Tegel takes drip out of the supermarket trolley

Tegel takes the drip out of the supermarket trolley

It has taken an investment of more than $1 million, and a year and a half of research by a devoted team of experts, but Tegel has finally resolved an issue that has long been troubling supermarket shoppers.

No, the company has not answered the perplexing question of why the chicken crossed the road. Nor can it tell you which came first, the chicken or the egg. But it has created something that is sure to be welcomed by anyone who has purchased a whole fresh chicken at the supermarket. It's invention is a drip-proof bag that will ensure an end to the days of fresh chickens leaking or dampening other groceries in the shopping basket.

It has not been an easy road for Tegel. The company has spent 18 months of extensive research and consumer testing to come up with its packaging solution - the Tegel Leak Guard(tm) bag.

Tegel Leak Guard(tm) packaging involves double bagging fresh whole chickens. The chicken is packed into a plastic inner bag, clipped, and then packed into an outer bag that is heat sealed to give a secure seal that will avoid leakage.

Tegel Category Manager - Fresh, Katherine Jensen says it might seem like a simple solution, but there is an immense amount of technological innovation in the packaging.

To enable the Leak Guard(tm) packaging component to be added to the processing chain, Tegel has invested over $1million into its primary processing plants located in West Auckland, New Plymouth and Christchurch and created a total of 13 new jobs.

Katherine Jensen says that despite the considerable amount of money invested in its leak proof packaging, customers will not have to pay more for fresh whole chicken. In effect consumers will be getting more value for the same price.

"Consumers and supermarkets have been putting up with the drippy chicken problem for years but Tegel has come to the rescue. Tegel's Leak Guard packaging means consumers have less mess to deal with and they will no longer have to worry about potential drips from their chicken bags leaking over their other groceries. It will make chicken handling a cleaner and more pleasurable experience for everybody."

Tegel Managing Director, Bruce Scott, said the Leak Guard(tm) packaging is an example of Tegel's continued innovation.

"We are always looking at ways to provide consumers with poultry products and solutions such as Leak Guard(tm), which meet their needs for convenience, food safety, and health and we are delighted to have developed yet another innovative solution which is achieving this."

Tegel Leak Guard(tm) packaging will be available throughout New Zealand supermarkets from 4 November.

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