New AutoWrap Lite system significantly extends shelf life for Bradburys Cheese

New AutoWrap Lite system significantly extends shelf life for Bradburys Cheese

Case Study - Global ‘market first’

About Bradburys

Headquartered in Buxton, UK, Bradburys Cheese has been delivering quality cheese solutions for over 140 years. The business sources from across Europe and supplies a wide range of cheeses, including over 600 different SKUs and speciality cheese to retailers across the UK and internationally.

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Challenge
Solution
Results

Challenge

For over 140 years, Bradburys Cheese has established itself as the largest independent cheese business in the UK. They produce more than 250 types of cheese in 600 different formats, serving markets across the globe.

Bradburys Cheese packaging process involved a gas-flushing technique using carbon dioxide and nitrogen to remove oxygen from the pack. The method required creating a hole in the packaging to allow the gas mixture to escape. Although a barrier label was used to cover this hole, it couldn't provide a fully hermetic seal, which limited the product's shelf life to 40 days.

At the time, it aligned with Bradburys Cheese's commitment to minimising food waste and its environmental impact. However, after a few years, the company sought to strengthen its market-leading position. Their goal was to further extend the shelf life of their products, which would not only improve operational efficiencies but also open up opportunities for exporting outside the UK.

Solution

After more than a decade of partnership with Bradburys Cheese, Sealed Air's team leveraged their in-depth knowledge of the customer's specific needs. Following careful consideration, they introduced the new CRYOVAC^® AutoWrap Lite system, and Bradburys Cheese immediately saw its potential business advantages.

Trials began with shelf-life tests on various cheeses. This was followed by an industrial trial where cheese produced with the new system was sold in stores across the UK for several weeks. The goal was to ensure no disruption to the supply chain or increase in customer complaints. These successful trials gave Bradburys Cheese the confidence to purchase the full CRYOVAC^® AutoWrap Lite system.

The CRYOVAC^® AutoWrap Lite is a soft vacuum shrink packaging system that gently extracts air, eliminating the need for gas flushing. It creates a close-fitting vacuum skin that protects the integrity of both soft and hard cheeses. The system also minimises material usage, using only about two grams of film for every 200 grams of cheese. This reduces total packaging weight by 65% compared to similar thermoformed packaging solutions.

At the heart of Sealed Air's CRYOVAC^® AutoWrap Lite System lies the AutoWrap Lite Film (AWF) which is an ultra-thin, high-performance shrink film. Being only 25 microns thick, AWF provides the robust barrier properties necessary for extending the shelf life of cheese during distribution. This is achieved using only a fraction of the plastic required by traditional packaging formats like thermoforming.

The AWF has been certified as recycle-ready by "Cyclos-HTP Institute*" and is aligned with "OPRL" and "CEFLEX D4ACE design" for recycling guidelines.

* Recyclability certification is based on the Cyclos-HTP Institute (CHI) Recyclability Standard, which complies with ISO 14021.Recyclability of the final package depends on the specific product configuration or components intended for recycling and the scope and availability of appropriate local recycling facilities.

Have a closer look:

Results of using CRYOVAC^® AutoWrap Lite

Shelf life extended from an average of 40 to 100 days.
Eliminated the need for CO₂ and nitrogen during packaging.
No sealing labels required, removing one million labels per annum and reducing packaging material usage.
Boosted packaging speeds and throughputs, and overall production capacity.
Improved pack appearance.
Reduced packaging costs.

“Sealed Air’s total packaging solution has delivered multiple sustainability and cost-saving benefits. It avoids the usage of flushing gases and has removed the need for around one million labels per annum that were previously used to seal flushing holes” commented Chris CHISNALL.

He added: “Extending shelf life to an average of 100 days has created an extra 60 days in our supply chain. We now have more time to store and transport cheese, while also providing retailers with even longer periods to sell our products. This has all been achieved while preserving freshness, taste and product quality. It has created new opportunities for boosting capacity and production schedules to stay ahead of peak demand and grow exports to markets around the world.”

Chris CHISNALL
Sales and Marketing Director at Bradburys Cheese

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New AutoWrap Lite system significantly extends shelf life for Bradburys Cheese