From:packagingeurope

Awarded a Golden Star in the Great Taste Awards for 2014 - for the second year running -- Rhyton Cretan Thyme Honey joins an exclusive club, because the UK Guild of Fine Food's annual international taste index of speciality foods and beverages is widely recognised as the 'foodie Oscars'.   But that is not all.   In the annual international FINAT Label Competition, promoted by Europe's label industry association, Rhyton Cretan Thyme Honey's self-adhesive label, printed by the Greek self-adhesive label specialists N. Cabas S.A., took first prize in the food products category.  

This particular award was indeed proof that sometimes less is more, because the label employed just two colours on a silver substrate to deliver the premium, luxury result.

Tony White, chairman of the judging panel for the FINAT Label Competition, explains the jury's thinking: 'This is a really nicely printed label.   The chosen typeface and the two Pantone® ink colours really complement the design without subsuming it, and the choice of a PP film substrate is a practical choice for moisture-resistance and wipe-ability.   In recent years we have seen a lot of Cabas' work in the Label Competition - winning many category and group awards - so their success in this year's prizewinners' lineup is no surprise.' 

Printed by rotary letterpress on UPM Raflatac's PP Silver Gloss TC50 self-adhesive labelstock, and protected by a matt UV varnish, the label also contributes a valuable security feature:  a tamper-evident seal over the jar lid.   Comments Panos Cabas, General Manager of Athens-based Cabas S.A.: 'Rhyton Cretan Thyme Honey's label design represents the collection of pollen and nectar from the flower by a bee. The visualization of this process becomes the identity of this exquisite honey, and accompanies it to every destination.

'Our challenge was to help the product stand out with a label that would enable the illustration to be the protagonist. So we printed on a gloss polypropylene label stock that provided a neutral, pearly (yet sophisticated) background, and used just two colours - one simulating the colour of honey for the small, yet significant, details, and the other black, for the rest of the "story" - in order to achieve the desired final outcome.  The label was then finished with a matt varnish to ensure an equable visual outcome from every angle.'

Rhyton's representatives, Michalis Arkopoulos and Nikos Mexis add: 'We share the same standards and passion for excellence and quality with our co-operators Cabas, and we are proud to see our common values awarded.'

Tony White concludes:  'It is always a pleasure to see the functional qualities of a self-adhesive label - high-quality print, clean, accurate diecutting, and perfect on-pack positioning and application - partnered by first-class, thoughtful decorative qualities.'

Rhyton Cretan Thyme Honey is available in specialty food shops across Europe.  For full details of the 2014 winners' lineup in the FINAT Label Competition visit www.finat.com.