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 makes custom pouches to order: 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 BOPP/PE or BOPE/EVOH/PE |
| Specialty coffee, premium look | Kraft stand-up | Kraft laminate |
| Supplements, powders, capsules | Doypack with zipper, or quad-seal for larger packs | PET/PE or BOPE/PE |
| Nuts, dried fruit, snacks | Zipper stand-up | BOPP/CPP or BOPE/PE |
| Coffee, pet food, more volume | Quad-seal | BOPP/CPP or PET/PE |
| Meat, cheese, wet products | Vacuum pouch | PA/PE |
| Ready meals, shelf-stable food | Retort pouch | Retort-capable laminate or mono-PP |
| High-speed HFFS or VFFS lines | Flow-wrap (pillow) | BOPP/CPP or BOPE/PE |
| Any product, recyclability first | Any format, mono-material | PE/PE or PP/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 PA/PE pouch with puncture resistance and a high oxygen barrier for vacuum packing, used for meat, cheese and long shelf-life products, smooth or embossed.
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 laminates such as PET/PE, designed for PPWR recyclability requirements, available under EcoMonoFilm®.
Materials and structures
| Structure | Type | Barrier, qualitative | Main applications | Recyclability |
| BOPP/CPP | Mono-material PP | Good against moisture | Snacks, bakery, dry goods | Designed for the PP stream |
| BOPE/PE | Mono-material PE | High clarity, base barrier | General food | Designed for the PE stream |
| BOPE/EVOH/PE | Mono-material PE with barrier | High against oxygen, no metallic layer | Specialty coffee, oxygen-sensitive products | Predominantly PE, assessed on the complete pack |
| Metallised BOPP/PE | Laminate with a very thin metallic layer | High against oxygen and light | Coffee beans, oxygen-sensitive products | Assessed per structure |
| PET/PE | Standard laminate | Medium | Moderate shelf-life products | Mixed structure, assessed per pack |
| Kraft/PET/PE | Kraft laminate | Documented per structure | Specialty coffee, premium look | Mixed structure, assessed per pack |
| PA/PE | Polyamide laminate | High puncture resistance and oxygen barrier | Vacuum, meat, cheese | Mixed structure, assessed per pack |
| Mono-PP retort | Retort-capable | High, heat-resistant | Sterilised, shelf-stable meals | Designed for the PP 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.
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. 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?
Most vacuum pouches are based on polyamide (nylon) for toughness and an oxygen barrier, laminated with a polyethylene sealing layer, giving a PA/PE structure. For a higher barrier an EVOH layer can be added. Smooth pouches suit chamber machines and embossed pouches suit channel machines.
Can pouches be printed with our design?
Yes. Pouches are printed on the full surface up to 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 the data sheet of the delivered structure and prepare a sample 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
Send your product specification (pouch format, structure, size, quantity) and receive the recommended structure and, on request, a sample for validation.
Printed up to 8 colours · Samples for validation · Technical advice · ISO 22000