You Ask and Our Experts Will Answer
Do you have any questions about food packaging? Perhaps about the materials, technology, processes, or the future? We'd love to hear your relevant questions and our experts are ready to provide the answers.
To give you more useful information, we are continuing to develop KM Knowledge through our website and will soon be offering you the opportunity to attend insightful webinars.
And it's your questions that will help us focus on what you want to find out about!
Please submit your questions by emailing [email protected]
Plant-based products put squeeze on meat
Consumer demand for plant-based products is starting to put the squeeze on meat in supermarkets' chiller cabinets. This strong growth in UK market has also been noticed by our experts in lidding film technology for the ready-meal sector.
As reported last week, examples include Higgidy's new range of oven-bake veggie dishes which are protected using our K FOIL lidding film.
When it comes to plant-based meat products, a new study in the US has found there is no "one size fits all". Many consumers are seeking the best of both worlds; wanting the taste of meat without the elements they consider to be unappealing such as gristle. Others find the taste too similar and do not enjoy meat-like products preferring innovation with whole foods. Perfect imitation or a completely new product, there is demand for both.
Also, new research from Mintel has revealed that plants will play an important role as a source of protein in the future.
More on the US study >>
Get the Mintel report >>
HPP products spike during pandemic
Demand for HPP (high-pressure processing) products has spiked during the coronavirus pandemic. According to Food Safety Strategies, the increase is due to clean labels and long shelf life.
As we shared in our insight article into high-pressure processing, food remains safer and fresher for longer with HPP. And the food and beverage publication reported that, with COVID-19, "consumers have a heightened awareness and need for food safety and clean label products".
Read more >>
Social Spotlights …
Elsewhere on LinkedIn this week, the spotlight fell on:
Multi-million boost for waste recycling
A $600 million waste recycling stimulus scheme from government and industry will increase Australia's processing capacity ahead of a deadline to ban exports of unprocessed waste in 2024.
The scheme will help to build a new infrastructure to sort, process and reuse materials, and is expected to create up to 10,000 new jobs.
Read more >>
Aldi to cut plastic use by 50 per cent
Aldi has pledged to reduce its usage of plastic packaging by 50 per cent by 2025. The commitment will see 74,000 tonnes of plastic packaging removed during the next five years, the equivalent to 2.2 billion single plastic items.
Read more >>
AND FINALLY …
"You can be for the environment or against plastic, but you can't be both", in the words of Chris DeArmitt, author of The Plastics Paradox.
His webinar video and presentation "Plastics & the Environment: Dispelling Popular Myths With Scientific Facts" were available to view this week.
Discover more >>
From the KM team … Stay Safe and Keep up the Good Work.