Ok, a customer came to me couple of weeks ago looking for a way to make a plastic film rugged enough to survive repeated heatings over 300F with the ability to block moisture and oxygen transfer. Had to have a minimum of 7 layers and be printable, total thickness 1.5 mil. My team of designers and engineers rose to the challange, and delivered.
However, the customer wanted me to devise a method of testing the film in-house before I shipped it to him. So I fashoned a pouch out of some, stuck it into a toaster and poured tomato soup in it.
And it worked! Now we have a contract to produce this film for the customer. They plan on using it for autoclave bags.
I however see another use.
Behold Toaster Soup! 16 oz plastic pouch filled with either chicken noodle, tomato or veg-beef soup that you heat in the toaster then serve.
We've been working on the basic tech for the better part of a week now, and we've solved such issues as steam-explosions caused by over-heating and meat-chunk size. The tech is sound, it works damn well.
Problem is... Marketing. Would you buy this?
(Please note this is NOT a joke, and I am NOT on drugs! )
Posted by Malnurtured Snay (Member # 411) on :
Toaster soup?
Er. You sure you're not on drugs or something?
I might buy it ... it's easier to nuke something than it is to heat it on the burner. I'd be concerned about taste, and also ... when I'm heating soup on the burner, I can judge when its hot enough. I presume this is a bag type of deal, so once it's opened, boom -- if it's not hot enough, it's hard to heat up more without some extra work.
But, yeah, if it was cheap enough, and the serving large enough (about akin to what you'd get in a can), yeah, I might get some.
Posted by Styrofoaman (Member # 706) on :
quote:Originally posted by Malnurtured Snay: ...when I'm heating soup on the burner, I can judge when its hot enough. I presume this is a bag type of deal, so once it's opened, boom -- if it's not hot enough, it's hard to heat up more without some extra work.
But, yeah, if it was cheap enough, and the serving large enough (about akin to what you'd get in a can), yeah, I might get some.
We can put about 16oz in a regular toaster. 20oz in a "wide-slot" toaster.
About 2 min at "maximum toast" heats it up to the same temp you'd serve it at on the stove.
As for taste/flavors... we're a plastic-factory, not Chunky. We'd most likly licence the technology to someone else. Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
The thing is, this would probably only appeal to people who have a toaster, but not a microwave, since you can already get soup that can be microwaved. That's probably not a large market.
And, like Jeff said, if it isn't resealable, you're going to have problems if it doesn't heat up enough the first time.
Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
My family microwaves soup often enough. Assuming there's no metal in the container, I don't see why the current design can't be put in the microwave, too. Of course, you'd have to account for variables like overheating so you can avoid messy explosions (within a certain comfort zone, of course) and other problems.
But it sounds like a workable plan! And it'd be easier (and possibly cheaper) to transport than the usual aluminum cans...
Could you make them resealable, too? There are times when only one of us is eating soup, and there's stuff left over. Of course we always put the leftovers in a corningware or something... but keeping the leftovers in the original container might be convenient, too. Not a dealbreaker from my perspective, though, if that can't be done.
Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
Depending on durability of you bag it may be something to have added MREs, also. If the bag won't burst in the main plastic bag, and you can heat to a reasonable temp with an MRE heater.
Also, some of my friends and family say that being on drugs isn't such a bad thing....
Posted by Styrofoaman (Member # 706) on :
Resealable... Can be done.
Like those packets of cheese that you get. Snip off the seal and under that is a zip-lock thing...
What flavors? Right off I could picture hitting the shelf with Chicken Noodle, Tomato and Veg-Beef. Chowda? (Or Chower if you're from Manhatten ) Chili? Prehaps French Onion?
Posted by Ritten (Member # 417) on :
Never had French Onion soup, dip, yes, shouldn't it be Freedom Onion soup now anyway....
Add a Mac and Cheese for the kids too...
Posted by First of Two (Member # 16) on :
And make sure to put Liz in chainmail on the package cover.
"IBG soup! It's @#$%ing good!"
Posted by Styrofoaman (Member # 706) on :
Liz is my wife... and for those of you who aren't in on the joke IBG is Irish Breast Goddess. Looooong story that WILL NOT be discussed further.
Ok... Freedom Onion, Mac-And-Cheese, Chicken Noodle, Veg-beef, Tomato.... Anything else?
Posted by LOA (Member # 49) on :
Oh, jeez.... *L* Thank you for clarifying that... I was trying to figure out why I'd be quoted on the soup *L*
Posted by Malnurtured Snay (Member # 411) on :
You mean you're not an LBG? Omega will be so upset.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
FBG, if her surname is any indication. 'F' standing for "Freedom", of course.
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) Chili? Prehaps French Onion?