Fit Freezer Labels

The goal at KETTLEBELL KITCHEN (www.kettlebellkitchen.com) is to help their customers perform better and recover faster. Their convenient, healthy, and delicious food will do just that!

The team at KETTLEBELL KITCHEN is a group of hardworking, passionate individuals who believe in the importance of good nutrition and the value of high-quality, locally sourced food.  They think New York based CrossFit participants deserve fresh, healthy meals, following both Paleo and Zone diets.  KETTLEBELL KITCHEN is committed to developing nutritionally sound meals that also taste great.

According to Andy Lopez, Sales & Marketing Director, (http://kettlebellkitchen.com/team.php)  “Although we have just started our company, we needed a means to produce approximately 2,000 labels a week already.  After doing research on print on-demand color labels, we selected the TM-C3400.”

After learning that KETTLEBELL KITTEN purchased the printer, I contacted Joe Lopez, President and Andy to insure they started printing quickly and easily.   Within a very short time, KETTLEBELL KITCHEN was printing great-looking labels.  According to Andy, “the TM-C3400 is printing great, and runs fast enough for us. “

After printing and applying the labels, Joe noticed the labels were “buckling” after placed in the freezer or refrigerator.  It seems Joe had purchased labels not made for use in cold temperatures.  Freezer Grade adhesive is required for labels going on products destined to be stored at below freezing temperatures.

In the past, I have had a few requests for freezer grade (You may remember my earlier post covering producing labels for the cryogenic storage of antibodies; http://colorlabelsondemand.blogspot.com/2012/04/very-cold-so-cold.html).   This week, however, it seems everyone wanted these types of labels.  I even had one request this week for labels for storage down to -149 degrees F.

For example, here is the freezer grade adhesive from a label specification from Stafford Press:

IJM is an aggressive permanent pressure sensitive adhesive.  It exhibits outstanding adhesion to most synthetic films, performing well in low temperatures.

  * Classification: Freezer Temperature Permanent

·       * Minimum Application Temp.: -9°F

·       * Service Temperature Range: -45°F to +200°F

·        

And here is another example of a freezer grade adhesive specification from a label from General Data:

A cold temperature emulsion acrylic permanent adhesive featuring high initial tack. Adhesive features very good adhesion to a variety of substrates, including corrugated, rigid plastics, films, glass and painted metal. Not recommended for water immersion.

Application temp: 40° Fahrenheit

Service temp: -50° to +150° Fahrenheit

And one more from WS Packaging:

An all-temperature adhesive developed to provide good room temperature performance and excellent cold temperature performance. This adhesive provides good adhesion to corrugated cardboard and makes it an excellent choice for warehouse applications. Complies with 21CFR FDA 175.105 for indirect food contact.

Minimum application temperature: -20º F

Service temperature range: -65º F to +200º F

KETTLEBELL KITCHEN application story interested me for several reasons.  First, I go to Crossfit (but not as “studly” as either Joe or Andy) and try to eat healthy.

Second, food manufacturers like KETTLEBELL KITCHEN need to be able produce labels when required.  Not wanting to purchase the large minimum orders of preprint labels for all of their SKU’s, small food manufacturers like the idea of producing only what they need; saving money, reducing waste and providing label flexibility.

Third, food manufacturers require labels that perform well in freezer applications.  Make sure you order the labels with the correct adhesive for these situations.

If you or your customers manufacturer a large number of food products, consider moving to print on-demand color labels.  It could be the way for you and/or your customers to perform better and recover faster like KETTLEBELL KITCHEN. 

Guy Mikel

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