Rigid plastic packaging specialist RPC (Rushden / UK; www.rpc-group.com) has developed a bespoke-designed pack for The New Egg Company, which makes it easy for consumers to prepare and eat a soft-boiled egg anytime and anywhere.

The ready-to-eat snack – called a Yowk – includes a pre-boiled egg, bread sticks, a spoon and seasoning – consumers just need to add water. The lid doubles as the egg cup, while the spoon incorporates a small sharp "tooth" to remove the top of the egg.

The New Egg Company worked with RPC Design and RPC Bebo UK to perfect the boil-in-the-pack format. The solution is a two-piece thermoformed PP pack, which comprises a round pot and snap-on lid. The base incorporates a hollowed out section to contain the egg while the "egg-cup" shape of the lid’s underside fits over the egg and ensures it remains stable during transit.

As consumers need to fill the container with boiling water, RPC said special attention had to be paid to the pack’s size in order to ensure the exact amount of liquid is added. In addition, they faced the challenge of designing a format that would not distort or deform when boiling water was added but which could be comfortably handled in use.