VFFS Bag

Style Guide
Vertical Form-Fill-Seal
Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Executive Summary 3.

Introduction - Bag Style - 4.

Technical Selection or Strategic Imperative?

Market Shaping Trends

Stand-up Pouches 5.
Sustainability 5.
Changing Retail Behaviors 5.
Margin Pressure 5.

Snacking and convenience 6.

Market Differentiation 6.
Retailer Expectations 6.

Product and Production Considerations 7.

Package Types, Strengths, 8.

Considerations and Variations
8.
10.
11.
12.

14.
15.

16.

17.

17.

18.
Executive Summary

Vertical Form-Fill-Seal bag styles are often selected by default. They're

considered one of numerous technical specs in a machine design - along with
package dimensions, production speed, secondary packaging machinery
integration, controller type and even cylinder and bearing types.

Our recent experience shows that to be short-sighted. It leads to unnecessary

tension between brands and operations. And it might cost valuable market
opportunities.

Bag style impacts every aspect of the operation from production speed and cost,
through retailer satisfaction and product sell-through, to competitive
differentiation and market perception.

In order to understand why a seemingly routine choice plays such an out-sized

role in the operation, it’s necessary to understand the options and business
implications of each.

You carefully produce a product which is then entrusted to a bag to keep it fresh,
help it sell itself in competitive markets, and help position your brand as
the trusted consumer option.

That’s a tall order for a bit of plastic, foil and/or paper.

But not only can the package deliver all that - it can also give you a huge leg up
in the market if you understand what’s possible.

This guide gives product stakeholders the strengths, considerations, variations

and best practices of many of the package styles available on a VFFS machine,
in order to make the most educated decisions for your brand.

3.
Introduction

Bag Style - We can’t explore every scenario, but we hope it will help
Technical Selection or Strategic Imperative? you ask new questions and consider new options.
Both! Production efficiency, product safety, retailer sell
through and consumer expectations all factor in. To take
How did you select your last bag style? If it’s like most this journey, first we’ll look at the market changes
companies, simply repeating what you had before impacting industries to varying degrees. Then we’ll
or perhaps matching competitors and the market consider product and production considerations. Next
standard. we’ll dig into a number of bag styles including some
basics of each. Finally we’ll wrap up with a quick
That might be the right answer. But... it might not. discussion of how machines impact your decision now
and how they may in the future.
There are massive trends underway which impact
consumer packaged goods in various ways. And If you find value in this and want to dig deeper, feel free
something that seems as simple as the vertical form fill to check out rovema-na.com where we provide more
seal bag style can have large, long-lasting implications resources. You can even chat immediately with a
on your company’s ability to adapt to market changes. ROVEMA expert during normal business hours.
This guide is designed to be a road map to the most
efficient and agile production possible. There’s a
relationship between product, production goals,
merchandising expectations, market trends, machines,
packaging materials and...you guessed it…. the bag style.

Market Shaping Trends

Markets are brutally competitive, retailers are increasingly demanding and consumers are changing so quickly
that keeping up with the latest trends takes talented brand managers.

These include:
Stand-up Pouches
Several key trends Sustainability
directly impact Changing retail behaviors
the packaging Margin pressure
operations which
Snacking and convenience
we see evolving.
Market differentiation
Retailer Expectations

Of course it would take hours to fully unpack (yes, pun intended!)

each of these, but a quick context for each follows.

4.
Stand-up You’ve seen it. At shows, in stores, and in your research.
Pouches
Stand-up pouches are gaining ground. Their popularity often relates to other trends below (e.g.
convenience, market differentiation and retailer expectations.) As the trend accelerates it’s
becoming self-reinforcing. Consumers are growing accustomed to seeing products in stand-up
pouches.

For many years that meant horizontal FFS with the hefty capital cost and machine footprint that
went along with it. In recent years, however, Vertical FFS machines have developed capability to
create stand-up pouches that would make any brand manager proud.

Sustainability This is often oversimplified to a question of plastic and recyclability. Of course it’s a much
bigger question.

Materials are advancing quickly. From starch based, naturally biodegradable or industrially
compostable “plastic films,” to monopolymer films with advanced barrier properties and even
trends in paper packaging (check out our complete guide here on that exciting topic) -
packaging materials are delivering numerous options and improvements.

But sustainability in primary and secondary packaging is bigger than just the packaging
material. Energy required to create packaging material, transport and warehouse it
(different volumes for instance) are factors. Similarly, machine requirements (material quantity,
energy and air consumption) impact sustainability, as do important factors like volume of
finished goods that end up in landfill due to damage in shipment or spoilage.

Changing What’s clear is that consumers are focused on sustainability, and it’s up to manufacturers
Retail to select package materials and bag styles deliberately- and then to convey the
Behaviors sustainability benefits behind those selections.

Pre-COVID19, shoppers were shifting focus from the interior aisles (processed foods) to the
perimeter (fresh and healthier choices.)

We have seen this impact packaging for vegetables, cheese and various other products over
recent years.

COVID has slowed, and perhaps reversed this trend. “Comfort” foods surged in popularity, and
staples like chocolate chip cookies and short-cut pasta have become priorities for grocery stores
as they reduce SKUs and concentrate on consistent supply of a narrower range of products.

And any discussion of changing shopping habits has to consider delivery and e-commerce of
CPG and food items. Those all create particular demands of packages.

Margin Pressure Many input prices are higher. Large retailers extract concessions from manufacturers.
Shoppers are diligent about saving money.

That squeezes manufacturers’ margins.

Production speed, OEE (overall equipment effectiveness), operating cost, rejected packages,
material cost and labor cost all impact margin, and many of these actually vary with the
important choice of bag style.

5.
Snacking and convenience

Of course convenience affects consumer choice and

brand preference.

Convenience also impacts the volume consumed.

Bag Style Matters! Research Trends

Harvard’s famous innovation Research from the

expert Clay Christensen once Specialty Food Association and
explored the role of a bag style International Food Information Council
change in the overall volume of point to trends of growing snacking
Reese’s that were sold. and increased
A resealable, flat-bottom bag made a $235 Million dollar convenience.
difference in two years. (Hershey’s recently applied many
of the same lessons learned to a general packaging
overhaul which earned Rovema Hershey’s coveted
Supplier Excellence Award for Innovation.

Market Differentiation Retailer Expectations

What does your brand stand for? The list of stakeholders seems ever longer.
CSR (corporate social responsibility) adds to the list. And
Will that be as important to consumers in three years as consumers, employees and investors are important to
it is today? Was it of the same importance three years satisfy.
ago?
How about retailers? Can they be satisfied?
Of course markets are changing. That means defending
your current position while also gaining market share. The good news is that you both have the same goal. To
sell more of your stuff. And they have ideas on how to
Packaging, particularly bag style with the avoid out of stocks, and make your product more
considerations of shelf-appeal, convenience, shelf life, suitable for their systems than your competitors.
sustainability, and material, plays a large role in
perception and competitive differentiation. Shelf-ready or retail ready packaging is an example.
(Check out our deep dive guide into the complex
Bag style and related package characteristics, including challenges and actionable solutions to shelf ready
unique sizes, shapes, materials and features, are packaging requirements.)
effective tools to call attention to
your product on the shelf and amplify your carefully Understanding the implications of bag type to
cultivated brand personality. merchandising and retailer operations is important in
selecting the style that’s most likely to deliver on
corporate strategy vs. simply the fastest production,
cheapest materials, or nicest aesthetics.

6.
Product and Production Considerations

Bag style, size, merchandizing orientation and closure

will impact production more than people might assume.
STYLE SIZE
For instance, certain styles and certain materials may run
faster or slower because of the sequence
and complexity of forming steps (e.g. gussets and folds)
and pressure and dwell time required to seal.

The amount of headspace, and the dimensions of the

ORIENTATION CLOSURE bag will often determine the max cycle speed based on
filling (often more important to production speed than
the machines mechanical cycling capability) and those
in turn might impact bag style selection.

Product also plays a role. In some cases industry

standards (e.g. Halloween candy or chips in pillow bags
vs. ground gourmet coffee in Stabilo® style block-
bottom bags) will dictate the bag style. In oth-ers,
market innovations (Hershey’s block bottom) or
application requirements (condiments in single serve
stick packs or in cafeteria dispensers with fitments) will
influence the bag style.

From powders to pumpable products, each product

type dictates certain bag attributes for optimal
performance. Finally, specialty products like baby
formula require certain performance criteria for safety.

Sometimes the same company will need to run multiple

bag styles. Pillow bag in box may be a traditional style
for some brands while the same company may
introduce higher end products in stand-up pouches for a
fresher, higher quality look.

7.
 Package Types, Strengths, Considerations and Variations

Let’s take a quick tour through common and some unusual bag styles and
unpack considerations related to each.

Pillow Bag

Overview
This is the original, simplest, most common vertical bag. It’s a lay flat
package with a top and bottom seal with vertical fin or lap seal along the
back of the bag. Engineering and production value this style for it’s simplicity
and predictability. It can run various materials reliably. It’s most often found
in high volume, competitive segments where the package itself doesn’t have
a significant merchandising role.

Package Style Strengths Considerations:

• Very simple and economical to make • No stand-up ability

• Easy to achieve very high production speeds • Superabundance in the market for wide variety of
• Can feature different hole punch styles product types
for merchandising. • Backside graphics are obscured with longitudinal seal
unless an offset seal is utilized
• Can have easy open and reclosable features like a
• No product differentiation
zipper and perforation line.
• Simple to use various different materials

Common Industries Served:

• Candy and Sweets

• Short Cut Pasta
• Frozen Foods
• Liquids and Pump-able Products

8.
 with Zipper Asymmetrical Vertical Seam

Pillow Bag Package Variations

with Eurohole with Round Hole

Pillow Bag Chain

9.
Package Types, Strengths, Considerations and Variations

Gusseted Pillow Bag

Overview
This is a simple variation of the above pillow bag.
Another lay flat package with two side gussets that
add a third dimension to the standard pillow bag. Like
the pillow bag, it runs predictably and is often used in
high speed bag in box applications to make it easier
for the package to fit in the carton..

Package Style Strengths Considerations:

• Very simple and economical to make • No stand-up ability

• Allows for the use of a larger • Superabundance in the market for wide variety of
forming tube for filling the package product types
• Easy to achieve very high production speeds • Backside graphics are obscured with longitudinal seal
• Can feature different hole punch styles • Gusseting process
for merchandising
• Can have easy open and reclosable features like a
zipper and perforation line

Common Industries Served:

• Snacking and Bakery

• Powders
• Rice and Grains
• Pet Foods
• Construction Powders

10.
3 & 4 Side Seal Pouch

Overview
This lay flat package is also known as a sachet, with
a top seal and two side seals. 4 side seal has optional bottom
seal for premium aesthetic purposes. It is often economical to
produce and it valued by marketing teams for it’s high ratio of
print area on the front and back panels.

Package Style Strengths Considerations:

• Simple and economical to Make • High packaging material to product ratio

• Allows for full front and back panel exposure • Largely suited to smaller product amounts
for graphics, copy and required information. • No stand up ability
• Easy to achieve high production speeds
• Great for smaller product amounts
Common Industries Served:
where accuracy is important
• Can feature different hole punch styles • Snacking and Bakery- Typical Beef Jerky Package
for merchandising. • Powders- Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical.
• Can have easy open and reclosable • Salts, Spices and Seasonings
features like a zipper and perforation line. • Dehydrated Soup or Gravy
• Traditionally made on HFFS machines or multi lane • Seeds
sachet machines known for much larger footprint.

11.
 Package Types, Strengths, Considerations and Variations

Block Bottom Bag

Overview
This is a gable-top, self standing package that is much like the simple pillow and
gusseted pillow bags but with wide side gussets that define and support the block
bottom with a top and bottom seal with vertical fin or lap seal along the back of the
bag. It sits on a great middle ground between shelf presence and fast production
speed, which is why it is popular across multiple industries.

Package Style Strengths Considerations:

• Simplest Stand Up Pouch to make, • Not as stable as other SUP styles

allowing for high speed application. like RoPack or Stabilo.
• Optional offset vertical seal allows for full front • Outer sealant layer that benefits
and back panel exposure for graphics. stability may prevent recyclability of
• Can feature different hole punch styles package
for merchandising. • Abundant in the market- less market
• Can have easy open and reclosable features like differentiation than other SUP’s
a zipper and perforation line.

Common Industries Served

• Coffee
• Nutraceuticals and Fitness Powders

**
Rovema Pro Tip:
Recommend using film with
with Carry Handle
Asymmetrical Vertical Seam

an outer sealant layer so that the

vertical bagger can tack the
bottom and top gussets during
the sealing process so that the
gusset ears don’t flare open on the
sides. The tacked gussets give the
bag a better presentation, keep
the gable top intact and also
preserves the block bottom after
the stock person puts
the bag on the shelf for its point of
sale presentation.

12.
 Stabilo® Bag

Overview
The process of forming the Stabilo® Bag was invented by Rovema to give similar stability
characteristics and shelf appearance as a traditional paperboard carton. This package type is a
block bottom style bag with four (quad) seals in each of the vertical corners for a premium
look. Most commonly seen in the premium retail coffee space, many producers use a high
quality multi-layer film to achieve the welded corner seals and rock solid stand up ability.

Package Style Strengths Considerations:

• Patented process for stabilizing vertical seal • Higher package material to product ratio
on each corner, making for a great shelf presence. • Outer sealant layer that benefits stability may
• Optional offset vertical seal allows for full front prevent recyclability of package
and back panel exposure for graphics. • Takes more time to produce compared to pillow
• Can have easy open and reclosable features. bag variations.
(most often a tin tie or tape) • Often requires a premium
• Can be fitted with a one-way degassing valve (but more expensive) film material
during the bagging process to prevent pressure
build up in packages of whole coffee beans as the Common Industries Served
beans continue to de-gas.

• Snacking and Bakery

• Coffee
• Short Cut Pasta
• Infant and Baby Formula

**
Rovema Pro Tip:
Recommend using film with
Asymmetrical Vertical Seal

an outer sealant layer so that the

vertical bagger can tack
the bottom and top gussets during
the sealing process
so that the gusset ears don’t flare
open on the sides. The tacked
gussets give the bag
a better presentation, keep the
gable top intact and also preserves
the block bottom after the stock
person puts
the bag on the shelf for its point of
sale presentation.

13.
Package Types, Strengths, Considerations and Variations

RoPack® Bag

Overview
The RoPack® bag is Rovema's version of a doy-style stand up pouch made on a VFFS
machine. It was invented to give manufacturers the ability to create a package similar
to the Doypack, but without the large manufacturing space needed for an HFFS or
large unit ticket price of using premade packages.

Package Style Strengths Considerations:

• Premium style package with • Higher package material to product ratio

excellent shelf presentation. compared to pillow bag variations.
• Stabilo seals along bottom create • Takes more time to produce compared to pillow
solid base for shelf presence. bag variations.
• Wide top opening gives great • Potential Case packing inefficiencies
accessibility to the product. • Often requires a premium
• Patented process for making doy-style stand (but more expensive) film material
up package on a VFFS using rollstock.
• Full front and back panel exposure for Common Industries Served
graphics.
• Snacking and Bakery
• Can have easy open and reclosable features
• Coffee
like a zipper and perforation line.
• Candy and Confectionery
• Nutraceuticals and Fitness Powders
with Zipper

with Tape

14.
Flexcan

Overview
The Flexcan is a unique variation of the Stabilo® package on page 13 that gives
similar characteristics and appearance as a can. This package is created by
forming and filling the Stabilo® package rotated 90 degrees. Many producers
use a high quality multi-layer film to achieve the welded top and bottom
Stabilo® seals and rock solid stand up ability.

Package Style Strengths Considerations:

• Patented process for stabilizing vertical seal on • Higher package material to product ratio
each corner, making for a great shelf presence. compared to pillow bag variations.
• Full front and back panel exposure for graphics. • Takes more time to produce compared to
• Can have easy open and reclosable features. pillow bag variations.
• Often requires a premium
(but more expensive) film material

Common Industries Served

• Snacking and Bakery • Nuts and Dried Fruit

• Candy and Sweets • Infant and Baby Formula

Assortment of Bag Top Shapes

>>>
With the Rovema SBS VFFS
Machine, the below assortment of
bag tops are just some of the
possible shapes. Contact us if you
have an additional shape you’d
like achieved..

15.
 >>>
Single Fold Held
by Hot Melt Glue
With Label for
Reclosure
Single Fold Held
By Label

>>>
Single Fold Held
By Label
Single Fold and
Pressed
Single Fold,
Pressed, Held
with Tape

>>>
Double Fold,
Held with Hot
Melt Glue

With Tin Tie,

Single Fold Held
By Label

Fastened
with Clip

>>>
Fastened
with Clip
with Pendant

Gable Top
Single Fold
with Tape

Pillow Top Fin

>>>
Long Stand Up
Top Fin with
Shaped Cut

Double Fold
With Tin Tie

With Cardboard
Cap

16.
Agility and Machine Flexibility

?
?
Do you shop the same way today that you did a decade ago? Buy
the same brands and products?
How will you shop in a decade from now?

What will consumers expect? We don’t know.

So how can you make a large capital investment to If you buy equipment that has no end of life, you’re
meet today’s known requirements, and still retain making decisions that will impact you for decades. But
flexibility to deal with the unknown that lies ahead? what happens when the market changes in two years, or
two months?
Bag style, and the related factors of closure, secondary
packaging, materials and the market trends driving In some cases, package styles for specific products may
them are likely to play a large role in your ability to not change. If you are running seasonal two pound
adapt to change. pillow bags of Halloween candy, it’s unlikely your
strategy has to change in the foreseeable future.
Unfortunately, many machines are carefully designed However, if you are packaging movie theater packs of
to run only the package style that’s contemplated the same products, that market evolved drastically over
today. the last 10 years.

Wouldn’t it be a shame to have today’s machine Having a detailed understanding of exactly what specs
decision impact your strategic market options in five you need when scoping out your capital equipment
years? takes years of experience. However, there is a nearly
inexplicable supplement to that wisdom. You must also
The agility to create and actually execute on anticipate the inevitable changes. Understanding the
the great ideas of you and your team is going range of your machine flexibility will be key to your
to require forward thinking on the part of your capital ability to respond to changing market conditions.
equipment buyer. Unless you’re investing in
equipment that is practically disposable, it needs to
be inherently flexible.

Conclusion

We ask a lot of primary packaging. The demands we make are becoming more complex
as markets change.

Bag style is often considered a straight forward technical detail. And for some applications,
based on current conditions, it is.

However, agility is key in rapidly changing markets. Marketing, merchandising, brand management, engineering,
procurement and production operations must be flexible in supporting each other’s needs in collective pursuit of
corporate goals.

Understanding the considerations and implications of various bag styles, and how to optimize operations and
revenue, is key to success today and in the future.
17.
Appendix A - Handy Bag Comparison Chart

Below is a quick chart showing the general range of flexibility for Rovema machines. You’ll see, some are purpose
built around specific product types and bag styles but others are uniquely designed to quickly (and toollessly)
change between a wide spectrum of package types.

Bag Styles on Rovema Vertical Form Fill and Seal Machines

Vertical Seam Symmetric

Pillow Bag Pillow Bag Pillow Gusseted Block/Flat Block/Flat Stabilo Stabilo Seal
with Chainbag Bag Bottom Bottom Seal Bag at Bag at Reel
Eurohole Bag Bag with Tube Carrier
Carry Hole

BVC 180
BVC 260
BVC 400
BVC 600
BVC 250
Compact
BVC 260
Flexible
BVC 310
Liquid
BVC 400
Frozen
BVC 145

BVI 180
BVI 260
BVI 400

BVK 260
* R= 90 i rotatable jaw machine

18.
Bag Styles on Rovema Vertical Form Fill and Seal Machines
Vertical Seam Asymmetric

Sachet: Sachet: Pillow Block/ Stabilo Flex Can Easy RoPack RoPack RoPack
3 Side 4 Side Bag Flat Seal Bag Pack (stand- (stand-up (stand-up
Seal Seal Bottom with up pouch) pouch)
Pouch Pouch Bag Tape pouch) with Zip with Tape

BVC 180
BVC 180 with
Stabilo at tube
BVC 180 with
universal sea-
ling belt
BVC 260
BVC 260 with
universal sea-
ling belt
BVC 260 with
Stabilo at tube
BVC 260 with
Stabilo at reel
carrier
BVC 260 with
Stabilo atreel
carrier and uni-
versal sealing
belt
BVC 400
BVC 400 with
Stabilo at tube
BVC 260
Flexible
BVC 400
Frozen
BVI 18 0
BVI 26 0
BVI 40 0
BVK 260

* R= 90i rotatable jaw machine

19.