Like a well-tailored suit, die-cut polyethylene bags that provide a flattering fit for pizza dough and other pegged bakery items are adding retail sizzle for the President's Choice line.

Designed, produced and printed by the former Nor Baker packaging plant in Newmarket, Ont., the bags replace rectangular, square-bottomed bags formerly used by the company to merchandise tortilla shells, foccaccia bread and other round bakery items. The snug fit reduces product shifting and possible flaking, but the greatest benefit is from a merchandising point of view, according to Russ Raymer, general manager at Newmarket, which is now a division of Plassein International. Plassein was created in 1999 from the merger of six specialty film companies with eight U.S. and Canadian plants.

"President's Choice wants to project an upscale image, and if this bag is hanging, it provides a much better appearance than traditional bags," Raymer says. The packaging also makes use of an eight-color flexographic printing process for enhanced graphic appeal.

President's Choice is produced by Canadian supermarket giant Loblaw Companies Ltd. Connecticut-based Plassein now is marketing the new packaging to other commercial bakeries producing flat breads.