Plastic egg packaging boils down to precision

Mastering the art of boiling an egg is no easy feat. If you wait too long after taking off heat, they end up with green-gray yolks and shells that are a nuisance to peel off. The New Egg Co., based in Nottingham, has come to the aid of home cooks by developing a foolproof way to get that perfect runny yolk...every time. Consumers can now enjoy the convenience of a perfect soft-boiled egg in just five minutes thanks to Yowk, a bespoke-designed pack that includes a pre-boiled egg, bread sticks, a spoon and seasoning. All that is required is boiling water.

The New Egg Co. worked with RPC Design and RPC Bebo UK to design the ideal pack format. RPC Design came up with a two piece pack thermoformed in polypropylene, making up a round pot and snap-on lid. The base of the pack incorporates a hollowed out section for the egg to sit in, while the ‘egg cup’ shape of the underside of the lid fits over the egg in the pack, ensuring it remains stable during transit.

All consumers need to do is simply remove the lid and contents, leaving the egg, and fill the container with boiling water. After five minutes, the egg is ready for consumption. The lid doubles as an egg cup, while the spoon has a small sharp ‘tooth’ to do away with the top of the egg.

According to The New Egg Co., a lot of attention went into the overall size of the pack to make certain the precise volume of boiling water is added each time. This was critical as too little water would not heat the egg enough while too much would carry on the process and solidify the yolk.

The end result was a challenge to form so RPC Design worked closely with the technical team at RPC Bebo UK to achieve a format that does not distort or deform when the water is added and which can be comfortably picked up and handled.

“Eggs are a nutritious snack, ideal for people on the go,” explains Ian Hetherington, The New Egg Co.’s Managing Director. “Yowk allows consumers to enjoy the perfect boiled egg, anytime and anywhere, and RPC has made a huge contribution in helping us to bring this innovation to market.”