The ready-packaged market is here to stay, as is the ever-increasing demand for new ingredients, sauces and flavours. This puts onerous responsibilities on the shoulders of those tasked with producing and packaging them.

The buzzwords here are flexibility and agility. Processors and packaging providers have to be able to accommodate new lines at breakneck speed to make sure their customers stay ahead of rapidly changing trends. And despite the increasing complexity of their task, costs have to be driven down. The balancing act between cost and quality must equally take into consideration strict legislation and environmental responsibility. Waste is also problematic: in the UK it is estimated that 7 million tonnes of food and drink from homes is thrown away, half of which could have been eaten. That costs the average British household £470 to £700 per year.* Food manufacturers therefore have to be able to produce food at the right time, in the right portions and/or with packaging to preserve them for longer, while maintaining the attractiveness of the food to the consumer, not just in terms of visual appeal, but also in terms of ease of opening, resealability and economy.

Read how the processors and packagers are dealing with these issues in FoodEurope.

* Source Love Food Hate Waste