SIG’s drinksplus technology helps to drive innovation for DPO in Thailand

Dairy Farming Promotion Organization of Thailand (DPO) has launched ambient yogurt drinks with chewable pieces in Thailand, made possible by unique drinksplus technology from SIG.

The new range of yogurt drinks called Chew-D offer consumers a healthy yet interesting new taste experience. The fat-free and low sugar passion fruit-flavored yogurt drink contains chewable pearls from the konjac plant, which grows in the tropics. This market innovation is available in combiblocMini 200milliliter carton packs from SIG and can be filled on SIG’s standard filling machines for beverages.

The nutritious chewable pearls in Chew-D ambient yogurt drinks are valuable not just as components of a balanced diet, but also as a perceived and rated added value. Their special consistency provides great taste and a fun drinking experience. SIG’s new yet proven drinksplus technology makes it possible to aseptically fill carton packs with beverages containing up to 10 percent pieces – from fruit and vegetables to nuts and grains.

Suchart Chariyalertsak, Acting DPO deputy director, says, “With the launch of Chew-D using SIG’s drinksplus technology, DPO has been able to enter a new market segment and bring true innovation to the Thai beverage market. This new product development also brings added value for our company, as we’ve been able to easily produce drinksplus products on our existing filling technology from SIG.”

SIG uses an advantageous sleeve system, where each carton is individually shaped, filled, and ultrasonically sealed above the filling line, not through the actual product. This guarantees the aseptic safety of the product and is why drinksplus products with perceptible pieces can be filled on standard SIG filling machines for beverages, once equipped with an easy-to-install ‘drinksplus upgrade kit’. The particulates can be up to six millimetres in length and width. Drinking straws are up to eight millimetres in diameter, which makes drinking the product easy and fun.

Vatcharapong Ungsrisawasdi, country manager Thailand at SIG, said, “Beverage manufacturers all over the world are seeking new growth opportunities and the challenge is to develop the right kind of product for the right target group. Our expert team worked closely with DPO to make it possible for the company’s top-quality beverages to include the chewable extras – offering something exciting, nutritious, and different to its health-conscious consumers.”

The partnership between SIG and DPO offers true product innovation and differentiation as part of SIG’s value proposition, which aims to deliver innovative product and packaging solutions that enable businesses to satisfy ever-changing needs.

SIG is a leading systems and solutions provider for aseptic carton packaging. It works in partnership with its customers to bring food and beverage products to consumers around the world in a safe, sustainable and affordable way. Our unique technology and outstanding innovation capacity enable us to provide our customers with end-to-end solutions for differentiated products, smarter factories and connected packs, all to address the ever-changing needs of consumers. Sustainability is integral to its business and it is going Way Beyond Good to create a net positive food packaging system.

Founded in 1853, SIG is headquartered in Neuhausen, Switzerland. The skills and experience of its approximately 5,500 employees worldwide enables it to respond quickly and effectively to the needs of its customers in over 60 countries. In 2019, SIG produced 38 billion carton packs and generated EUR 1.8 billion in revenue. SIG has an AA ESG rating by MSCI, an 18.8 (low risk) score by Sustainalytics and a Platinum CSR rating by EcoVadis.