TricorBraun Wins NACD Best of Show, Best Custom and Best Stock Packaging Awards

Date: June 01, 2020 

For immediate release

In Addition to Top Three Awards, Packaging Leader Wins More Gold Awards Than Any Other Distributor

St. Louis, MO, June 1, 2020 – TricorBraun, a global packaging leader, garnered the top three awards in the 2020 National Association of Container Distributors (NACD) Packaging Awards: Best of Show, Best Use of Custom Packaging (Gold Award), and Best Use of Stock Packaging (Gold Award). In total, TricorBraun received a company record of 13 NACD awards, including Best of Show, six Gold Awards, five Silver Awards and one Bronze Award. The company received the most awards given to a distributor, and more Gold Awards than any other distributor. This year’s Best of Show Award marks the 12th time that TricorBraun has been recognized with the prestigious award, the highest honor NACD bestows to a packaging distributor.

“On behalf of the best team of packaging professionals in the world, TricorBraun is incredibly honored to receive this recognition,” said Court Carruthers, president and CEO, TricorBraun. “It is a testament to our strong customer partnerships, and the dedication and hard work we devote to developing and sourcing packaging solutions that help our customers win.”

TricorBraun’s 2020 NACD Packaging Awards are:

Bernard M. Seid Best of Show Award - Truman’s

This refillable bottle for Truman’s line of household cleaning products evokes a beaker in a science lab, with the water fill line falling right where the bottle begins to angle outward. The bottle had to fit with an existing sprayer, which works with the customer’s signature chemical cartridges. The result is a package that is simple, functional, and allows the branding on the colorful cartridges to pop.

Best Use of Custom Packaging (Gold Award) and Food Category (Gold Award) – FUNacho

TricorBraun designed an innovative new delivery system for the FUNacho chili and cheese sauce sold in convenience stores, stadiums, and movie theaters around the world. The new system replaces awkward and unwieldy bags with 75-ounce bottles that are simple to use. One bottle of each sauce goes into the bottom chamber for use; a second set of filled bottles preheats in the top chamber until the bottle below is empty and needs replacing. This new delivery system is ergonomic and makes is easy for the end user to insert new and remove used bottles. In addition, this new design allows for evacuation of nearly all of the product.

Best Use of Stock Packaging (Gold Award) and Pet & Vet Category (Silver Award) – MAC + MAYA

TricorBraun sourced the total package and components, including the liner and decorations, for the MAC + MAYA line of pet vitamins. The stock 16-ounce jar is natural polypropylene (PP) with a spray frosting; the cap is molded and then a water-transfer wood grain decoration is applied. There are also paw print decorations on top of the cap in five different colors for each SKU. The end result is distinctive packaging to mark the customer’s first entry into the pet vitamin market.

Nutritional Category (Gold Award) – Hello Bello Vitamin Line

TricorBraun was tasked with finding a stock solution for a square bottle for the Hello Bello Vitamin Line that was both unique and available for an incredibly quick speed to market. The customer needed 1.3 million of the 10-ounce bottles for a product launch three months out. TricorBraun not only sourced the bottles, but the team was also able to differentiate the products with 10 different cap colors to match the labels.

Nutritional Category (Silver Award) – GNC Total Lean

TricorBraun created a custom scoop-in-neck design for GNC’s Total Lean product that holds the protein scoop, eliminating the need for the end user to dig their hands into a giant bottle of protein powder to get the scoop out. The neck is designed so that the scoop can be dropped into the bottle during the manufacturing process, improving ergonomic efficiencies without costing the customer or filler more money. The scoop-in-neck design is hygienic, intuitive, and easy to use.

Household, Chemical & Auto Category (Gold Award) – Green Gobbler Drain Cleaner

TricorBraun identified domestic manufacturing partners and redesigned the package for EcoClean Solutions’ Green Gobbler Drain Cleaner so that the customer could bring production back to the U.S. and include a “Made in the USA” stamp on their bottles. Working with a molder just 50 miles from the filling site, the team further reduced EcoClean’s manufacturing footprint. The team also addressed the challenge of orienting artwork on a non-round bottle. TricorBraun’s blow molding partner purchased a new steam shrink sleever to properly align four different artwork SKUs on an hourglass-shaped bottle. The end result is a sleek bottle design with vivid, eye-popping artwork to complete the package.

Novelty Category (Gold Award) – Govino Festival Line

TricorBraun designed an injection stretch blow molding (ISBM) manufacturing solution for Govino Festival Line’s non-dishwasher-safe cups. One of the customer’s key concerns was to ensure a smooth lip for drinking (similar to a wine glass). Shifting from an extruded blow molding process allowed for a more efficient process and a more consistent cup—increasing production capacity by 40%. TricorBraun also switched from a non-recyclable material to PET so that the cups are recyclable. The team’s ability to execute on a sophisticated process created a more reliable manufacturing stream for the customer and a more sustainable product.

Beverage/Spirt Category (Silver Award) – Distillerie 3 LACS


This custom gin bottle for Distillerie 3 LACS includes several features that required a high degree of difficulty to execute. The team started by designing the raised triangle, and then engraved the names of the three lakes around the triangle. TricorBraun also added a raised bottom and a punt. It also includes a square shoulder, where the distillery name is engraved. The bottle design and the final package both link the product geographically to Montreal and create a product that stands out on the shelf.

Beverage/Non-Spirit Category (Silver Award) – Bird Rock Coffee Roasters

TricorBraun created a package made from 60% plant-based, compostable material for Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, a company with a goal to become more sustainable. The team sourced a bag that includes a zipper and a one-way valve at the top for shelf stability. Once the bag is emptied of beans, these components can be cut off (on a dotted line) by the consumer so that the bulk of the bag is compostable. TricorBraun also updated the design to create a package with a craft feel, and we printed the bag inside out to create texture. In addition, because the white part of the bag is almost see-through, the consumer can see their coffee beans in the package.

Cosmetics Category (Silver Award) – Melaleuca Sei Bella

This Sei Bella lipstick package has a custom over-shell, cover, and box that are made from 100% recyclable cardboard material. The cover is full color and has a foil hot stamp through the pattern. By silkscreening onto the cardboard, TricorBraun was able to cost-effectively achieve a high-end look with ample decoration space. TricorBraun also supplied the lipstick so that we provided our customer with a product ready to sell.

Pet & Vet Category (Bronze Award) – Happy Pet

The customer was looking for a pinch-waste oval bottle that was attractive and appropriate for a higher-end product. TricorBraun sourced a stock bottle that met their needs and also achieved an attractive look without a custom design investment.

About the NACD Packaging Awards
The annual NACD Packaging Awards recognize the most innovative packages released during the previous year. Awards are given to the top three containers in each category. Categories include: Beverage/Spirit, Beverage/Non-Spirit, Cosmetic & Personal Care, Drug & Pharmaceutical, Food, General Industrial, Household, Chemical & Auto, Pet & Vet, Nutritional, Novelty, Best Use of Custom Packaging, and Best Use of Stock Packaging.

About TricorBraun
Founded in 1902, TricorBraun is North America’s largest distributor of primary packaging and a portfolio company of AEA Investors. The company provides innovative solutions across a wide array of customer end markets in plastic and glass containers, closures, dispensers, tubes and flexibles. TricorBraun operates from 50 locations globally. Our award-winning Design & Engineering Center provides forward-thinking design, driven by consumer insight and creative solutions. Other services include global sourcing, manufacturing oversight and global supply chain programs.

Contact: Jennifer Frighetto
jfrighetto@tricorbraun.com | 847 702 5304

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