Malcolm Allum, managing director, SIG Combibloc, told FoodProductionDaily the launch came after an internet survey of 1,000 shoppers identified the carton pack as the modern, preferred long life packaging.
Alternative to traditional retort packaging
“This is an innovation for the industry, because products which consumers have traditionally bought in standard food metal cans are now available in carton packs, packaged in exactly the same drained weight as in traditional food metal cans,” he said.
“We see this as an important step in further establishing the combisafe carton pack as a viable alternative to traditional retort packaging.
“We aim to extend the listing of our combisafe carton pack, already prevalent in the UK tomato and pulses categories, to other products. The flexibility in both volume and the variety of products able to be filled makes it an attractive proposition for co-packers and brand owners alike.”
Allum looks after SIG Combibloc in UK and Ireland, serving customers in the juice, food and dairy sectors, such as RefrescoGerber, Premier Foods, Kerry Group and Cott Beverages.
He believes food waste and climate change are still major topics for many regions and shopping habits are changing, along with technological developments and the changing demographics of the UK.
Moving away from the ‘big shop’
“City populations are rising, but households are getting smaller and people are moving away from the ‘big shop’ once a week,” he said.
“The growth in smaller, urban outlets, online ordering and ‘click and collect’ requires packaging that does not just “fit in” to this trend, but delivers an advantage to both retailer and consumer.
“Smart packaging and the ‘internet of things’ might see food management in the home transformed beyond simply sniffing the milk and checking the ‘Use By’ dates.”
Allum said the next milestone for SIG Combibloc is the launch of combidome across Europe which has won several awards in Europe and been tested in Germany and the Netherlands.
Talking about emerging markets Allum said ‘Africa will grow in the future and will be one of the new focus areas to watch out for’.
“As a global supplier for aseptic carton packs, we’re able to participate in the growth of emerging markets like Asia, South America and the Middle East,” he added.
“As part of our strategy we have opened manufacturing plants to serve these markets and our customers, with customised packaging for each region. Additionally, we believe Africa will grow in the future and will be one of the new focus areas to watch out for.”