TC Transcontinental Packaging’s pioneering Hot N Handy rotisserie pouches provide supermarket delis with an alternative to the conventional rigid plastic dome package commonly used for rotisserie chicken.

When it was invented, it was “instantly lauded” for its convenience, leak-resistance, flavor and freshness preservation and consumer-friendly design, said Jesica Lanter, senior director of business development for TC. They’re also more sustainable, she said.

Hot N Handy pouches come in a variety of sizes. For other chicken packaging, TC’s Grab N Go flexible pouches can be used for 2, 4 and 8-piece packs, and there’s also a family size packs for wings.

Another advantage for retailers, Lanter said, is that Hot N Handy packaging saves 85% on backroom storage compared to rigid containers. It also saves space in the retail hot case allowing for up to 25% more chickens in a warming case.

And the added material costs of using printed paperboard sleeves or labels that accompany a rigid dome container are eliminated.

In addition, Lanter said, Hot N Handy pouches can be high-quality printed with the store’s branding, and they include all of the pertinent labelling requirements in addition to cooking and reheating instructions.

Not content to rest on its laurels, she added, TC keeps perfecting the Hot N Handy.

“In recent years, we’ve evolved our product line to meet the changing shopping and eating habits of consumers. We’ve enhanced our proprietary venting and barrier system to ensure the highest standard of product safety while maintaining freshness and flavor.”

TC also created a non-fog proprietary technology for unobstructed view of the rotisserie chicken, a variety of sizes to meet consumer demands and enhancements like easy-carry, reinforced handles and microwave-safe features for added convenience.

“We’ve also added sure lock pressure zippers which seal through grease, eliminating the pouch popping open in the warming case or on the consumer’s carry to home.”

Next up for TC: a Hot N Handy rotisserie bag with up to 20% FDA approved Post Consumer Recycled content, marking an important milestone in the company’s journey towards sustainable packaging, and presenting the first sustainable solution in the market, Lanter said.

This article is an excerpt from the August 2024 issue of Supermarket Perimeter. You can read the entire Rotisserie Chicken Packaging feature and more in the digital edition here.