Expert Packaging Solutions from MJS Packaging
MJS Packaging excels in providing packaging solutions for companies in the food and beverage industry that ensure product safety, longevity and customer appeal. Our team is seasoned in the intricacies of packaging for sauces, dips, dressings and marinades, offering insights and solutions tailored to your needs. From selecting suitable packaging material to advising on closures, we’re here to guide you every step, leveraging our decades of experience to ensure your product stands out on the shelf.
Food Products: Essential Considerations
Our experts indicate that it’s important to determine the quantities you need at the outset, both initially and at an ongoing basis. We can guide you through understanding the Minimum Order Quantities (MOQ) required for your packaging needs. If you’re new to food packaging, our team can assist in selecting the right packaging type, specifications, and quantities. Packaging for food products, especially in the condiments and sauces sector, requires careful consideration of several factors:
Hot Fill Process: Understanding the materials that can withstand high temperatures is paramount for products like sauces and dressings that need hot filling. We offer glass and specific plastic packaging options suitable for hot fill processes, ensuring your product remains safe and retains its quality.
Hot fill involves filling heated, sterilized products into non-sterile containers. This method is typically used for foods with a pH of 4.5 or lower. Before filling, the product undergoes a sterilization process at a specific temperature and duration. Pasteurization occurs between 85-100°C (185-212°F), filling the product at the mandated temperature. Once filled, the container is immediately sealed, ensuring the contents remain sterile and shelf-stable.
Acidified Food: Understanding the regulatory classification of acidified foods is crucial. Foods are categorized as acid, low acid, or acidified based on their natural pH levels. A product with a pH above 4.6 is considered low acid, while those below 4.6 are considered acid foods. Acidified foods start as low acid but have acids added to achieve a final pH of 4.6 or lower. Knowing your pH threshold is critical because the goal is to inhibit the growth of bacteria.
Glass or Plastic: The choice between glass and plastic is significant for aesthetics and functionality. Glass provides a premium look and high recyclability, making it ideal for products like gourmet sauces and salsas. Plastic can offer a lightweight, shatterproof alternative, and is often chosen for squeezable bottles, which are consumer-friendly for dressings and marinades. Think about how many barbeque sauce options are on the shelves. Your packaging shape and decoration is worth consideration if you want to make an impact.
Fillers/Co-Packers: If you are working with fillers or co-packers, we can collaborate to ensure that the packaging type, specifications and quantities meet your production needs. We have an extensive network of partners we can recommend, to ensure that your product is filled and packed efficiently. It is important to think about your investments and partners when embarking on a packaging journey. We can help you purchase your own steam capping machinery, or partner with a filler that provides that co-packing service.
Types of Packaging
MJS Packaging offers a broad range of packaging options to suit various products in the sauces, dips and dressings category:
- Glass Jars: Our glass jars, which come in various sizes and shapes, are perfect for salsa, pasta sauce, queso, pizza sauce, bean dip… you name it! They provide a high-end look and excellent shelf life.
- Plastic Bottles: Ideal for marinades, dressings and squeezable sauces, our plastic bottles are available in multiple sizes and can mimic the appearance of glass while offering added durability. We’ll help you find the right option for your wing sauce, steak sauce, or ranch!
- Glass Bottles: For products like BBQ sauces and hot sauces, we offer decanters and woozy bottles designed to enhance functionality and trigger customer product recognition.
We can also work with you to develop molds that turn your unique packaging vision for high volume products into reality, from creative shapes to embossed elements. Ask us about complementing your glass package with custom-printed boxes that showcase your branding, and keep your product safe and secure.
Closures & Liners
Choosing the proper closure is as essential as selecting the correct container. MJS Packaging provides:
Metal Closures: These are the go-to for glass jars, especially in hot-fill applications. They provide a vacuum seal that preserves food quality and extends shelf life. When it comes to lug metal caps, you’re going to achieve a stronger seal compared to continuous-thread (CT) caps, with more pounds of pressure pulling the safety seal. For a hot fill vacuum on the jar with lug lids, it’s going through a steam injected capper.
Account Executive Aaron Edelen asks you to consider the following: “Are you hot filling or retorting? There are two different plastisols for that in the metal caps. How much oil is used? The amount of oil used in the product can conflict with the plastisol. If there is a lot of oil in the product the plastisol is not going to seal as well on top of the jar.”
Plastic Closures: For plastic bottles, we offer a variety of closures, including dispensing caps and screw tops. These closures can be customized to fit your brand and we ensure they are compatible with the packaging material and filling process.
Do you want a standard cap for a direct pour or a dispensing cap that allows you to select orifice size? Check out our flip tops and closures. A twist-open cap or Yorker could be the right fit, or a secure hinged cap closure can trap liquid inside the bottle. Pick from a variety of plastic continuous-thread lids to give you an open-pour option.
Liners: Choosing the right liner is crucial to effectively sealing your product, particularly for products with high oil content or varying acidity levels. We can help you select a liner that ensures a tight seal and maintains the integrity of your product.
Consulting your MJS Packaging representative will be essential if you don’t know the ins and outs of liners. A great advantage with MJS Packaging is that we have dedicated representatives that work with you to find the liner and closure that fits your filling process. “It’s pretty dependent upon equipment, adjustments and operators. You need to adjust your machinery properly for different closures too,” says Account Specialist Keo Jorgensen.
Custom Closures & Design: One of our specialties is providing amazing custom closures for our customers. Consider the space you could be using on the panel, channel, and skirt of your lid. We have helped customers fully utilize the tops and sides of their cap space by adding graphics and text to catch shoppers’ eyes.
“A lot of people don’t know that for 100,000 – 130,000 lids they can have it customized,” says Account Executive Aaron Edelen. That’s quite a favorable minimum order quantity. We can accommodate almost any custom cap color. We also have a variety of colors of regular, standard closures as well for all our bottles and jars in glass.
Why MJS Packaging?
People come to MJS Packaging, and stay with us, because of the level of service we provide. Our team has experience working in food manufacturing, a pulse on the latest trends, and a long history in food and beverage. After all, we’ve been around since 1885.
You can expect agile response times and reliable communication from our team. Eliminate the red tape… our company gets quotes out quickly. We can even provide special warehousing locations and inventories to make sure your specific packaging is available at a moment’s notice. We are your one-stop shop and dedicated partner.
Start Your Packaging Project Today
At MJS Packaging, we are more than just a supplier; we are partners in your packaging journey. We understand the nuances of food packaging and are ready to help you navigate the complexities, from material selection to final product presentation. Contact us today to discuss your project and let us help you create packaging that protects your product and elevates your brand in the competitive food market.
