Paperboat : A Flavourful and Flexible Packaging with a Twist

About Paper Boat

Paper Boat— A brand. A tradition. A memory — is more than a beverage. It’s strong messaging evokes nostalgia in every sip. Launched in August 2013, the juice brand, owned by Hector company, has grown significantly in the past year. Their revenues went up by 71% to reach ?118 crore and the projected revenue for this year is set at ?200 crore. 

Paper Boat Packaging Highlights

·        Packaging: A flexible spout pouch with a unique shape.

·        Package colour: The brand uses matte colours on a white background to represent its contents.

·        Brand name: The brand name “Paper Boat” is reminiscent of playing with paper boats as a childhood memory. It’s in keeping with the company’s marketing strategy that revolves around nostalgia.

·        Graphics: The package graphics include an illustration of the primary fruit or content of the pack.

·        Highlights: The packaging highlights the brand name and tagline “drinks and memories”, a clean-yet-nostalgic image, a paper boat floating on water.

·        Variants: All spout pouches follow the same design, although limited edition pouches might seem different. Larger quantities are sold in tetra packs.

How has Paper Boat managed to scale at this magnitude?

It’s point-on branding. Paper Boat plays on nostalgia to create an emotional appeal. Right from the ethnic-flavored Indian drinks to the messages on its packaging, Paper Boat creates a strong connection with the audience. 

To meet consumer demand, Paper Boat manufactures over 10 million standee pouches per day that are sold over thousands of locations across India.

What makes Paper Boat Packaging Different?

In a sea of similar tetra pack cartons on a departmental store shelf, Paper Boat packaging starkly stands out owing to its pear-shaped flexible pouch. The design echoes a bright, unconventional theme with bold fonts. It’s quite reflective of the heart-warming feeling, closely tied to the brand.

But that’s not all. It uses a popular packaging trend — personalization — to its advantage. The clever messaging on each standee pouch adds a hint of playfulness. Each creative one-liner on the bottom of the pack is quirky and funny. By weaving the brand story into its packaging, it builds a strong connect with consumers. 

Pro Tip: Be different. When launching a product in an already saturated market, the packaging plays a crucial role in helping the product stand out. With Paper Boat, right from the shape to the base white colour, the brand grabs a consumer’s attention within that crucial 5-minute walk across a store aisle.

Crafting the perfect story with the brand that’s conveyed through packaging makes Paper Boat stand apart, and can work toward’s building a brand’s unique identity.

What is Paper Boat Spout Packaging Made Up Of?

Paper Boat juices are sold in spouted stand-up pouches. The packaging is made up of layers containing paper, foil, and HSL. 

Unlike a traditional spout pouch that is rectangular with straight edges on 3 sides, Paper Boat uses a special mold to give its pouch a unique shape. The bottom of the pouch is gusseted to help the pouch stand erect on shelves, just like other peer PET bottles.

Pro Tip: Choosing a pouch over PET bottles can prove advantageous in terms of cost. Unlike bottles, pouches are light-weight and can be transported in large volumes to a factory. They are leak-proof and puncture-proof, and quite suitable for the delivery of liquid products. For consumers also, spout packages are easy to carry.

The great thing about Paper Boat is its amiable volume. With packs ranging from 200-250 mL, the quantity is neat enough to drink in one go. It is a little more than one glass; enough to satiate and stall your thirst.

Paper Boat Pouch Layers and Printing

A deep analysis of the beverage packaging reveals the pouch layers. The spout pouches are made of a four-part laminate. The two outer layers are a blend of proprietary polypropylene and polyethylene. This makes the pack withstand extreme pressure and heat, while at the same time, being easy to print upon. 

The penultimate layer is made of bonded aluminium. This is to prevent any form of moisture and from entering the pack and tampering with the drink. Of course, this layer makes no contact with the drink. That’s the job of the inner (and final) layer. This layer is made of virgin, food-grade polypropylene which keeps the content fresh, safe and tasty.

Paper Boat Tetra Pack – The New Player  

With quarter-litre packs flying off the shelves, Paper Boat introduced a 1 Liter Tetra Prisma Pack of mango juice during the summer. This pack contains a four glass serving, ideal for a small family.

My Review

Paper Boat packaging is a perfect mix of trends dominating the food industry. I like the quirky colors, the beautiful font, the unusual shape. The white base can be a cause of concern. It can attract dust, proving to be a turn-off for product buyers. As long as retail outlets take care of keeping their shelves clean, the company is in the good. Apart from this, the flexible spouted packaging is perfect for a consumer. It is easy to hold, drink, and light to carry around. The chic pack makes for a trendy travel companion, no matter where you’re headed.

What makes a beverage packaging design stand out for you? What’s your thought on Paper Boat’s design? Is there a specific product you’d like me to review? The comments section is open for discussion.