Woodforde’s, a brewery based in Norfolk, UK renowned for its craft beers, is enhancing its presence on supermarket shelves by partnering with Smurfit Westrock Saxon. The brewery enlisted the packaging company to create custom beer boxes for its 8 x 500 mL packs, known as shelf-ready packaging (SRP).

Source: PackagingInsights

The sturdy packaging strikes a balance between functionality and style, reducing the risk of product damage during transit, minimizing waste, and cutting Woodforde’s costs associated with damage.

This project was an exciting one for Smurfit Westrock Saxon and is a great example of working closely with our customers to tackle their packaging challenges together. We worked with Woodforde’s to fully understand their packaging needs and struggles and helped them to navigate them with our sustainable packaging solutions

Innovative Flexo Printing Design

Collaborating closely with Woodforde’s, Smurfit Westrock ensured the new packaging stands out. The teams worked together to refine the brewery’s artwork for flexo printing, conducting a press pass to ensure the final product aligned with the brand's identity. The outcome is a three-color flexo-printed design that complements Woodforde’s beer.

A year later, the partnership progressed with an upgrade to "waste-based board" for the packaging, better equipped to withstand moisture. This addressed issues where condensation from freshly bottled beer affected the original boxes' durability.

Woodforde’s environmentally friendly packaging also caters to the rising consumer preference for sustainable products.

We’re delighted with our new beer box design. The Smurfit Westrock Saxon team took our existing boxes and transformed them into something better, prioritizing durability and aesthetics. Even when we had a problem with moisture, the team quickly found a solution that works even better than we could have hoped.

This latest packaging advancement embodies years of collaboration between the two companies, focusing on purposeful solutions that enhance the customer experience while remaining true to the brand's essence.