The Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) proved once again that it is committed to the New Zealand Food and Beverage industries by taking a lead role in running quality training and education programs as a part of FoodTech Packtech, which was held in Auckland last week. Over the three days the AIP provided much needed education and discussions on key issues that are challenging the food and beverage industries including Fighting Food Waste, Save Food & Sustainable Packaging Design, the issues within end-of-life recycling facilities and a better understanding of lifecycle analysis. What was clear is that the conversation has only just begun, and the industry has many unanswered questions. It is evident that there must be a truly collaborative approach across Government, Industry and Academia to ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals and outcomes.
AIP Role of Packaging in Minimising Food Waste Training Course
The AIP had a full house for the new half-day training course on the Role of Packaging in Minimising Food Waste with attendees from Frucor, Fonterra, Danone, Confoil, Multivac,Goodman Fielder, Stratex, NCI Packaging, FreshPork, Snell Packaging and Totally Wrapt Packaging. The course provided participants with an introduction to the seriousness of food waste in Australia and New Zealand and how we can all make a difference as team members of the product-packaging design process to this issue. It also covered packaging design criteria for Best-Practice Save Food Packaging Design developments that should be considered. With hands-on and practical case studies participants were able to learn how designing packaging to save food actually saves food. Attendees then had the opportunity to visit the AIP stand to see the latest round of Save Food Packaging and Sustainable Packaging Design winners and their innovations.
Key takeaways from the attendees included:
- ‘A new focus on what our business needs to do to improve our packaging design’.
- ‘A better understanding of the true benefits that packaging plays in minimising food waste’
- ‘To try and re-design packaging to reduce food loss and waste’
- ‘A better awareness that packaging does have a role to play in relation to food loss and must be taken into account when designing new packaging’
- ‘A reminder that packaging technologists must include Lifecycle Analysis with all of their design’
- ‘A clearer view that better packaging is a solution to reducing food waste’
- ‘Time to review our packaging designs’
- ‘Is there a sweet spot for best-practice packaging designs for saving food waste?’
- ‘The industry needs to start using the AIP developed Save Food Packaging Design guidelines’
AIP Seminar on Fighting Food Waste, Save Food and Sustainable Packaging Design
It was standing room only at the two-hour seminar with 10 speakers covering a broad range of topics including Fighting Food Waste, the new Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre, Save Food and Sustainable Packaging Design, what packaging does – not what packaging is, the Australasian Recycling Label and the PREP Tool. Speakers included Deborah Manning, Chief Executive Officer, KiwiHarvest, Scott Porter, NZ Sales Manager, Sealed Air Corporation, Don Railton, Operations Compliance Manager, Fresh Group, Apoorv Mehrotra, Account Manager, Oji Fibre Solutions, Ben Rennell, Founder, Feed My Furbaby. Lars Ljung, Special Projects Coordinator, Planet Protector Packaging, Sharon Humphreys, Executive Director, Packaging New Zealand, Alejandra Laclette, Recycling Label Program Manager, Planet Ark Environmental Foundation, Simon Musgrave, Manager, Health Brands Trust and Keith Chessell, Director, Sustainable Packaging Design. The seminar was run by the AIP, in conjunction with key NZ industry association Packaging New Zealand and was the most well-attended at the show.
Key takeaways from the attendees included:
- ‘Start looking at what packaging DOES, not what packaging is.’
- KiwiHarvest is doing an amazing job and the issues of Food Waste and Food Insecurity in NZ cannot be ignored.’
- ‘I have a better view of the current issues in Sustainable Packaging Design.’
- ‘Great to see some New Zealand companies who have taken the leap into Save Food & Sustainable Packaging Design.’
- ‘That once packaging is designed you need to start looking at the next step in improvements; the journey never ends.’
- ‘That New Zealand has many issues with lack of recycling facilities and capabilities that need to be addressed by government and councils.’
- How do we invest in designing Sustainable Packaging Design when there are no facilities available in NZ to recycle them at end-of-life?’
- What is the difference between home compostable and industrial compostable?
AIP exhibition stand showcases PIDA Award winners
The AIP had a joint stand with Packaging New Zealand that showcased all the 2018 Packaging Innovation & Design Award winners for both Australia and New Zealand and the WorldStar Packaging Awards. The Save Food Packaging & Sustainable Packaging Design winners were well-received with a number of the 2018 winners being New Zealand companies who also spoke at the seminar. The exhibition stand achieved heavy foot-traffic during the three days.
