Sugar-cone maker Oexmann GmbH & Co. KG of Gelsenkirchen, Germany, contacted Mondi (mondigroup.com) to create a paper ice cream cone sleeve that contained a clear plastic window, allowing the consumer to see the sugar wafer cone underneath. 

Ever since Mondi scooped up Turkish flexible packaging manufacturer Kalenobel via a July 2016 acquisition, it has eyed the ice cream sector as a cool growth opportunity. 

The ambition required deep innovation knowhow in ice cream packaging. “We were the only supplier to accept this challenge,” said Sedat Igbar, commercial manager – Europe for Mondi Kalenobel. “We worked step by step with Oexmann and developed and patented a cone sleeve that lets ice cream lovers see the goodness inside. The first commercial products hit the shelves this past May.”

Oexmann, which first began making ice cream cones in Gelsenkirchen in 1926, ships these special sleeves half-way around the world to Auckland-based ice cream producer Fonterra Brands (New Zealand) Ltd., which is using them to package some of their premium cones.

The oval clear window on the cone sleeve measures 2.3 cm high by 1.8 cm wide and is made of biodegradable film, per Oexmann’s wishes.