News

Following the first signs of cooling prices for flexible packaging materials seen at the end of 2022, the first quarter of 2023 saw a drop across the basket of materials, with only aluminium foil ticking up further (from 179 % to 187 % v Q4 2020) due to higher conversion costs. Only 60 gsm one sided coated paper remained stable at 170 %, v Q4 2020. Other materials such as 15-micron BOPA film at 147 %, 12-micron PET film at 145 % and 20 micron BOPP film at 140 % recorded minor recent price declines of up to 12 % and remain well above Q4 2020 price levels, according to figures released recently by Flexible Packaging Europe (FPE).

Both LDPE and HDPE recorded much smaller recent price reductions, both at –3 %. They now stand at 161 % (LDPE) and 144 % (HDPE), well above 2020 levels, having been as high as 201 % and 182 % in the middle of last year.

German retail confectionery sales through calendar week 18 of 2023 developed very positively.  

According to the NielsenIQ confectionery monitor, revenues grew by 10.1% up to € 5.904 bn, while in contrast sales volume sank by 2.0% down to 610,600 tonnes (basis: food retailers + drug stores). NielsenIQ cites all product groups growing as a result of a “higher pricing level”.

The categories of salty snacks and sweet baked goods each enjoyed increased revenues of 14.2%, making them the strongest drivers of growth. Salty snacks achieved revenues of € 1.505 bn (sales volume - 1.5%; 153,700 t), while sweet baked goods supplier revenues were cited at € 739 m (sales volume - 6.0%; 100,700 t). Sugar confectionery also increased revenues, rising by 12.7% up to € 930.1 m (sales volume - 0.4%; 125,600 t). Chocolate products, the strongest revenues category, achieved an increase in revenues of 6.1% up to € 2.731 bn (sales volume - 1.3%; 230,600 t).

Significant growth in confectionery revenues of 17.3% (+ € 48.7 m) was achieved by drug stores, followed closely by small supermarkets (+ 16.9%; + € 6.7 m). And clear increases were also achieved in the additional sales channels of discounters (+ 10.8%; + € 257.6 m), large consumer markets (+ 8.8%; + € 94.1 m), small consumer markets (+ 8.7%; + € 104.2 m), and large supermarkets (+ 7.5%; + € 28.8 m).

The World Packaging Organisation (WPO) approved three new “Full Members” during its 109th Board Meeting and the first of 2023 held at interpack trade show on 7 May 2023 in Düsseldorf/Germany. The new associations accepted as part of this global packaging community are the Chamber of Printing and Packaging Industries (Egypt), the Institut National du Design Packaging (France) and the Irish Packaging Society (Ireland). As “Full Members”, all have the right to vote in WPO matters. WPO now joins 82 members from 61 countries.

“It is extremely meaningful to WPO to get new members from regions where we are not that active yet,” said WPO President Pierre Pienaar. “This is a way of increasing our presence in other regions and, most important, to contribute to the sustainable development of local and global packaging industries. On the other hand, no doubt these three new countries – Egypt, France and Ireland – will give excellent inputs to WPO new projects and actions.”

Luciana Pellegrino, WPO Senior Vice President of Marketing and President elected, completed: “The more packaging associations that join WPO, more we can have a better approach to the global packaging challenges, especially key ones related to save food, food safety, sustainability, digitalization, packaging innovation and packaging education programmes.”

Azelis, a leading innovation service provider in the specialty chemicals and food ingredients industry, revealed an agreement with French flavour specialist Mane to distribute its flavours and taste solutions in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. This mandate expands the existing partnership between Azelis and Mane in France, the UK, Ireland, Benelux and Turkey. With Mane known for its extensive range of flavours and taste solutions, this agreement allows Azelis to broaden its product offering in the food & nutrition market. The partnership also aligns with Azelis’ organic growth strategy with its key partners.

Azelis has signed an agreement to acquire 100 % of the shares of Gillco Ingredients, a specialty ingredient provider in the food and nutrition market in the US. The acquisition represents a strategic expansion into the US’s attractive food and nutrition market, reinforcing Azelis’ footprint in the life sciences. In addition to the group’s flavors and fragrances offering, Gillco allows Azelis to create a compelling portfolio and execute its growth strategy in the US food and nutrition industry and the broader life sciences in North America.

Founded in 1982, Gillco has developed long-standing relationships with global blue-chip suppliers, a diverse portfolio of specialty ingredients and applications and strong market expertise across most food industry segments, including bakery and nutraceutical markets. The company has 40 employees serving almost 1,000 customers from its San Marcos/California headquarters.

Dr Hans Joachim Müller, Azelis’ CEO, says the acquisition strengthens its lateral value chain for the US food and nutrition market and broader life sciences segment. “It allows us to offer a compelling proposition to principals and customers. In line with our strategic vision to be the preeminent innovation service provider in all territories where we operate, we welcome Gillco to the Azelis family.”

GEA received an order from Arla Foods AKAFA to install the GEA AddCool sustainable heat pump solution at its facility in Svenstrup/Denmark. The dairy manufacturer plans to produce milk powder at this site using a more sustainable process. GEA’s AddCool technology halves a plant’s consumption of fossil fuels and its associated carbon footprint. The new system not only reduces the carbon footprint of Arla’s spray drying plant (GEA MSD 315 spray dryer) by 50 % but also reduces the plant’s fossil fuel consumption by more than 50 %. In addition, the GEA AddCool system delivers ice water to the existing system, reducing the need for cooling capacity. This will increase the total efficiency of different approaches on the site, making it more sustainable overall.