This document summarizes the key innovations that led to the development of aseptic packaging technology by Tetra Pak, the world's largest packaging company. It describes the three main phases of innovation: 1) the original tetrahedron-shaped packaging design in the 1940s for hygiene and efficient material use; 2) the development of a filling and sealing machine in the 1950s that used a coated carton and continuous process; and 3) the creation of aseptic processing and the tetra brick packaging in the 1960s, which eliminated the need for refrigeration. The aseptic packaging technology was considered one of the most important food packaging innovations of the 20th century.

1. History and Interpretation of Innovation DMGT 702 | Priscila Mendoza | Prof. Miller | Fall 2013
Innovation Case Study
Tetra Pack’s Innovations

2. How do we
preserve food?

3. Drying
Fermen+ng
Curing
Canning
Freezing
Pickling
Jam
and
Jelly
Asep+c
Process

4. Aseptic Packaging Technology
Food
Safety
Economic
Portable
& Durable
Convenience
Easy
Transportation
Suitable to
All Kinds of
Climates

5. How did we
get here?
• World’s largest packaging firm
• Sales last year of $12.5 billion
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/12/world/europe/tetra-pak-a-fortune-founded-on-a-clever-idea.html?_r=0

6. Let’s take a look to the series of inventions that lead
to the diffusion of this innovation on the food
packaging industry
Tetra Pack’s Innovations

7. • Observability
• Trialability
• Complexity
• Relative advantage
• Compatibility
Attributes of Innovation
1=
Highest
2=
Intermediate
3=Lower

8. +
+
Packaging’s
Shape
1 New
Material
+
Filling
Method
2
New Shapes
+
Food Preserving
Technology
3
Heterogeneous engineering

9. 1 New
Packaging’s
Shape
• Pre-packaging: Hygiene and Practical Distribution
• Food Safety
• Economy (minimal material waste)
Erik Wallenberg 1944,
Inventor
40’s
Ruben Rausing
Tetra Pack’s Owner
Market change
On the counter to
Self Service
Tetrahedron
packaging
Material’s optimal use
O= 1
T= 1
Co= 3
R= 1
C= 2

10. “A perfect
practical
application of a
mathematical
problem”
Niels Bohr, Nobel Prize Winner

11. 2New
Material
+
Filling
Method
• Filling and Sealing technology
• Coated carton with polyethylene
50’s
Harry Järund’s
Filling Machine
Prototype
Process SampleFilling Process Metaphor
O= 2
T= 1
Co= 3
R= 1
C= 2

12. Suddenly she
said ‘Why don’t you
continuously fill milk
into the tube (...)
and then seal it
through the milk?’
Ruben
Rausing’s
wife

13. 3
New
Shapes
+
Food
Preserving
Technology
• Aseptic Process
• Tetra Brick Packaging
• End of Cold Chain
Aseptic Process
60’s
Market ChangeTetra Brick
O= 1
T= 1
Co= 3
R= 1
C= 1

14. The aseptic
packaging technology
has been called the
most important food
packaging innovation
of the 20th Century
The Institute of Food Technologists

15. Heterogeneous
Engineering
Social
Constructivism
Transportation Retail (ers)
Consumers
Manufacture (ers)
• End of cold chain
• Maximum use of space
• Long Shelf life
• Marketing
• Resources’ use
• Economy
• New trends
• New Lifestyles
PET
and
other
materials
Ecological
Conscience

16. Thanks!
hOp://science.howstuffworks.com/innova+on/37469-­‐how-­‐its-­‐made-­‐tetra-­‐pak-­‐containers-­‐video.htm

17. Photo Sources
• Slide 1: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tetrapak/5511653027/sizes/o/in/
photostream/
• Slide 2: http://images.lib.ncsu.edu/luna/servlet/detail/SCDRLUNA-
UAPC~102~3~100118977~215718:Food-preservation-display,-possibly?sort=Division
+Sequence+Number%2CPageSequenceNumber%2CFilename
• Slide 3: http://www.slashfood.com/2008/10/01/tip-of-the-day-make-your-own-
dried-mushrooms/
• http://www.fatburningautopilot.com/articles/healthy-eating/fermented-foods/
• http://www.squidoo.com/cumberlandfood
• http://www.lowes.com/creative-ideas/kitchen-and-dining/canning-fruit-and-
vegetables/project
• http://www.ellis.ksu.edu/p.aspx?tabid=119
• http://guestofaguest.com/health/6-hangover-cures-from-around-the-world&slide=2
• http://blog.gourmetworldmarket.com/
• http://2012.ingoodcompany.fsc.org/tetrapak
• Slide 4, 6 & 8: http://2012.ingoodcompany.fsc.org/tetrapak
• Slide 5: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tetrapak/6498147115/
• Slide 9: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tetrapak/5956902625/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tetrapak/5957462340/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/tetrapak/5956902557/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/tetrapak/5956902687/
• Slide 10: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tetrapak/6770049931/
• Slide 11: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tetrapak/5957462252/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/tetrapak/6498149119/
• http://www.greenumbrella.org/news-and-events/blogs/recycling-packaging-material-
aluminium-component
• Slide 12: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tetrapak/6770069607/
• Slide 13: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tetrapak/6498149711/
• http://www.scholle.com/newsroom/news/aseptic-processing-for-bag-in-
box-the-basics
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/tetrapak/6770050687/
• Slide 14: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tetrapak/6498151873/
• Slide 16: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tetrapak/6498151493/in/photostream/
Information Sources
• http://www.tetrapak.com/about_tetra_pak/
the_company/history/pages/default.aspx
• hOp://nchfp.uga.edu/publica+ons/nchfp/factsheets/
food_pres_hist.html
• http://www.tetrapak.com/Document%20Bank/
About_tetrapak/the_history_of_an%20_idea.pdf
• http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/37469-
how-its-made-tetra-pak-containers-video.htm
• http://historyofbusiness.blogspot.com/2012/05/tetra-
pak-company.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetra_Pak
• http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/12/world/europe/
tetra-pak-a-fortune-founded-on-a-clever-idea.html?_r=0
Sources & Photo Credits