Sweet success: Mondi shows innovative flair with novel ice cream cone sleeve and lid
Vienna, 26 November 2018 – Ever since Mondi scooped up Turkish flexible packaging manufacturer Kalenobel via a July 2016 acquisition, it has eyed the ice cream sector as a cool growth opportunity.
Now known as Mondi Kalenobel, the Istanbul-based business, with its pair of production facilities in the northern Turkish city of Kirklareli, continues to establish itself as a packaging innovator in the ice cream world.
Most recently, it took on a customer challenge that no one else dared attempt –– to produce a paper ice cream cone sleeve that contained a clear plastic window, allowing the consumer to see the sugar wafer cone underneath. The company was approached in 2016 by family-owned sugar-cone maker Oexmann GmbH & Co. KG of Gelsenkirchen, Germany, who wondered if it could be done.
The ambition required deep innovation knowhow in ice cream packaging. “We were the only supplier to accept this challenge,” says Sedat Igbar, commercial manager – Europe for Mondi Kalenobel. “We worked step by step with Oexmann and developed and patented a cone sleeve that lets ice cream lovers see the goodness inside. The first commercial products hit the shelves this past May.”
Oexmann, which first began making ice cream cones in Gelsenkirchen in 1926, ships these special sleeves half-way around the world to Auckland-based ice cream producer Fonterra Brands (New Zealand) Ltd., which is using them to package some of their premium cones.
The oval clear window on the cone sleeve measures 2.3 cm high by 1.8 cm wide, explains Igbar, and is made of biodegradable film, per Oexmann’s wishes.
Now run by Thomas Oexmann, grandson of founder Karl Oexmann, business is flourishing for the German cone maker. In addition to New Zealand, notes the current managing director, “We export our ice cream cones to virtually all European countries. At the moment we produce almost five million ice cream cones per day.”
Euromonitor in 2017 estimated retail sales of the global ice cream market at about 74 billion USD, and growing. Europe covers about 30% of the global ice cream market and the consumption growth in the region is particularly driven by single portion ice cream sold in stick, cone or cup format. Mondi Kalenobel is exporting 75 percent of its ice cream business and expects a strong sales increase in Europe.
For Oexmann’s customer - New Zealand ice cream producer Fonterra - Mondi developed a unique window sleeve design that represents an untapped branding opportunity for the company’s premium cones.
Shoppers would be able to see the elements that went into tasty cone concoctions such as Kapiti Cherry Blossom & Strawberry; Kapiti Toasted Sesame & Golden Syrup – which has just recently been honoured as the most innovative ice cream 2018 by the International Ice Cream Consortium (IICC); and Kapiti West African Dark Chocolate & Yuzu. (Kapiti is an island about 5 km off the west coast of the lower North Island of New Zealand.)
Mondi further decided to also create a small, see-through window, laser cut to the outline shape of Kapiti Island on the cone lid, allowing the consumer to view the ice cream below.
Fonterra liked it, and Mondi is now supplying custom-made lids in addition to the cone sleeves.
“We’re focused on finding the solution –– even if it takes six months or a year,” stressed Igbar. “Mondi also has shown the ability to create convenient, easy-to-open packages to generate impulse purchases, as well as various sustainable solutions. We are truly a one-stop shop and major player in the ice cream packaging market.”
For more details about Mondi’s ice cream packaging capabilities, contact your local representative or visit www.mondigroup.com/flexiblepackaging.
Visit our partners’ websites at:
Oexmann GmbH & Co. KG in Gelsenkirchen, Germany: www.oexmann.com
Fonterra Brands (New Zealand) Ltd. of Auckland: www.tastekapiti.co.nz
Contact:
Judith Wronn
Senior Communication Manager, Mondi Consumer Packaging
Tel: +49 151 1771 4692
Email: Judith.Wronn@mondigroup.com
Josina van der Velden
EMG
Tel: +31 164 317 014
Email: jvandervelden@emg-pr.com
About Mondi
Mondi is a global leader in packaging and paper, delighting its customers and consumers with innovative and sustainable packaging and paper solutions. Mondi is fully integrated across the packaging and paper value chain – from managing forests and producing pulp, paper and plastic films, to developing and manufacturing effective industrial and consumer packaging solutions. Sustainability is embedded in everything Mondi does. In 2017, Mondi had revenues of €7.10 billion and underlying EBITDA of €1.48 billion.
Mondi has a dual listed company structure, with a primary listing on the JSE Limited for Mondi Limited under the ticker MND, and a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange for Mondi plc, under the ticker MNDI. Mondi is a FTSE 100 constituent, and has been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series since 2008 and the FTSE/JSE Responsible Investment Index Series since 2007.