European rigid plastic packaging supplier, RPC Barrier is developing the la Cup 2 to store ready to eat food.
Packaged food
The la Cup 2 is being designed in such a way that the products inside the container, which could be a sauce or other ingredients that need to be mixed with the main product, can be stored separately and combined only during consumption. The container can be used for hot or cold, sweet and savoury and cooked or raw food.
Examples of such food combinations could be pasta and sauce, meat and rice, breakfast cereal and milk, salads and dressings and cold desserts and chocolate sauce. The la Cup 2 consists of a pot and lid that are arranged separately. The additional product that has to be added to the main dish is stored in the lid. This lid is then sealed airtight to the pot to form a single pack. During consumption the user tears the outer seal to separate the pot from the lid. While the lid is turned, it latches on to the small rim on the pot,which opens the seal on the lid. The product can either be heated in the microwave or eaten straight from the pot.
The la Cup 2 offers maximum flexibility as it can be produced using a single layer polypropylene for products that are pasteurised or are fresh and with an EVOH barrier for products that are sterilised. Since the main dish and the additional products are kept separately, the combined food retains its taste and freshness. The la Cup 2 is presently manufactured in 300g sizes. Other sizes can also be added in the future.