Here's a clever design in pouched microwavable heat-and-serve sauces and gravies. Royco sauces, from Master Foods, a division of Mars, in South Africa, are packaged in retorted pouches. Before microwave heating, the consumer snips the pouch corner for venting and pouring.

The "Heat & Pour" pouch design's wide side seal serves as a "heat-free handle," and a punched hole in the contoured handle area permits easy gripping. This benefit eliminates the step of pouring sauce into a serving dish after heating.

Beyond the package's functional value, its intuitive shape also gives the brand shelf appeal. Die-cuts and graphic design create the resemblance to a gravy boat.

"This move into a pouch provides key innovation, allowing further strengthening of our brand position, and driving consumer satisfaction in line with marketing trends and changing demands," says Craig Marsh, Senior Packaging Buyer Commercial at Mars Consumer Products Africa.

CLP Packaging Solutions designed the pouch, which includes a high-barrier PET layer from Toray Plastics.

The line contains five sauces and one variety of gravy, and each pouch contains four servings. Suggested retail price is $1.66.

The pouch earned Highest Achievement honors in this year's Flexible Packaging Association awards competition.