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Preferred Packaging, a US division of flexible packaging company C-P Flexible Packaging, has teamed up with Northwest Frozen to launch a line of extended shelf-life refrigerated, prepared meals. The new meals include a frozen croissant-shaped gnocchi pasta product, called Crocchi. The pasta is cryo-frozen and packaged in high-barrier, modified atmosphere containers. According to the business, the packaging "delivers hermetically sealed meals with a specific, low-oxygen atmosphere inside the package to help keep the food fresh". Both companies have jointly developed the new lidding film that could be sealed on high-speed machines with efficacy to crystalised polyester trays and through contaminants like sauces. The line uses C-P Flexible’s proprietary lidding film, which is part of the Affirm family of multi-layer packaging materials. Preferred Packaging said that customers can peel back the lidding material off the tray, removing the need for a knife or scissors. The Affirm lidding films can also be used for fresh, all-natural foods that are packaged and then processed with high-pressure pasteurisation. The meals are frozen before being distributed to retail stores. Chadd Floria, VP of sales at Preferred Packaging, said: “We feel honoured to work with such an entrepreneurial company as Northwest Frozen to deliver safe and high-quality food packaging for consumers in North America. From the very beginning of the project, they worked diligently on creating a system to assure the best performance and consistency." Kevin Peterson, director of operations at Northwest Frozen, added: “The team at Preferred Packaging helped us launch our new line of products within a very tight timeframe. They not only supplied us packaging film that worked best, but they also provided expertise in modified atmosphere packaging and shared valuable experiences.”