Going from round to square for a new version of its Easy Baking Tub for Domino Sugar and C&H Sugar, brand owner ASR Group has not only improved consumer convenience, but also reduced the package’s use of plastic by 28%. The tub, which holds 3.5 lb of product, or eight cups, is also recyclable and reusable, with home bakers encouraged to refill the package once empty with Domino Sugar and C&H Sugar sold in bags.
Suzzette Arroyo, director, brand management for ASR Group, confirms that convenience and sustainability were the primary drivers for the switch from the previous package—a round, high-density polyethylene tub with detachable low-density polyethylene lid—to the new square, polypropylene canister with attached, click-to-close PP lid.
“We are always looking for ways to be more sustainable to be at the forefront of the sugar industry,” Arroyo says. “Domino and C&H Sugar are committed to making 100% of their packaging renewable or recyclable by 2025. Therefore, we are excited to launch a new version with a design that includes a hinged lid that makes it easier for the consumer to open and close. The new tub facilitates accessing and measuring the sugar because the lid can be used for leveling in the measuring cup to ensure the perfect amount without the hassle of using a utensil to level the sugar.”
During initial exploration of the new design, ASR Group’s packaging engineers worked with several suppliers, ultimately selecting Mauser Packaging Solutions to develop the new tub. According to Courtenay Cooper, principal packaging engineer for ASR Group, the 28% reduction in plastic is the result of the overall difference in the shape of the tub, its wall thickness, and the way that it’s processed.
