Anand goes the bazaar: June's top picks

My package-spotting adventures across June have introduced me to some exceptional examples of modern FMCG packaging—the kind that deserve more attention than a few column inches. Some of these packages are blend style and functionality in innovative ways while the others just stand out on the back of their style and general bravado. 

The one thing that connects them all is that they push the boundaries of traditional packaging and find new ways to elevate the consumer experience. Here is my list of the best products mentioned across all of June's package-spotting entries. 

Pharmacy pick
Fast&Up Reload effervescent tube
The genius of this injection-moudled plastic tube lies in its closure system, which comes with an integrated internal desiccant chamber. The cap itself uses active silica gel to absorb headspace humidity, stopping moisture from softening or ruining the water-soluble tablets.

For the dangerously uninitiated, silica gel is NOT suitable for food-contact applicaitons. Finding innovative ways to use it for packaging consumables is nothing short of a pocket-sized miracle. 



Snack pick 
Mr Makhana stand-up pouch
A humble pick when comapred with the rest, Mr Makhana's flashy stand up pouch does its job exceptionally well. It draws attention and righly positions the product as a chocolate-based confectionery item, while also mainting the brand's popped lotus seed identity. The cherry on top is the pouch's resealable zip, keeping the product fresh and crunchy atleast for a few days after it is openned. 



Feminine care pick 
Pee Safe Reusable Menstrual Cup cylinder
The product's tactile, "papery" cylindrical packaging and bright green cap act as an immediate visual shorthand for sustainability. The choice to go with rigid cardboard is commendable too. It helps the primary consumers of this product in a way I wasn't aware until I spoke to one—Stuti Kute, an English professor based in Mumbai and a dear friend. Her verdict:  “It’s super easy to carry in a handbag and sturdy enough to not get crushed under my books. That’s all I need from a product like this.”



Alcobev pick
Cherrapunji gin metal bottle
This bottle uses steel instead of much heavier flint glass to create alcobev packaging that is lighter, stands out on an aisle, and is inherently more prone to be used to home or recycled given the age-old Indian affinity to metal bottles. 

The sleek, UV-printed design makes use of local motifs doubling as an infographic list of ingridients, all sourced from in-and-around Cherrapunji. 



Luxury pick

Kshetra Peanut Oil can and bottle 
Another great example of replacing an arguably worse packaging material—the flimsy plastic jerrycan with a sturdier, more recyclable, and reusable choice. Kshetra makes this substituion to justify its premium pricing at INR 850/l. The overall look and feel of its gold-embossed can and bottle make this tag feel less like daylight robbery and more like an investment towards good, clean living.