A range of traditional French recipe microwave meals by manufacturer William Saurin (Saint-Thibault-des-Vignes / France) is now available with a shelf life of up to 18 months in “Next Gen” food trays from RPC Bebo Plastik (Bremervörde / Germany; www.rpc-containers.co.uk). The packaging resembles a cooking pot, with a handle on the top and in coloured plastic to mimic the appearance of the traditional pots used for such meals.

Further side handles were needed to allow the consumer to heat the meal in the microwave then move it without burning their fingers. To make the bowls stackable on-shelf, RPC designers also included a recess in the base of the pot to accommodate the handle of the pack below. RPC Bebo Plastik is manufacturing the bowl in PP/EVOH/PP, while RPC Bramlage (Lohne / Germany; www.rpc-group.com) is producing the lid, injection moulded in PP. The project involved close cooperation between RPC’s sites at Bramlage and Bremervörde.

The lid, embossed with the William Saurin branding, is applied after the retorting process and a carton wrap then covers the product. The pack is resealable, allowing consumers to keep the contents in the refrigerator after opening. The pots are filled with a range of meals at William Saurin’s “Soulié Restauration” brand production site in Rodez / France.