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Japanese beverage company Ito En has introduced two premium beverages using SIG Drinksplus technology. The new products – Crunchy Smoothie and Crispy Potage – boast bite-sized vegetable pieces and come in SIG's SmileSmall carton packs. Both products are said to offer Ito En's consumers a unique drinking experience with real vegetable pieces, aiming to bolster the company's presence in Japan's rapidly growing veggie juice market. SIG SmileSmall carton packs are designed for easy carrying, handling and storage, boasting sustainability features such as a high proportion of forest-based renewable materials, FSC-certified paperboard, a lightweight design, production using 100% renewable electricity and full recyclability. Tetsuo Yamaguchi, brand manager at Ito En, said: “Our new products provide our consumers with a refreshingly different drinking experience – rich and satisfying with the incorporation of real vegetable pieces. The novel packaging solution and the filling technology from SIG, that allows these inclusions to be added, enables our consumers to easily supplement their vegetable intake anytime and anywhere. The SIG SmileSmall carton pack is a real eye-catcher with its curved, modern shape and easy-grip corners. It differentiates, and the end result is a successful fusion of exceptional packaging and products.” Angela Lu, president and general manager of Asia Pacific at SIG, added: “In Japan, it is vital for food and beverage companies like Ito En to innovate the market with healthy and high-quality products, particularly for on-the-go consumption. Our SIG Drinksplus technology offers the opportunity to add value to healthy beverages with the inclusion of pieces of fruit, vegetables, nuts or cereals, which can be easily filled into our convenient on-the-go carton packs. It opens up a plethora of new opportunities to transform and drive forward the Japanese beverage market.”