Sector Spotlight: Poultry Clucks Good In Shrink Wrap

With Christmas just around the corner and most of us are very much looking forward to the promise of a delicious traditional dinner on the big day. But have you ever actually considered exactly how your turkey, chicken or goose arrived at your table still so fresh and appetising?

Chicken Run!

Poultry producers up and down the UK are on full-scale Christmas alert right now. Behind the scenes they are sourcing, rearing, farming and quality-checking millions and millions of birds, getting ready for the annual festivities. And one of their main considerations is getting the packaging right, to meet both the demands of retailers and shoppers alike. This is a year-round consideration of course, but at this peak time adequate packaging is even more critical. YPS believe that our plastic film offers the poultry industry the most reliable and robust packaging solution both at Christmas time and every day of the year. Read on to discover why.

Film That Tops The Pecking Order!

Our hero product for this sector is our Bollore OXBTEC polyolefin shrink film, a dedicated solution for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and therefore perfect for wrapping poultry products. We are proud to say that this OXBTEC film can be found on poultry shelves in every major UK supermarket. This is no surprise when you consider that its exceptional characteristics include:

  • Barrier properties with hermetic leak-proof seals. The shrink film provides a two-way protective sheet using a layer of EVOH in a multi-layer co-extrusion structure. This allows the pack to be gas flushed and prevents liquid leakage, as well as shielding the contents from external dust and pathogens. Furthermore, the film is completely water-resistant. OXBTEC also produces reinforced seals which are thin and discreet yet extremely strong and tear-resistant. This ensures both hygienic, clean conditions are maintained on the shelf and risks from contamination are avoided.

  • High puncture resistance. OXBTEC offers tensile strength to prevent piercing, guarding against leakage.

  • Very low gauge for environmental benefits. OXBTEC is the thinnest micron poultry film available on the market. This is significant because it equates to lower volumes of plastic being used whilst attaining the exact same yield from each roll. Less tonnage of film contributes to a reduced overall carbon footprint for your poultry factory.

  • 100% recyclable with the option of recycled content in the blend. Our OXBTEC_RCB film is the only fully recyclable barrier food-safe film on the market that can offer recycled content in the blend.

  • Proven to extend shelf life. OXBTEC has been proven to increase the shelf life of poultry products significantly, meeting the rigorous demands of retailers, food processors, and consumers. For example, with the addition of OXBTEC shrink film, the shelf life of whole chickens is increased from 7 days up to 14 days.

  • Anti-fog. This prevents the build-up of water droplets forming on the inside of the pack that would lead to a cloudy appearance.

  • High shrinkage. OXBTEC offers an extremely good shrink around fresh food products, creating an attractive ‘second-skin’ appearance that is free from wrinkles.

  • Outstanding aesthetics. The enhanced, high-shine optics offers brilliant visual appeal on the shelf and the excellent clarity allows consumers to fully inspect the bird before buying.

  • High speed machineability. OXBTEC is ideally suited to the demands of high-speed overwrapping lines and horizontal form/fill/seal machines which are common in the poultry industry. A shrink tunnel is often added at the end of the line.

  • Capacity For Print. OXBTEC can be supplied pre-printed with up to 10 colour variations. Printed packaging on poultry can improve branding and/or be used to display cooking, storage and nutrition information as well as bar codes and other technical details.

  • Flexibility. The film can be used on consumer retail units, industrial and catering formats and on trays.

Staying Abreast Of Poultry Trends

YPS have supplied some of the biggest names in poultry for many years, offering them the latest packaging technologies and products to get the best out of birds. For example, we have collaborated with Bollore to improve on the industry standard films to be able to deliver 100% full barrier film to the market. We are always working to respond to the needs and pressures of poultry producers.

The most notable trend that we have witnessed in this industry over recent years has been a push for more sustainable packaging, driven primarily by consumers and retailers. Buyers at poultry factories have been looking to slash the thickness of their shrink films to reduce the overall volumes of plastic used, without jeopardising on any aspects of their performance. With this in mind, we are pleased to confirm that YPS are at the forefront of Ultra-Thin Technology, which has so far delivered the thinnest micron film available in the market for poultry wrapping.

YPS’s Credentials

As well as being the only UK supplier of OXBTEC, the perfect poultry packaging product, there are a number of other reasons why we are well-placed to service this industry:

Provisions for seasonality – Although poultry is a year-round dietary staple, there is an undoubted peak in demand every Christmas. YPS offer a call-off order facility where we hold extensive stocks of film designated for particular customers. Poultry producers can take advantage of this to ensure that there is no delay in getting their shrink film when it is most needed in the run up to December.

Peace of mind – We are BRC accredited to AA for storage and distribution, which is the highest standard possible. Full traceability is available for each and every roll you purchase and full food contact approval is also guaranteed.

**Please note that tray lidding film options are also available for trayed portions of chicken.**

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