Custom pouches for food, coffee and retail
Custom pouches are flexible packaging bags with volume and structure, made to order to stand, present and reseal a product on shelf. The format, structure, size and print are set per order, from a stand-up doypack with a valve to a retort pouch for shelf-stable food.
VLM Poliplast manufactures custom pouches to order at its own plant in Bucharest: stand-up doypack, quad-seal, zipper, vacuum, flow-wrap and retort, plus mono-material PE options, each built to the oxygen and moisture barrier the product needs and printed to your brand.
These are product pouches for food, coffee and retail, not tobacco or nicotine pouches and not stationery cases. Food-contact structures ship with a declaration of compliance to Reg. (EC) 1935/2004 and (EU) 10/2011. For a product that sits in a jar, a tub or a can today, moving it out of rigid packaging is the decision that comes first.
The short answer: match the format to how the product is used and sold: doypack to stand and reseal, quad-seal for a premium block shape and more volume, vacuum for meat and cheese, retort for shelf-stable ready meals, and mono-material PE when recyclability comes first.
Choose the format by your product
| If you pack | Typical starting point | Typical structure |
| Roasted coffee, beans or ground | Stand-up doypack, with valve | Metallised polypropylene laminate, or mono-material PE with a barrier layer |
| Specialty coffee, premium look | Kraft stand-up | Kraft laminate |
| Supplements, powders, capsules | Doypack with zipper, or quad-seal for larger packs | Polyester laminate or mono-material PE |
| Nuts, dried fruit, snacks | Zipper stand-up | Mono-material PP or mono-material PE |
| Coffee, pet food, more volume | Quad-seal | Mono-material PP or polyester laminate |
| Meat, cheese, wet products | Vacuum pouch | Polyamide laminate, or coated polyester where the barrier has to be higher |
| Ready meals, shelf-stable food | Retort pouch | Retort laminate with a cast polypropylene seal layer |
| High-speed HFFS or VFFS lines | Flow-wrap (pillow) | Mono-material PP or mono-material PE |
| Any product, recyclability first | Any format, mono-material | Single-family PE or PP |
If the bag only packs, groups or ships the product and never sells it on shelf, you do not need a pouch: flat poly bags do the job at a lower cost.
And if the pack could be formed on your own filling line instead of arriving ready to fill, film on the reel is often the better route.
Types of pouch we make
Stand-up and resealable formats
Stand-up doypack
Self-standing pouch with a bottom gusset, a zipper and an optional degassing valve. The default for coffee, supplements and snacks that need to stand and reseal on shelf.
Kraft stand-up
A kraft laminate doypack with an optional clear window and zipper, for a natural, premium look. Suits specialty coffee, tea, nuts and organic brands.
Quad-seal
A box-shaped pouch sealed on four edges, with two side gussets and up to four print panels. Holds more than a standard stand-up pouch and stacks well, for coffee and pet food.
Zipper pouch
A resealable pouch with a zipper for products used a portion at a time: nuts, seeds, snacks, powders and industrial goods. Opens and recloses without damaging the pack.
Process and specialist formats
Vacuum pouch
A tough laminate with puncture resistance and an oxygen barrier for vacuum packing, used for meat, cheese and long shelf-life products. Built on oriented polyamide, or on a coated polyester where the barrier has to be higher.
Retort pouch
A heat-resistant pouch that is filled, sealed and then sterilised, giving shelf-stable food without refrigeration. The flexible alternative to a can or jar for ready meals, soups and wet pet food.
Flow-wrap (pillow)
The simple pillow pack with a back seal and two end seals, run on high-speed HFFS and VFFS lines. The low-cost format for bakery, bars, confectionery and single items.
Mono-material PE
Any format built from a single PE family, designed for recycling in the PE film stream. An alternative to mixed-material laminates, designed for PPWR recyclability requirements, available under EcoMonoFilm®.
Materials and structures
| Structure family | Construction | Barrier, qualitative | Main applications | Recyclability |
| Mono-material polypropylene | Oriented and cast PP layers, single family | Good against moisture | Snacks, bakery, dry goods | Designed for the PP stream |
| Mono-material polyethylene | Oriented and sealant PE layers, single family | High clarity, base barrier | General food | Designed for the PE stream |
| Mono-material PE with barrier | PE layers with an EVOH barrier layer | High against oxygen, no metallic layer | Specialty coffee, oxygen-sensitive products | Predominantly PE, assessed on the complete pack |
| Metallised polypropylene laminate | Polypropylene with a very thin metallic layer | High against oxygen and light | Coffee beans, oxygen-sensitive products | Assessed per structure |
| Polyester laminate | Polyester outer with a polyethylene sealant | Medium | Moderate shelf-life products | Mixed structure, assessed per pack |
| Kraft paper laminate | Kraft outer with a functional inner film | Documented per structure | Specialty coffee, premium look | Mixed structure, assessed per pack |
| Polyamide laminate | Oriented polyamide with a polyethylene sealant | High puncture resistance, oxygen barrier from the polyamide | Vacuum, meat, cheese | Mixed structure, assessed per pack |
| Coated polyester laminate | Polyester with a transparent barrier coating, or with an EVOH layer | High against oxygen, stays transparent | Vacuum, products that must stay visible | Mixed structure, assessed per pack |
| Retort laminate | Polyester or polypropylene outer, polyamide, cast polypropylene seal layer | Holds through the sterilisation cycle; barrier documented per structure | Sterilised, shelf-stable meals, wet pet food | Multi-material, no single dedicated stream |
VLM Poliplast does not issue a certified RecyClass class; recyclability is assessed on the complete pack and documented per structure. For the underlying films, see our packaging film range and the material guides.
Buying direct from an EU manufacturer
Every pouch on this page is made at our own plant in Bucharest, not sourced and resold. That is what lets the structure be changed for your product instead of picked off a stock list, and it is why a quote comes back with a recommended structure rather than a price per thousand. The plant is certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 22000 and ISO 45001, and food-contact structures ship with a declaration of compliance for every batch. If you are comparing sourcing countries, see how Romania compares as a sourcing base.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a doypack and a stand-up pouch?
They are the same thing. Doypack is the original name for the stand-up pouch format, a pouch with a bottom gusset that lets it stand upright. The two terms are used interchangeably in the packaging trade.
What is a quad-seal pouch and when is it better?
A quad-seal pouch is a box-shaped pouch sealed on four vertical edges, giving two flat panels and two side gussets, so four faces can be printed. It stands squarely, stacks well and holds more than a standard stand-up pouch, which is why it suits coffee and pet food.
Can pouches be made recyclable?
Yes, when the pouch is built from a single material family. A mono-material PE or PP pouch is designed for recycling in the matching film stream and supports PPWR compliance. Mixed-laminate pouches give more barrier but are not recyclable in a single stream, and retort structures are multi-material by construction. Recyclability is assessed on the full structure.
What is a retort pouch and is it safe?
A retort pouch is a heat-resistant pouch that is filled, sealed and then sterilised under pressure, making the food shelf-stable without refrigeration. It is safe when the correct retort structure is used and the sterilisation is validated on the processor’s equipment. We supply retort-capable structures with food-contact documentation.
What material are vacuum pouches made of?
Vacuum pouches are laminates, not single films. The usual base is oriented polyamide for puncture resistance and an oxygen barrier, laminated with a polyethylene sealing layer. Where the barrier has to be higher while the product stays visible, a coated or EVOH-containing polyester is used instead of the polyamide. The structure is chosen against the product, not the format.
Can pouches be printed with our design?
Yes. Pouches are printed in 1-8 colours, with Pantone matching on request, in gloss, matte or soft-touch finishes, with a window and features such as a valve or a hang hole. You receive a technical sheet and a proof for approval before production.
How do I choose the right structure for my product?
The choice follows the oxygen and moisture barrier the product needs, the target shelf life and whether recyclability is required. Technical advice is included. Send us the product specification and we recommend the structure and format.
Launching a product or replacing your current pouch?
Send us the product, the format you have in mind and any barrier or shelf-life target. We recommend the structure, document it on its technical data sheet, and send an unprinted sample from our own stock for validation on your line.
Related resources
Packaging bags
The parent range: how the two bag families compare and how ordering works.
Poly bags
Flat, functional bags for packing, grouping and shipping, when a pouch is not needed.
Packaging film
The laminated, barrier and mono-material films the pouches are made from.
Industries
Coffee, supplements, pet food, bakery and fishing bait: pouch solutions per industry.
Request your custom quote
Format, size and quantity are enough to start. If you already know the barrier or the filling line, add it and the first quote will be closer.
Printed 1-8 colours · Unprinted samples from stock · Technical advice · ISO 9001, 14001, 22000, 45001