Ovotherm in Greece
People from Austria love to spend their vacation in Greece – supermarkets and egg producers love to use the clear egg packs from Austria! It doesn’t matter which supermarket you visit in Greece – be sure that you will find crystal clear packs – where you can see the eggs - on the egg displays! By now al the major supermarkets like Carrefour, Metro, Spar, Champion, AB and Sklavenitis all over Greece and also on the islands present even their private label eggs in Ovotherm egg cartons. The percentage of the honest egg packs in the egg displays is by now already over 50%. The biggest egg producers like Golden Eggs, Megafarm, Tsaousis and Vlachakis are extremely happy with Ovotherm’s egg cartons for 4, 6, 9, 10, 12 and 15 eggs. They function perfectly on their grading machines and protect eggs on transit and in the supermarkets very well. Ovotherm’s Sales Lady, Mrs. Gertraud Vimetal, loves to visit her Greek customers – not only because of the sunshine – but because the cooperation works just perfect!
May 2007

Ovotherm in Spain
Recently, the general Manager of Ovotherm, Mr. Franz Hofer, together with the agent for Spain and Portugal, Mr. Octavio Gomez, visited a few installations producing eggs on the outskirts of Madrid to witness the successful introduction of Ovotherm in Spain.
May 2007 by Octavio Gomez

IEC Spring Meeting 2007
The IEC Spring Meeting took place in London from March 25th to 28th and was the best attended ever.
Chairman Willi Kallhammer was able to welcome 163 delegates from all over the world including Dr. Agbato and his wife from Nigeria and Yannis Vlachakis from Greece, the Campbell family from Scotland amongst others who have been business partners of Ovotherm for many years.
The Conference concentrated on marketing and branding issues as well as on the hot topic of bio energy where Dr. Windhost gave a highly praised presentation of how ethanol production will effect the global egg industry.
Ovotherm was represented by it's CEO Franz Hofer and Managing Director of Ovotherm Slovakia Hana Michalkova, Ovotherm representative for the U.K., Ms Caroline Eaton, as well as Marion Klemm the long time supporter of the IEC membership committee.
April 2007

Coloured Easter Eggs in U.S.A
After the U.S.A. ”exported” Halloween with all its marketing ideas and new products to Europe – now we export the idea of boiled and coloured Easter eggs to the U.S.! For the first time, these special eggs are presented in supermarkets – and of course in Ovotherms glassclear packaging where consumers can see the beautifully coloured eggs!
Two American egg producers decided to boil and colour eggs for Eastertime and to use Ovotherm’s Starpack, made of 100% recycled PET bottles.
“Sauder’s Eggs”, since 1930 a family business, are based in Philadelphia. They say about their product: Our colored hard cooked eggs are ready for a party!  Great for Easter egg hunts, birthday parties, picnics and more! Creates a beautiful colored display on your table!
Sealed with a special sealant that seals the pores of the egg, Sauder's Colored Hard-Cooked Eggs can stay out of refrigeration longer than the four hours normally recommended for commercial sealants on other hard-cooked eggs.
“Hickman’s Family Farms” have a very long tradition as well. They are in the egg production business since 1944 and are based in Arizona.
“Farm Fresh Eggs”, another American egg producer, let the consumers do the job themselves! He sells 18 white eggs, presented in Ovotherm’s glassclear egg carton
Showcase 1x18, together with colour tablets in very nice pastel colours.
April 2007

The Zootechnia 2007 in Greece
The 5th International Fair for Livestock & Poultry Machinery & Equipment Zootechnia 2007 took place in Thessaloniki/ Greece from 8. to 11.February 2007. The fair was characterized as the most successful exhibition organization for both the trade visitors and the public and as a leading Exhibition of its branch for SE Europe and Eastern Mediterranean; the amount of visitors increased by 90% compared to the previous exhibition while its trade visitors even increased by 160%. The exhibition has surpassed all expectations with 43.000 visitors from the Balkans and the big markets of Germany, Spain and Italy.
For the first time Mr. Dimitris Korilis showed crystal clear Ovotherm egg packs to very interested visitors from all over Greece but also from Balkan countries like Bulgaria and Macedonia. Mr. Korilis together with his charming assistant Ms. Eleni Noti explained the advantages of clear egg packaging, where the consumers don’t have to open the pack to inspect the eggs, to visitors from supermarkets as well as to egg producers. The beautifully decorated booth where the egg cartons had been presented like “jewels” in a glass vitrine, was always crowded. The main interest was in the latest Ovotherm developments like the transparent “Econopack” for 10 eggs, the "Tray pack 30" made of recycled PET bottles and the new "Snack Pack" for two eggs.
March 2007

The Easter Season has started
Already now in March the egg displays are full with beautiful looking multi coloured easter eggs presented in crystal clear Ovotherm egg packs! In Austria the actual trend is to use carton sleeves around the packs for 6 eggs. These sleeves look like little baskets and are printed with Easter motives. The eggs are either from free range or organic chicken. There is also a “new” clear pack for 10 eggs on the market. The specialty of this pack is the perfect print on top of the pack in several bright colours.
The German company “Sonnenei” for the first time is using the new clear “Snackpack” for two boiled and coloured eggs together with a salt stick. Inside the pack is a little folder with information about the company, the chickens and the organic eggs. This pack is designed for special display hangers which are positioned close to the cashier for example.
More than 90% of all the boiled and coloured Easter eggs in Europe are packed in clear Ovotherm egg cartons where consumers can actually see the pretty colourful eggs!
March 2007

Clear Eggpacks in Norway
“Dagligvarehandelen” (Trade Press) is the name of a newspaper in Norway which is read by people who own grocery stores, kiosks, gas stations and supermarket managers. On 19. January 2007 an article about clear egg packaging made by Ovotherm was published in this paper.

See below for the English translation and click here for the PDF of the Norwegian original!

The customers want to see what they buy
Egg cartons in plastic are with full speed coming to the grocery store market. It started with Meny and Smart Club. Just before Christmas Rema 1000 came with the same.  Lots of exciting things will happen with eggs in the time to come.    

The egg packs in plastic are coming:
The most important reason for Rema 1000 to want alternative egg packs are the customers’ desire to see what they buy. The market trend is that the product packaging shows the product- not cover it.
This is what Rune Hennum says, the manager of the egg packing company Arne Magnussen in Oslo. The company has packed eggs since 1950.
In addition to the large-consumer market, Rema 1000 is their biggest customer. 80% of the egg packing goes to the Rema stores.

Own brand:
Rema 1000 are now building their own brand within white meat and eggs. The brand name is Solvinge with the slogan “smaken av det gode lett” (direct translation: the taste of the good light).
- Own brands will distinguish the products from the others; that’s why we together found the plastic packages, says Hennum.
- We launched the 6-pack on the 1. December last year, while the 12 and 18 pack came right before Christmas. We will probably se the 20 pack on the shelves during the year.

Environmental friendliness:
It took nine months for Magnussen and Rema 1000 to get the tip about Ovotherm in Austria and to create a Norwegian style clear eggmarketing concept.
- The cartons are 100% recyclable and the international symbol (three arrows in a circle) will be printed on due to its environmental friendliness.
- Will the eggs be more expensive due to the plastic packs?
- No, we operate with the same prices compared to the cardboard cartons. This because the distributor in Austria have stretched themselves, to penetrate a new market.  

Exposé:                                                                                
It is unavoidable that from time to time eggs that are not completely clean are sent to the market. It can be small spots of dirt or other things that stick which has not been washed away or been picked up during our control.
- Will transparent cartons require higher demands to cleanliness?
- There is not doubt that plastic means that we expose ourselves more compared with the use of closed cartons. However, this is no problem. We were the first in the Norwegian market that bought an electronic “egg controller” It gives us a much larger safety with our work to pick out the unwanted eggs- than the human eye.
Hennum also appreciates that the transparent packages means the end of the unnecessary irritation over broken eggs.
- We have all experienced defect eggs in the cardboard cartons. We can now remove these from the stores, and thereby remove something that the stores and customers don’t like.

Translation by Morten Deol
Deol Trading Service, Norway

February 2007

Exhibition News
The biggest ever International Poultry Exhibition was held in Atlanta January 24 - 26, 2007. Exhibitors as well as visitors from all over the world met to exchange news and views.
Ovotherm's stand offered a truly international atmosphere as customers and interested visitors from all continents were impressed by the presentation of the latest Ovotherm developments like the glass clear "Tray pack 30" made of recycled PET bottles or "Snack Pack" for two eggs. CEO Franz Hofer, Willi Kallhammer, Stefanie Kneisz and Walter Baumann were busy in welcoming guests from the Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe. From Africa the family of Dr. Olatunde Agbato based in Nigeria with their "Animal Care" group enjoyed  the hospitality and commented very positively on the excellent service they have been receiving from Ovotherm over the past years.
The conference coincided with the retirement party of long time UEP president Mr. Al Pope. Ovotherm's Senior Partner and Chairman of the International Egg Commission Willi Kallhammer gave a special commendation on behalf of the global egg industry.
February 2007

Thailand – Land of smart egg merchandising
Thailand – land of temples, land of myths, land of stunning natural beauty and - lesser known - land of smart egg merchandising! The leading Thai egg marketing company S. W. Foodtech is based in the busy capital Bangkok with 10 million inhabitants. Mr. Surapol, president and owner, confirms that using the honest clear egg marketing concepts from Ovotherm have helped him to conquer display positions in all major supermarkets as well as in the huge hypermarkets of Casino (Big C ), Tesco, Auchan, Carrefour etc. As licencee of the world’s leading brand of “Omega 3” (enhanced with vitamins and minerals) “Columbus” eggs, S.W. Foodtech decided to change from pulp to glassclear Ovotherm R-PET Supersell 2x6.
During a recent visit Franz Hofer, Managing Director of Ovotherm International, and Willi Kallhammer, Senior Partner, agreed with the management of S.W. Foodtech to step up the successful cooperation in 2007.
January 2007

Econopack – For cost saving in the supply chain
Like people need different clothes for different occasions also food products need the right packaging for specific market segments! Ovotherm is world renowned for it’s complete range of egg packs for every retail need. Nevertheless and as the rising trend for “value” or “economic” food demands packaging of highest efficiency as well as lowest possible cost, Ovotherm developed the entirely new “Econopack”.
It is available as a transparent pack for 10 eggs and can be decorated by direct print on the top and on the hinge to satisfy legal and promotional requirements and to avoid higher labelling cost. The recent successful introduction across Europe makes Ovotherm confident of a great future for it’s latest innovation. It also offers the added environmental benefit of 14% less transport volume due to unique outer packaging. The machinability is also most efficient on all modern automatic grading and packing equipment.
January 2007

Christmas in Trinidad
Eggs are very important for Trinidad’s “Santas” – especially when consumers can see them without opening the egg pack! Christmas is always a very busy time in the many modern supermarkets of this Carribean country, because eggs are very important for making cakes, cookies and the beloved “Egg –Noggs” ( of course with lots of rum)! Around Christmas time the egg displays are already empty of clear egg packs around noon time, so it is a very busy time for the egg producers and their little feathery helpers – the hens! “El Chico” and “Spring Fresh Farms” (the most important egg producers of Trinidad and Tobago) prefer Ovotherm’s glassclear packs for 6, 12, 15 and 18 eggs to show their fresh local products. Consumers love to buy them as well as Santa loves to show them!
January 2007