – Cups at Synerlink