How We Innovate Cannabis Packaging
December 11, 2023
As each year turns, more innovation comes into the cannabis industry. New products are being developed, new compounds are being discovered, and changes in regulations make the business of cannabis more dynamic.
Choosing a packaging partner who understands packaging intimately and works to bring innovation to your cannabis brand is tantamount. With cannabis, there are constant findings about what works best, what preserves the product, and what materials interact with the plant’s oils.
In our first edition of “Step, Stretch, and Leap,” we covered this three-step innovation process and how it informs packaging development. Today, we will break down the framework Guido Schmitz outlined and share specific cannabis packaging innovation insights from our VP of Packaging Development, Tedi Weitekamp. Guido is an Adjunct Professor of Packaging Engineering at Rutgers University and is working with PAPACKS to develop a fiber bottle (plastic-free).
Step: Small Changes, Big Impact
“Step” is the small increments of progress made using existing technology. Changing something as simple as the amount of material used ultimately changes the effectiveness of the packaging and is an innovation. Small changes that add to efficiencies ultimately save a lot on the bottom line. AssurPack® has taken steps to convert foam inserts into paperboard and add Post Consumer Resin to our current materials to enable more sustainable packaging.
Stretch: Systematic Progress
Taking a longer-term approach here, “stretch” references new packaging design. When we see a need for different form factors in packaging, we work with our customers to fully understand what they want to bring to market and see how we can be a vehicle for that. An example of this innovation is our AssurSeal®, which is child-resistant and can be opened with one hand for enhanced accessibility.
Tedi says, “We use the phrase ‘Brick to the head,’ meaning that packaging innovation needs to be intuitive. We aim to make exactly what a customer is looking for. We listen to the needs of our customers and build solutions for them.”
Leap: Next Level Innovation
“Leap” is characteristic of the BIG projects, which take over a decade to complete fully. Leaps are the long-term projects that are taken on to revolutionize the industry and bring more value to operators, customers, and consumers alike. Steps and stretches are building points toward a leap. They bring value and help with the efficacy and utility of packaging, with the leap being what ties these innovation points together.
AssurPack® works tirelessly to bring every aspect of step, stretch, and leap to our innovation strategy. “Packaging is our specialty; our collective knowledge helps to build specialty solutions for any client need,” Tedi exclaims proudly. The team at Assurpack® comes with more than 100 years of packaging experience. We have projects spanning months to years, all to bring better, more effective packaging to the cannabis industry.
