A new national initiative, the Food and Beverage Small and Medium Enterprise Packaging and Machinery Solution Centre, will support small and medium (SMEs) Australian food and beverage firms to transition to sustainable packaging and processing solutions while mitigating unwanted food loss and waste.
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The Solutions Centre is a collaboration between RMIT University, End Food Waste Australia, the Australasian Institute of Packaging (AIP), the Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association (APPMA) and Tetra Pak.
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Led by RMIT and End Food Waste Australia CRC (EFW CRC), the Centre will provide independent, research-backed support to SMEs transitioning to reusable, recyclable and compostable packaging, and processing that enable better functional outcomes, aligned with Australia’s circular economy and sustainable packaging goals.
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It will deliver co-funded applied research and technical expertise to support SME decision-making on sustainable packaging innovations and processing changes.
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As businesses move away from the use of problematic single use packaging they are grappling with new packaging formats that may unintentionally reduce shelf 
life and product quality, or have inherently higher environmental impacts than the packaging they replace.
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Senior Lecturer of Industrial Design at RMIT University, Dr Caroline Francis, says that the new Solution Centre has been established to address this risk by ensuring the transitions to sustainable packaging do not come at the cost of food safety, product integrity, higher impacts, increased food loss and waste.
“Packaging innovation is essential to achieving Australia’s sustainability goals, but it must be grounded in research,” Francis said.
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“This Centre enables SMEs to test and validate real-world packaging and processing changes, ensuring that improvements in recyclability and circularity do not come at the expense of product quality or increased food waste.”
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REDUCE Program Team Leader at EFW CRC, Prof. Simon Lockrey, says that the Centre is designed to strengthen decision-making across the sector by providing independent, evidence-based support.
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“The Centre will operate as a national ‘source of truth’ for SMEs seeking guidance on packaging, processing, and machinery solutions,” Lockrey said.
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“It will support businesses to make evidence-based decisions rather than relying solely on supplier or informal advice, so they can have informed conversations with key partners such as large retailers.”
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Executive Director at the Australasian Institute of Packaging (AIP), Nerida Kelton said that the SME Solutions Centre will be invaluable for SMEs to learn more about how to look at packaging in a different light.
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“The shifting landscape of packaging regulations, both domestically and globally, are changing the way companies need to design. Key areas of change include becoming recycle ready, moving to mono materials, building in recycled content and looking at ways to reduce the amount of packaging wherever possible,” Kelton said.
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“Important changes include designing for accessibility and inclusivity, looking at how packaging can potentially minimise food loss and waste across a value chain and looking at viable alternatives that can reduce the carbon footprint of the packaging. The new centre will allow SME’s to have access to technical consultants from the AIP who can help their packaging journey.” Kelton said
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Chief Executive Officer at the Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association (APPMA), Michael Moran, said the initiative strengthens the connection between innovation and practical industry capability.
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“Packaging and processing machinery is a critical enabler of sustainable manufacturing, particularly for SMEs navigating new materials and formats,” Moran said.
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“This Centre provides an important platform to connect industry expertise with applied research, helping businesses adopt and integrate advanced technologies that improve efficiency, performance and sustainability outcomes across the production line.”
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Director of Corporate Affairs at Tetra Pak, Flavia Vaz, said tackling food waste is a founding principle for the company and a key focus of how it is transforming packaging and processing.
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“Our solutions are designed to protect food, extend shelf life and reduce environmental impact across the value chain. From aseptic processing and packaging that protect perishable food, to creating value from by-products, we invest in integrated technologies that reduce waste and improve efficiency.
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“This Solution Centre provides SMEs with practical access to the expertise and technologies needed to trial, validate and scale these solutions with confidence to deliver real impact.”
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In addition to co-funding research, the Centre will connect SMEs with a national pool of technical experts across industry and academia, and research delivery will be supported by multiple EFW CRC partner institutions, including RMIT University, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), The University of Queensland (UQ), and the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), among others.
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SMEs will be able to participate in the Solutions Centre through a rolling Expression of Interest (EOI) process available on the End Food Waste Australia website. Eligible Australian-based SMEs with a valid ABN will be invited to apply and, where successful, contribute matched cash funding on a dollar-for-dollar basis for approved projects.
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