The Flexible Packaging Association (FPA), the advocate and voice for the growing US flexible packaging industry, has announced the FPA 2025 Student Flexible Packaging Design Challenge winners. This year’s first-place winner was a team of students from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and the second-place winner was a team of students from the California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly). There were also two honorable mentions awarded for the 2025 competition.

FPA’s annual Achievement Awards competition recognizes innovative flexible packaging from across its membership. The industry also believes it is important to encourage and recognize students who are working to become the next generation of packaging engineers and designers. FPA has been doing this since 2004 through our annual Student Flexible Packaging Design Challenge.

This year’s first-place winner is a team of students from RIT, Travis Daly, Jacob Marrer, Olivia Morris, Austin Pralow, and Amanda Szymanoski, for their EZ PB&J Pouch concept. The students were under the direction of Kyle Dunno, RIT Department Chair and Associate Professor. The concept is a single-use flexible package featuring separate compartments for peanut butter and jelly. Designed for school lunches, the pouch simplifies the sandwich-making process for busy parents. Instead of preparing sandwiches in the morning, parents could now send two slices of bread and a pouch in their child’s lunchbox.

The pouch’s bread-shaped silhouette is not only playful and kid-friendly, but also functionally designed. The ergonomic tear notch allows children—or adults with dexterity challenges—to open the package easily, without the need for spreading utensils. The eye-catching, colorful graphics further enhance its shelf appeal. This innovative concept also won the award for “Best Video,” which will be featured across FPA’s digital platforms to celebrate the team’s creativity and communication skills.

Dunno states, “The FPA student design competition gives our students a unique opportunity to engage with industry-relevant problems and showcase their innovative thinking. It is rewarding to see their hard work recognized on a national stage. This competition continues to be a powerful catalyst for student growth. It pushes them to think critically about packaging design, sustainability, and real-world functionality. These are skills that are essential for their future careers.”

The Pancake Pack, a packaging concept for pre-portioned pancake mix, is the second-place winner. Matteo Mazziliano, Emma Powers, Henry Wright, and Kyle Zheng from Cal Poly developed the concept under the direction of Joongmin Shin, Ph.D., Associate Professor. Designed for simplicity and convenience, the package eliminates the need for measuring cups and mixing bowls—making it ideal for quick breakfasts at home or on the go. The team selected ionomer film, a material known for its strength, clarity, and barrier properties, to ensure freshness while minimizing environmental impact. With its intuitive design and waste-reducing features, the Pancake Pack shows how packaging innovation can enhance everyday experiences and support sustainable practices.

Two additional entries are receiving Honorable Mentions for their outstanding concepts. The first Honorable Mention goes to a team of students from RIT that consisted of Maddy Cook, Sam Rosa, and Cole Teeple, under the direction of Dunno, for their Bounce® Dryer Sheets Resealable Pouch concept. The second honorable mention is awarded to a team of students from Cal Poly. The team consisted of Devin Blish, Edison Chow, Paulina Goncharov, and Maya Harris, under the direction of Shin, for their GoGlow: Single Serving Skincare concept.

“Our team is grateful to be recognized with an Honorable Mention in this year’s Student Design Challenge,” states Goncharov. “It was a wonderful experience working with Professor Shin, and we greatly appreciate his guidance throughout the project. The Challenge gave our team the opportunity to explore a series of brainstorms, redesigns, and experiments as we developed a solution for skincare on the go. This experience reinforced the importance of teamwork, staying open-minded, and continuously seeking improvement. For us as students, the Challenge highlighted just how many creative opportunities exist within the packaging industry.”

Shin notes, “I’m thrilled to see our students earn 2nd place and an honorable mention in the FPA Student Packaging Design Challenge. Their innovative solutions reflect both creativity and practical thinking. This national recognition is a proud achievement for our students and program, and the FPA competition continues to be an inspiring platform for developing the next generation of packaging professionals.”

“I’m incredibly proud of our students,” states Dunno. “Their success in this competition reflects not only their creativity and technical skill but also their ability to collaborate and solve complex challenges under pressure.”

FPA’s Emerging Leadership Council (ELC) oversees the Student Flexible Packaging Design Challenge and judged this year’s competition. The ELC judges for the competition included: Alana Carr, Inside Sales and Marketing Manager, Hosokawa Alpine American, Inc., and ELC Co-Chair; Patrick Clark, Vice President of R&D and Procurement, Bryce Corporation, and Vice-Chair of the ELC’s Education & Recruitment Committee; and Kara Stoney, Marketing Manager – Value Chain & Sustainable Packaging, Plastics & Specialty Packaging North America at Dow, and Chair of the ELC’s Education & Recruitment Committee

For the 2025 competition, FPA received 56 concept outlines from some of the top packaging design programs across the United States. From the concept outlines submitted, 16 were selected to continue to the development phase.