Methods and apparatus for filling a container with a pouch and a flowable food product

A method of inserting a pouch and a flowable food product into a carton, the method comprising:

• transporting a carton in an upright orientation in a downstream direction with a conveyor, the container having a bottom wall, an upstanding sidewall having at least one generally planar segment, and an open top;
• moving the carton from the upright orientation to a tilted orientation while the carton moves in the downstream direction so that the generally planar segment of the sidewall is the lowermost portion of the sidewall;
• inserting a pouch into the carton either prior to or after the step of moving the container to the tilted orientation such that the pouch substantially rests against the generally planar segment of the sidewall to minimize any void between the pouch and the generally planar segment of the sidewall;
• and
• at least partially filling the carton with a flowable food product while the carton is in the tilted orientation and after the step of inserting the pouch into the carton.

An apparatus for inserting a pouch into a container and at least partially filling the container with a flowable food product, the apparatus comprising:

• a titling station configured to move a container to an inclined orientation;
• a pouch insertion station configured to insert a pouch into a container either prior to or after the tilting station so that the pouch can rest against an inner surface of a sidewall of the container;
• a filling station configured to at least partially fill a container with a flowable food product while the container is in an inclined orientation;
• and
• at least one horizontal conveyor for transporting a container between the titling station and the pouch insertion station and to the filling station.

A method of placing an insert and a flowable food product into a container, the method comprising:

• providing a container in an upright orientation, the container having a closed bottom with an upstanding sidewall defining an interior accessible through an open top;
• placing a generally planar insert into the interior of the container;
• moving the container from the upright orientation to a tilted orientation after the step of placing the generally planar insert into the interior of the container so that there is an inclined segment of the sidewall and the insert can substantially rest against the inclined segment of the sidewall;
• and
• at least partially filling the interior of the container with a flowable food product while the container is in the tilted orientation.