Portuguese packaged water company Grupo Água de S. Martinho has opted for SIG Combibloc’s filling technology for its aseptically cartoned ice tea range.
The drinks represents an entry into both the carton packed beverage and non-carbonated soft drink (NCSD) categories for the Portuguese producer, and is SIG Combibloc’s first Portuguese customer in the NCSD segment.
Água de S. Martinho has installed SIG Combibloc’s CFA 909 filling machine for filling products in the CombiblocMagnum carton pack, as well as a CFA 112 filling machine for filling products in the small-form CombiblocMini carton pack, at its production site in Chamusca – north east of Lisbon.
The range is available in mango, peach and lemon flavours, initially in 200ml and 1.5l carton packs – both fitted with CombiSwift screw caps.
Águarela owner and CEO Francisco Ferreira said: “Together with SIG Combibloc, we’re starting a new era in our company history. We’ll be significantly expanding our company’s product portfolio with a range of ice teas and juice drinks in a variety of carton formats and volumes. In SIG Combibloc, we have at our side a partner with wide experience in aseptic carton packs and filling machines. That gives us another reason to look to the future with great optimism.
“The NCSD market is currently experiencing significant growth in Portugal. As a key factor in this, the issue of regionality plays a primary role among Portuguese consumers. For health-conscious consumers, foods from one’s own country have greater appeal than imported products. So we’re confident that with ice tea, nectars and juices from Portugal for Portugal, we’re right on the mark in catering to consumers’ wants. We’re getting ready to enter this sector with carton packs, because they help retain the quality of the products, they’re convenient for consumers to use in their day-to-day lives, and they also have positive characteristics in terms of logistics and the environment. The filling machines from SIG Combibloc are characterised by high performance and offer a high degree of flexibility – in terms of the formats and volumes and in respect of the range of products. So there’s also the option in the future of using the standard filling machines to fill juice drinks containing fruit pulp or other perceptible extras.”
SIG Combibloc’s head of market area for Iberia and France, Victor Cordoba, added: “We’re very excited about getting our first Portuguese customer in the NSCD segment, which is currently seeing very strong development in Portugal. Aguarela is on the one hand an established, experienced company, and on the other it is very open to new things and keen to generate new growth. In this respect, our companies go together perfectly and we’re looking forward to a successful, flourishing collaboration”.
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