Self-expanding and reclosable flexible pouch

A sealed, self-expanding, reclosable, flexible pouch for containing a product, said pouch having a top portion, a throat area subjacent said top portion, and a bottom portion, said pouch comprising:

• a) front and back sidewall panels superimposed over one another and sealed together along their top and side peripheral edges, said front and back sidewall panels also being secured in sealed relation to said bottom portion of said pouch to prevent product within said pouch from escaping from said pouch prior to opening thereof, each of said front and back panels having an inner surface;
• b) a pair of extensible stays each being associated with one of said inner surfaces of said front and back sidewall panels and located in said throat area of said pouch, said extensible stays having a relaxed, expanded configuration and a stressed collapsed configuration, said stays initially being held in said stressed, collapsed configuration by said sealed top portion of said pouch, whereby said stays expand to said relaxed, expanded configuration when said top portion of said pouch is removed, thereby expanding said throat area of said pouch;
• c) an inwardly oriented male securement means attached to one extensible stay, said male securement means having a length extending along said throat area of said pouch and a complementary inwardly oriented female securement means attached to the other of said opposing extensible stays, said female securement means having a length extending along said throat area of said pouch, thereby permitting substantially complete reclosure of said pouch after initial opening by engagement of said complementary male and female securement means with one another along substantially their entire lengths;
• and
• d) a heat shrinkable film being attached to said extensible stays and said male and female securement means, said heat shrinkable film being exposed to heat thereby shrinking said heat shrinkable film.