FPA Announces Winners of the 2025 Student Flexible Packaging Design Challenge

FPA Unveils Winners of the 2025 Student Flexible Packaging Design Challenge

Image Credits: Packaging Strategies

The Flexible Packaging Association (FPA) is the foremost advocate and voice for developing the U.S. flexible packaging sector, is delighted to introduce the FPA 2025 Student Flexible Packaging Design Challenge champions. The first-place winner of this year was a group of students from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and the second-place winner was a group of students from the California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly). There were also two honourable remarks awarded for the 2025 competition.

FPA’s yearly Achievement Awards competition identifies advanced flexible packaging from its membership. The business also trusts it is significant to boost and identify students who are committed to becoming the next gen of packing engineers and designers. FPA has been working on this since 2004 to complete our annual Student Flexible Packaging Design Challenge.

The first-place winner of this year is a group of students from Jacob Marrer, RIT, Travis Daly, Olivia Morris, Amanda Szymanoski, and Austin Pralow for their EZ PB&J Pouch idea. The students were under the direction of Kyle Dunno, RIT Department Chair and Associate Professor. The idea is a single-use flexible package including distinct sections for peanut butter and jelly. Planned for school lunches, the pocket shortens the sandwich-making procedure for busy parents. Instead of making sandwiches in the morning, parents could now pack two slices of bread and a pouch in their child’s lunchbox.

The pouch’s bread-formed shape is not only playful and kid-friendly, but also functionally planned. The ergonomic tear mark permits children or adults with dexterity issues to open the set effortlessly, without the requirement for dispersion utensils. The eye-catching, colourful visuals additionally improve its shelf appeal. This advanced idea also won the reward for “Best Video,” which will be featured across FPA’s digital platforms to celebrate the team’s originality and communication services.

Dunno expressed,

“The FPA student plan competition provides our students with an exclusive opportunity to be involved with industry-relevant difficulties and showcase their advanced thinking. It is satisfying to see their hard work pay off on a national level. This competition continues to be a powerful reagent for student development. It drives them to think disapprovingly about the packing plan, sustainability, and real-world functionality. These are services that are important for their upcoming careers.”

The Pancake Pack, which is a packing idea for pre-portioned pancake mix, is the second-place winner. Henry Wright, Matteo Mazziliano, Kyle Zheng, and Emma Powers from Cal Poly advanced the idea under the direction of Joongmin Shin, Ph.D., Associate Professor. Planned for straightforwardness and convenience, the packaging eradicates the requirement for measurement cups and mixing bowls, making it perfect for quick breakfasts at home or on the go. The group selected ionomer film, which is a material recognized for its barrier properties, strength, and clarity, to confirm freshness while lessening ecological impact. With its instinctive strategy and waste-decreasing structure, the Pancake Pack displays how packaging invention can improve everyday involvement and fund sustainable performs.