The new powder jar range from Pont is exactly the kind of progressive development that the company founder, Constant Pont, who established his eponymous glass packaging factory in the Netherlands in 1906, would be proud of. His faith in offering packaging that values both performance and reliability means that Pont’s growth continues to be steady and sustainable.
Available in traditional white flint glass and UV-resistant amber glass, the new powder jars are bringing a more contemporary twist on the much-loved classic, allowing brands that have a foot in both camps find exactly what they’re looking for.
Pont Europe Ltd’s New Product Development & Sustainability Director Jacquelien Spenkelink has led the team in the development of this new range. Jacquelien says, “We’re really proud of our latest range of glass powder jars because they represent the best of old and new. They also show how the multi-department project team at Pont works so well together, as we’ve brought our expertise into this one product. From marketing to R&D and production, we’ve all put our heads together to come up with a sustainable packaging solution that looks great and has a huge potential for growing sectors that value environmental performance as well as packaging performance.”
Watching powder jar trends
The sectors that already utilise the popular powder jars include food, personal care and sports nutrition, with all powdered products finding a happy home in these practical, easy to fill and easy to dispense containers. In the food sector, sales of powdered spices and seasoning mixes are increasing, as well as powdered mixes for baking and world foods. The beauty industry is reporting growing sales in powdered products due to the joint impact of liquid restrictions for travel and the sustainability demand for products that can have water added by the consumer to help reduce weight and volume. Powdered beauty products have also been identified as a key growth market thanks to the cool appeal of Korean and Japanese brands, which often favour this format.
For the vitamins and sports nutrition sector, the boom in protein powders means that this product is now available in mainstream supermarkets rather than just in specialist stores. With the protein powder market now worth USD 21.4bn and expected to increase by 9% between 2024 and 2032, this represents an exciting growth opportunity.
Jacquelien is clear that understanding these trends and the impact they have on their customers is integral to the new product development at Pont. “We’re always looking at what is selling well and analysing trends, then ask ourselves ‘What could we do better? Could we make new variation that would bring something fresh without taking away what’s working?’ With the powder jars already so popular, we wanted to bring a fresh twist with a sustainability edge.” The range starts at 015ml and goes right up to 500ml, with a range of neck finishes from 28/400 to 58/400.
A family affair
The multi-team new product development at Pont included collaboration with leading UK glass packaging producer Beatson Clark, Pont’s sister company that is also part of the Newship Group. Jacquelien continues, “Beatson Clark has been established for over 270 years, so between us it’s fair to say we have considerable packaging expertise! The new powder jars are available in transparent white flint and amber versions, with both options easily recyclable and beautifully reusable. They use 36% and 56% of cullet respectively, which is the recycled content, making them a responsible choice too. The glass powder jars can be white flint frosted, with the Beatson Clark spray plant able to create any colour required.”
The sustainability performance of the powder jar portfolio from Pont doesn’t stop at the recycled content, recyclability or reusability. The inclusion of a square design means that logistics and point of sale also benefits, with Pont shipping all across the UK and Europe. With the trend for square packaging increasing across sectors from a style perspective, the shape also means that more units can be stacked on pallets – and on the shelves – giving more efficient shipping and improving returns on investment.
With any dry goods and powders – including popular new products like CBD gummies and gummy vitamins - able to be perfectly packed in the new sustainable round or square glass powder jars from Pont, Jacquelien notes that samples are now available, with various closure options. She concludes, “We’ve made a modern design in what is a largely non-moving market, but we’ve not lost what’s great about the classic powder jars. They’re popular for a reason! We’ve just made them more sustainable and ready for the innovative products that our customers create.”