After years of being in its famous glass jar, Marie’s Refrigerated Salad Dressing now comes in a plastic bottle. And it’s thanks to a collaboration between Ring Container Technologies with Ventura Foods, the owner of the brand.

“It was a collaborative design and development process throughout, which involved engaging teams from various departments at both Ring and Ventura Foods,” says Tom Kerstetter, senior director of food service sales at Ring Container Technologies. “Once the final designs were selected, both our local and product development teams worked closely to ensure a seamless qualification and transition to PET.”

Discussions for Marie’s glass-to-plastic conversion began years ago, when Ventura Foods first expressed their desire to investigate a packaging change. As more data was collected and timing properly aligned, momentum picked up over the last 18 months. What followed were several interactive engineering sessions, along with ideation and real-time design consultations, where Ring produced 3D models of the new Marie’s bottle.

For Ventura Foods, it was essential that the conversion from glass to plastic honor the company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility. This is something that aligns well with Ring, as the company is focused on developing sustainable solutions for the consumer packaging industry.

Today, Marie’s product packaging is 100 percent recyclable and BPA-free. Additionally, it is lighter in weight, making it easier to stack and ship, and more efficient to transport. Consumers also appreciate that the product is easier to hold and carry. Marie’s can be found in the refrigerated produce section of retailers nationwide.

“Marie’s consumers are passionate about this brand and demand quality ingredients and premium packaging,” says Revay Ripp, director of marketing at Ventura Foods. “Backed by market research and supported by Ring’s high-touch partnership that kept our strategic business goals top of mind, together we created a product that we are proud to share with our customers.”

For more information, visit: www.ringcontainer.com.