Abbott Laboratories' Ross Products Division announced that the Ensure reclosable bottle has been selected as a Gold Award winner at the 17th DuPont Awards competition held on August 6, 2004. The award is sponsored by DuPont, in cooperation with Campden and Chorleywood Food Research Association in Gloucestershire, England, and the National Food Processors Association in Washington, D.C. The bottle won in the food category for innovation in packaging.

"With more people skipping meals and eating on the go, our consumer research showed a growing demand for portable, convenient and delicious nutrition," said Chris Scoggins, marketing director, Ensure nutritionals, Ross Products Division, Abbott Laboratories. "The reclosable bottle helps us meet the needs of consumers looking for a convenient, complete, balanced nutrition option to help maintain a healthy, active lifestyle."

The development of the bottle included the use of previously successful multi-layer plastic materials that hold up well to retort sterilization and maintain the 12- to 15-month shelf life of the product. Since 1973, Ensure has been sold in 8-fluid-ounce cans. The packaging style, which uses a multilayer extrusion-blown barrier bottle with a threaded, reclosable closure, has a large opening for those who prefer to pour Ensure into a glass. "Our goal was to produce a more user-friendly package design," said Peter Macauley, packaging R&D manager, Ross Products Division, Abbott Laboratories. "The bottle is portable, providing a reclosable cap and a more convenient size for better grip."

Abbott's Ross Products Division has already introduced 6-packs of Ensure, Ensure Plus and Ensure High Protein in the reclosable bottle. Ensure is available in 5 flavors: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, butter pecan and coffee latte. Ensure Plus is available in vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and butter pecan. Ensure High Protein is available in vanilla supreme, chocolate royal, wild berry and banana. The bottle is available at retail sales outlets including drug, food, mass merchandise and club stores as well as online at www.ensure.com. The remaining varieties of the Ensure product line - Ensure High Calcium and Ensure Fiber with FOS - are expected to be available in the reclosable bottle over the next six months.

An eight-member panel of judges selected this year's DuPont Award winners based on degree of innovation, potential impact on industry/consumers, breadth of application, marketing innovation of the packaging product and impact of the packaging on industry/consumer buying decisions.

The DuPont Awards for Innovation in Packaging is an international, independently judged competition that recognizes food and non-food industry advances that utilize plastic packaging materials. The award program has drawn hundreds of entries from 33 countries since its inception in 1986.