“As soon as I heard the challenge set by Roshen for their Christmas 2021/22 packaging, I knew it was the perfect task for the Packaging Development & Design team,” Motvitskiy says. “Not only was it a great opportunity to show their creative abilities; it also presented challenges that I knew they would be best-suited to solve.”
Seasonal cheer in a feline form
The brief set by Roshen was to create packaging for chocolate that resembled a tiger and a suitcase. While a tiger may seem an atypical Christmas animal to some western audiences, the Chinese astrology calendar holds great significance with other audiences in Russia and Ukraine around the holiday season. With 2022 marking the Year of the Tiger in Chinese astrology, Roshen’s request makes more sense. Meanwhile, the Packaging Development & Design team got to work creating a suitcase fit for any seasonal trip to see family.“Much of the challenge came from combining the usual packaging requirements,” says Paola Carceles, Packaging Project Manager for Stora Enso’s Packaging Development & Design team. “This included printability, being sturdy enough to handle transport and being both visible and compact enough to only take up the requisite shelf space.”
New ideas with familiar challenges
For example, an early model of a reclining tiger was cast aside for the reason that it took up too much storage space. This reduced the number of products that could be placed on shelves at one time. Converters also need to be able to handle the manufacturing with as much speed and efficiency as they are used to, regardless of the unusual designs. Roshen placed a lot of importance on maximizing printability in order to achieve the necessary color and visual appeal for their product.
A quality finish that goes big on appeal
The final models used Stora Enso’s CKB material. CKB is unbleached for a more sustainable solution – always a priority for the Packaging Development & Design Team. The virgin fibres also give product the necessary lightweight efficiency to handle the packaging’s atypical structural demands.
“It was a real pleasure working with the Stora Enso Packaging Development & Design team,” says Oleg Sapkin, from Roshen’s packaging department. “They were able to provide original, practical and unique designs for our products. The new packaging has resonated well with all who have encountered them.”
The stroller case was beautifully constructed with wheels and a telescopic pull-out handle, reminiscent of that rush through airports and stations that many people experience to make it home for Christmas. Meanwhile, the standing tiger’s paws, ears and snout give it a playful feel which retains hallmarks of Christmas (such as winter clothing and a wrapped gift) while also celebrating the year of the Tiger.
