Handle with Care: Secrets of Packaging Popcorn

At nVenia, we have a team of engineers and support staff that dedicate their time and expertise to helping our customers resolve challenges they have with their packaging systems.

One of the benefits of working directly with our customers is finding new ways to customize our machines to offer an even greater range of packaging and bagging options. A good example of this is the trend we’ve seen from small to mid-sized companies that need a popcorn packaging machine that allows them to get into the niche market for gourmet popcorn sales.

Marketing Considerations

Before looking at any features and functions of a popcorn packaging machine, we recommend thinking about your packaging needs. Not all baggers are able to use the same types of bags or include the same packaging options.

Most gourmet popcorn is sold on what is known as a "pillow pack." These are bags that are typically made from film, which means that our vertical form fill seal machine (VFFS) is a good option. These bags can range from small for individual servings or snack size bags, to much larger bulk or family sized bags.

The pillow pack has the additional benefit of a gas flush or modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), used to compress air to fill the bag and protect the popcorn. This is essential as without this pillow the contents of the bag would be crushed in boxing and transport, decreasing the visual appeal of the product and damaging the brand.

Our snack packaging machines are able to pre-weigh the popcorn, form the bag, fill the bag, flush the gas and seal the bag all in one cyclic operation. This provides for consistent, identical bags that offer protection for your product, a full seal all the way around the bag for freshness, and just the right amount of packaging materials required.