Printing, Marking & Coding of Candy Packaging

M&M’s, Milky Ways, Dots, Red Hots, Bit-O-Honey, Candy Canes!! A child’s weakness and an adults delight.

Some sources trace the origin of candy back to the ancient Egyptians back in 1500BC. Others claim India as its place of origin. Like many things, it depends on what you read but candy came to be a very long time ago. Regardless of which group brought candy to the world, there seems to be a consensus that it all started with honey. Later, our ancestors added figs, nuts, dates and spices.

Candy History
Chocolate bars came to be in 1847. An Englishman named Joseph Fry discovered a way to mix melted cacao butter, cocoa powder and sugar to create a mixture that could be pressed into a mold.Candy Packaging

The first cotton candy machine was patented in 1897 and the sugary confection was introduced at the St Louis World’s Fair in 1904. This candy is so popular it has its own “National Cotton Candy Day” which, in case you don’t know, is celebrated on December 7th.

In Cologne, Germany in 1670, candy canes came into existence.  In the 1920’s, they became a Christmas treat and the first candy cane machine was introduced in the 1950’s.

Ancient archeological findings from the 17th century show that our ancestors would stick honey, fruit or other foods onto a piece of wood and would consume it by licking and biting it. As time went on, these foods were replaced by honey and eventually other confections and lollipops were created.

What Do These Have In Common With Printing, Coding & Marking?
Candy comes in many forms, shapes and sizes but the common factor is that they all need to be packaged. The package, as it comes down the assembly line, needs to be identified – marked, coded or printed on – and candy is packaged in a variety of substrates. Some candy requires wrappers while others go into pouches, clear bags, or cartons. When coding on small moving targets while managing different package types in a very sticky environment, it’s important to have the right solution to get a clear code on every product time after time.

Much time and effort is spent on artwork, brand development and packaging design. The last thing a manufacturer needs is a poor-quality code and that’s where FlexPackPro can help.  FlexPackPro Thermal Transfer Overprinters, or TTO’s, provide a perfect solution. These systems allow you to print barcodes, date codes, text, lot numbers, logos and graphics onto pouches, bags and all flexible packaging material

Why FlexPackPro?
FlexPackPro provides rugged, high-performance solutions with 18-month warranties against defects in materials and workmanship. Our team can help you integrate the right printer for your candy packaging line whether in-line or off-line. For more information view our FlexPackPro Candy Product Sheet.

Posted in Coding Systems, FlexPak Pro, Food & Beverage, Food Labeling, Packaging Resources.