Kim Mitchell

Abstract

Pasta products are separated into four product categories: long goods, short goods, noodles and specialty items. Margins and subsequent corporate profits vary with each category. Long and short goods are commodity items. Therefore, they have low margins. Noodle item margins are slightly higher. However, pasta's highest margins are derived from the sale of speciality items. These items include Stuffing Shells, Lasagna and Manicotti. Because corporate profits are affected by the sales mix ratio of speciality items to other pasta categories, pasta companies strive to increase their market share of speciality items. Audits to determine stuffing shell quality in packages found on grocery store shelves were conducted in Lowell, MA, Minneapolis, MN, St. Louis, MO and Syracuse NY during April, 1994. Product from four manufacturers was collected. Results of these audits revealed thirty percent, by weight, of all stuffing shells were fractured. It also found two competitors, DaVinnci and Columbia, had lower fractrue rates than either Borden or Hershey. Development of a package that reduces stuffing shell breakage levels found on grocery store shelves will allow a manufacturer to increase its market share. This study examined optimum carton head space, carton orientation and flute construction in a corrugated case to minimize product damage through a distribution system. Test results showed that carton orientation in a corrugated case and carton head space were significant factors in reduced stuffing shell pasta fracture rates.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Packaging--Design and construction--Testing; Cartons--Design and construction--Testing; Food--Packaging; Packing for shipment--Testing

Publication Date

1996

Document Type

Thesis

Department, Program, or Center

Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology (CAST)

Advisor

Goodwin, Daniel

Advisor/Committee Member

Olsson, David

Advisor/Committee Member

Siy, John

Comments

Note: imported from RIT’s Digital Media Library running on DSpace to RIT Scholar Works. Physical copy available through RIT's The Wallace Library at: TS195.8 .M583 1996

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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