Pouches are the new face of canned food. These baggy cans' which are made with a process that's similar to canning, but with a shorter cooking and shelf life, are reckoned to have a fresher, premium and more youthful image than traditional cans. Consequently, they're becoming a popular format among manufacturers for targeting younger consumers and for creating new usage occasions. Where they work best is in packaging robust but messy products such as tuna and soup. Last Spring John West and Princes introduced single serve, no drain, easy open tuna pouches for out of home lunchtime/snack occasions. Both companies say the pouches complement rather than replace the can. John West, which offers the widest choice with five variants, including three added value flavours, says consumers are young, upmarket and predominantly female. Substantial support behind the pouches last year has ensured nine out of 10 tuna pouches now sold are John West, according to general marketing manager Jeremy Coles. It plans more pouch developments this year, as does Princes, which will introduce more tuna flavourings. Marketing director Neil Brownbill says other fish are being considered, but he adds: "Fish must be robust for this format to withstand handling. Pouches are more prone to handling damage." At nearly twice the price per gram as canned tuna, pouches are an attractive proposition for retailers. In soup, pouches are being used to create a premium proposition and create a point of difference on the fixture by Baxters with its Noodle range introduced last Autumn, and by Premier International with its Soup Sensations. Baxters brand manager Claire Quigley says sales are encouraging with no detrimental affect on canned sales. But, unlike cans, pouches have their limitations. Del Monte head of marketing Rod Groundes-Peace says the company won't be using them for fruit. "They won't provide the handling protection fruit needs. Fruit will get damaged in them. They're also more difficult to store." Ye Olde Oake has reservations about pouches, too, according to marketing manager James Wareing. "Our research shows there's a degree of consumer resistance. Consumers find the lack of stability frustrating and they don't like the pack feel of some products, such as curry," he says. {{FOCUS SPECIALS }}