New York-based confectioner Q.bel shifts packaging to 100% recycled paperboard carton from stand-up laminated paper/film bag; new case uses 17% less space, increases shipping efficiency

Kendall Sinclair

NYACK, New York , February 23, 2012 (press release) – Q.bel Foods LLC, maker of better-for-you chocolate indulgences, today announced a big shift in the packaging for its individually wrapped rolled wafers. The product’s original package was a stand-up laminated paper/film bag. The new package is a paperboard carton made from 100% recycled paper.

“This is a huge improvement in terms of earth-friendliness,” said Bahram Shirazi, the company’s founder. “Our old package was a laminated, non-recyclable structure made of petroleum and virgin paper. We’ve replaced it with a package that’s made from post-consumer waste, and is also really and truly recyclable.” Paper is the most recycled household material in the US. 87% of Americans have access to curbside paper recycling. According to the EPA, Americans now recycle more than 63 percent of the paper they use. In 2010, that was 334 pounds per person – more than 51 million tons in total!

In addition to improving the product’s green material score, the box offers increased efficiency when it comes to trucking. Each case takes up 17% less space than a case of the old bags did. The adjustment pays off for retailers too. Though the box can stand in the same footprint as the bag, it occupies 20% less cubic space, leaving more room available to retailers for other products. “There are so many other advantages, too,” adds Shirazi. “The box has two fronts so it can be merchandised vertically or horizontally. It’s easy to pack out, it can be stacked, it stays shut on the shelf, but it’s easy to open at home.”

With the shift, Q.bel is adhering to its mantra to “Be True. Be Honest. Be Good.” The company also took the occasion to improve brand communication with a new look and new item names. The package for QRolls, as they’re now called, features a mouthwatering illustration of chocolate pouring onto a rolled wafer. The package also highlights the fact that each individually wrapped Q Roll contains only 60 calories. “Buyers take one look and they tell me exactly what the selling proposition is: absolute, no compromise indulgence, in a better-for-you format – 100% natural ingredients, with a low calorie count.”

Q Rolls sell for $3.49 - $3.99 in natural food and specialty stores and in grocery stores that cater to a quality-oriented clientele.

The Q.bel impulse product line was launched in January 2009, with an initial national rollout by Whole Foods Markets. Since that time, the product has been selected by many leading retailers in the health and natural foods industry. In less than two years, Q.bel sold over two million candy bars, attaining the number one rank in the “All-Natural Chocolate Wafer” category.

For more information about Q.bel, visit http://www.QbelFoods.com.


About Q.bel

Since January 2009, Nyack, NY-based Q.bel Foods has been offering absolute, no compromise indulgence in a better-for-you format. The company’s mantra, printed on every package, is: “Be True. Be Honest. Be Good.”, and is Q.bel’s commitment to making the world’s best tasting, all-natural chocolate treats. Learn more at http://www.QbelFoods.com.

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