McCain: An Eco-friendly Delight

Design: Niharika Rahalkar
Location: India
Project Type: Student Project
School: ISDI School of Design and Innovation
Tutor: Utkarsha Malkar
Packaging Contents: Frozen Corn
Packaging Substrate / Materials: Recycled Paper for jar, Bio Plastic for lid, water based Thermochromic Pigments
Printing Process: Digital Printing

The packaging aims at convenience in usage and storage; making the cooking process more enjoyable with some magic!

McCain is a parent brand for this project considering their vast development of frozen food market in India and subcontinent countries and their endeavour to give delight to their customers through the variety they showcase.

PROBLEM: Currently a majority of Frozen Food packaging takes up a lot of space in the freezer as they come with bulky, baggy packaging along with a greater use of material, unfriendly for the environment; still.

PROPOSED DESIGN SOLUTION: A fully collapsable packaging made form recyclable(ed) paper to take up lesser space in the freezer at the same time is biodegradable. There will be use of water based thermochromic pigments that will help in enhancing the consumer experience.

EXPERIENCE: For now, flavoured corn has being worked on as it's regarded as the most used & universally adaptable ingredient in a lot of food dishes. There is a hidden element (illustration) that will show up once the jar is kept for thawing. The time it takes to show up is generically equivalent to the duration the food takes to thaw.

There are five flavours and each flavour has been derived from traditional recipes from different counties and then the country's culture has been adapted into design.

Southwest Dip, America: The design is a combination of South American tribal motifs. America maintains a brighter colour palette. Warms with a pop of cool.

Salsa Dip, Mexico: The design is derived from a traditional emblem from the influence of Spanish culture in Mexico. The colour palette is a combination of both the strong flavour of the dip and the vibrancy in the country.

Sumac Sauce, Persia: The design inspiration is the Persian army masks. The colours used are extremely native to the country and its food.

Masala Tikka, India: The motif is an adaptation of the traditional tiger mask used for stage plays in North India (Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan) as the flavour dictates the tikka origin. The colour is in accordance with the flavoured sauce and the tiger.

Greek Caesar, Greece: The ancient theatre masks of Athens, Greece, are a heavy influence on the design. The colour palette is an adaptation of the nature and architectural backdrops of Greece.

What's Unique?
There are three major problems being solved: Space, being Eco-friendly and a pleasant consumer experience & through thermochromism, the face of design will change to indicate when the food inside is thawed and ready to be tossed in the pan!