Food Engineering logo
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
  • TOPICS
  • EXCLUSIVES
  • MEDIA
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
  • RESOURCES
  • EMAGAZINE
  • SIGN UP!
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • NEWS
  • Latest Headlines
  • Manufacturing News
  • People & Industry News
  • Plant Openings
  • Recalls
  • Regulatory Watch
  • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
  • New Plant Products
  • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
  • Alternative Protein
  • Automation
  • Cannabis
  • Cleaning | Sanitation
  • Fabulous Food Plants
  • Food Safety
  • Maintenance Strategies
  • OEE
  • Packaging
  • Sustainability
  • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
  • Plant Construction Survey
  • Plant of the Year
  • Sustainable Plant of the Year
  • State of Food Manufacturing
  • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • White Papers
  • EVENTS
  • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
  • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
  • eNewsletter
  • Custom Content & Marketing Services
  • FE Store
  • Government Links
  • Industry Associations
  • Market Research
  • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
  • eMagazine
  • Archive Issue
  • Advertise
Food Engineering logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Engineering logo
  • NEWS
    • Latest Headlines
    • Manufacturing News
    • People & Industry News
    • Plant Openings
    • Recalls
    • Regulatory Watch
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Plant Products
    • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
    • Alternative Protein
    • Automation
    • Cannabis
    • Cleaning | Sanitation
    • Fabulous Food Plants
    • Food Safety
    • Maintenance Strategies
    • OEE
    • Packaging
    • Sustainability
    • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Plant Construction Survey
    • Plant of the Year
    • Sustainable Plant of the Year
    • State of Food Manufacturing
    • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
    • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
    • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
    • eNewsletter
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • FE Store
    • Government Links
    • Industry Associations
    • Market Research
    • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issue
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
Manufacturing News

TECH FLASH

Don’t Call it a Comeback

Convenience, portion control and sustainability emerge again as major packaging trends.

By Shane O'Halloran
Digital printing poised for growth
February 26, 2014

Much like consumers themselves, food and beverage packaging must juggle several priorities: On-the-go eating for the fast-paced lifestyle that’s become the norm; portion control to address health and wellness concerns; and sustainability benefits to satisfy eco-conscious shoppers. As a result, there’s  a renewed focus on convenience, portability and sustainability—trends so well-established they might be considered classics.

PACK EXPO International 2014(McCormick Place, Chicago; Nov. 2-5) will offer food and beverage brand owners a chance to explore the latest packaging innovations for meeting these demands. For a preview of these technologies, we spoke with Jorge Izquierdo, vice president, market development of PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, which owns and produces the PACK EXPO family of trade shows.

 

Q. Let’s talk formats. As a result of these trends, what can we expect to see more of in 2014?

A. Modern packaging is all about adjusting to the needs of changing consumer lifestyles. People appreciate convenience more than ever. Over-scheduled parents have over-scheduled kids, and then go to work and find they’re busier than ever. Consumers demand both portability and assurances that the food they carry with them will be tasty and nutritious.

As a result, we see a rise in popularity for pouch-styled food and beverage packages among both consumers and retailers. Besides often costing less to ship, pouches take up less shelf space in stores and in consumers’ homes. Furthermore, this format often provides ample billboard space for innovative and eye-catching print effects and graphics to enhance shelf appeal.

Health concerns also will continue to drive major changes in package design. Consumers are reacting positively to smaller packaging and smaller, single-serve portion options. Moreover, consumers like resealable packages as a way to reduce waste and save money. They can be environmentally sensitive and still enjoy what they want when they want it.

 

Q. How do these current trends in packaging meet demands for minimal environmental impact and what are some challenges?

Concern for the environment is not a fad; it is simply a fact for today’s food and beverage manufacturers. Companies are seeking ways to minimize their carbon footprint by streamlining operations, using eco-friendly materials, and reducing material usage with different structural designs.

Although reducing material through light-weighting or innovative design often boosts sustainability scores, it is critical to ensure that the package retains its structural integrity. Packaging that doesn’t perform by protecting the product can result in wasted resources and cost. Products that make it all the way to store shelves and are not purchased because they appear damaged can actually contribute to fully-costed waste: the largest drain on both environmental and financial resources that a brand owner can experience.

 

Q. What advice would you give product manufacturers looking to grow in 2014 and beyond?

A: To help food and beverage manufacturers leverage opportunities and adapt to evolving demands, PACK EXPO International 2014 will offer insight on trends and cutting-edge technologies – and will be North America’s largest resource for discovering processing and packaging innovation. Brand managers and package designers looking for inspiration will have resources such as The Brand Zone, where the latest and greatest in paperboard, glass, metal, plastic and flexible packaging will be featured. Attendees focused on food and beverage processing will find what they need, too; one in five exhibitors will present technology solutions for processing. While The Processing Zone will clearly be a hub for such technologies, these exhibitors will be found throughout the show.

 

 

For more information, visit Packexpo.com.

KEYWORDS: consumer trends packaging design packaging trends

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Global Organic Food & Beverage Market to Grow

    Global Organic Food & Beverage Market to Grow

    With a CAGR of 12.07%, Bonafide Research estimates this...
    People & Industry News
  • skilled MEP worker

    Predicting Food and Beverage Manufacturing Trends for 2024

    The two words that should be kept in mind are labor and...
    Automation
    By: Derrick Teal
  • cleaning and sanitation

    The basics of cleaning and sanitation in food plants

    Sanitation maintains or restores a state of cleanliness...
    Cleaning | Sanitation
    By: Richard F. Stier
Manage My Account
  • eMagazine
  • eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Customer Service

Food Plant Openings and Expansions June 2025

Food Plant Openings and Expansions June 2025

Celebrating Women in Engineering: Shalima Sreenath

Celebrating Women in Engineering: Shalima Sreenath

Celebrating Women in Engineering: Samara Heaggans

Celebrating Women in Engineering: Samara Heaggans

Food Plant Openings and Expansions May 2025

Food Plant Openings and Expansions May 2025

More Videos

Popular Stories

Cargill Cocoa Plant

Cargill Invests in its Cocoa Supply Chain

Campbell’s Utah plant

Going for Gold(fish): Inside The Campbell’s Company’s $160M Cracker Plant Expansion

Chicken Alfredo Listeria Products

Listeria Outbreak Connected with Pre-Made Chicken Alfredo Meals Results in 3 Deaths

CHECK OUT OUR NEW ESSENTIAL TOPICS

Alternative ProteinAutomationCleaning/SanitationFabulous Food Plants

Food SafetyMaintenance StrategiesOEE

PackagingSustainability

Events

June 17, 2025

Refrigerated & Frozen Foods’ State of the Cold Chain

On Demand Kelley Rodriguez, Editor in Chief of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods, will be joined in this 60-minute webinar by industry experts to help unpack the latest research.

July 23, 2025

Decarbonizing Process Heat: What You Should Know and Next Steps

Driven by climate goals, business risk, client interest, and resilience considerations, food and beverage companies are increasingly turning their attention to decarbonizing their production processes.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

See More Products

Plant of the Year

Related Articles

  • If you don't measure it, you can't control it

    See More
  • I guess that's why they call it work

    See More
  • Popcorn makes a comeback in the snack category

    Popcorn makes a comeback in the snack category

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • statical.jpg

    Statistical Process Control for the Food Industry: A Guide for Practitioners and Managers

  • social media white paper

    Optimizing Social Media from a B2B Perspective

See More Products
×

Elevate your expertise in food engineering with unparalleled insights and connections.

Get the latest industry updates tailored your way.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Food Master
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing

Food Engineering logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Engineering logo
  • NEWS
    • Latest Headlines
    • Manufacturing News
    • People & Industry News
    • Plant Openings
    • Recalls
    • Regulatory Watch
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Plant Products
    • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
    • Alternative Protein
    • Automation
    • Cannabis
    • Cleaning | Sanitation
    • Fabulous Food Plants
    • Food Safety
    • Maintenance Strategies
    • OEE
    • Packaging
    • Sustainability
    • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Plant Construction Survey
    • Plant of the Year
    • Sustainable Plant of the Year
    • State of Food Manufacturing
    • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
    • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
    • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
    • eNewsletter
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • FE Store
    • Government Links
    • Industry Associations
    • Market Research
    • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issue
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!