Composite container with integrated easy-open feature

A composite container for refrigerated dough products, comprising:

• a body ply helically wrapped about an axis to form a tubular body, opposite edges of the helically wrapped body ply being juxtaposed to form a butt joint therebetween, the tubular body having a radially inner surface and a radially outer surface;
• a liner attached to the inner surface of the tubular body;
• a pair of end closures respectively affixed to opposite ends of the tubular body;
• and
• a label having opposite longitudinal edges and being helically wrapped about the tubular body and adhered to the outer surface thereof, the label comprising an inner layer adhered by an intervening adhesive layer to the outer surface of the tubular body, and an outer layer adhered to a radially outer surface of the inner layer, the inner layer defining a helically extending line of weakness positioned in alignment with the butt joint of the body ply, the line of weakness being intermediate and spaced from the longitudinal edges of the label and extending at least partially through the thickness of the inner layer, the outer layer being coextensive with the inner layer and comprising a removable peel strip that is peelable from the inner layer, the peel strip extending helically along the tubular body straddling the line of weakness and butt joint, the peel strip being peelably adhered to the inner layer so as to prevent the line of weakness from severing until the peel strip is peeled from the inner layer, whereupon internal pressure from expansion of the refrigerated dough products is able to assist in severing the line of weakness in the inner layer and forcing the butt joint open to create an opening in the tubular body for removal of the dough products.