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People’s perceptions of snacking are shifting. It’s no longer considered a bad thing to snack. Ninety-one percent of people say they snack daily, according to Nielsen. In fact, it seems as if snacks are being viewed as a way to eat sensibly. Healthy snacks seem to be the cause of the shift. The snack market expects continued growth (projected increase

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The lightweight and durable Kangabox Tower was a hit at CaterSource 2015! Catersource 2015 brought together industry professionals who learned about the latest developments in the catering and events industry. We were one of the exhibitors at the conference and tradeshow, which took place from March 8-11 in Las Vegas. We had a great time at the show, meeting with customers

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Millennial food choices are getting attention and for good reason. According to a recent Forbes article, there are 80 million millennials in America today (about a quarter of the population) who represent about $200 billion in buying power. This eye-catching statistic makes you take notice and corporations are starting to pay attention. In  particular, corporations are interested in millennial food choices. Just take

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Restaurant diners are seeking out locally sourced natural food. According to the National Restaurant Association, which surveys chefs each year for feedback on trends for the upcoming year, consumers want local, natural and organic. Locally sourced and grown foods were named in four out of the top ten trends. Also named were natural foods and sustainability with an emphasis on organic, healthy

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Sustainability is a key issue in food packaging. Almost 60% of consumers want their packaging to be more sustainable and 40% are willing to pay a little more in the process. (source: Asia Pulp and Paper 2013 survey) The fast food, consumer goods and beverage markets, in particular, have work to do on their sustainable packaging. Sustainability standards are measured

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More than 48,400 attendees and 2,352 exhibitors participated in the 2014 PACK EXPO International that took place in Chicago this past November. On November 5, Jeff Lukas, National Sales for IML North America, presented as part of the Innovation Stage at McCormick Place in Chicago. During his presentation, Igniting Sales with Market-Leading Packaging, Jeff discussed how product packaging can create

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Asian food, particularly pho, is gaining in popularity, especially in the fast casual arena. New and trendy foods always get noticed, and Asian food is leading the way in that area and showing solid growth. For proof, consider these numbers: Technomic profiled 11 fast casual Asian/noodle concepts that saw $2.7 billion in sales from 2,273 units, a 23% sales growth

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Effective packaging can attract new customers and keep existing ones. Packaging promotes and positions a new brand. In short, packaging is a major factor in our purchases. During a typical 30 minute shopping trip, consumers are exposed to an average of 20,000 different products. Impulse purchases make up about 40% of consumer spending. And out of this statistic, 14% of

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We continue to keep an eye out for innovations in food packaging from around the world. The trends in design are warm graphics that look “homemade” or simple and friendly.  Wood and paper give the consumer a feeling of being green or natural.  Special people-friendly features built into packaging can give a useful dimension instead of a disposable carrier that

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Now onto the second part of our look at food packaging trends for 2015.* Hand Drawn Logos and Labeling The emergence of unique, hand drawn logos and labeling on packaged food items is a result of social media. Social media apps, such as Facebook and Twitter, more easily allow food brands to have personalities. Packaging the products in this way

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