Changing Lifestyle, New Eating Habits, and High Quality Food Products: A Guide to Top Food Packaging Companies in World

Surging consumer demand for packaged food products owing to the shift in emerging lifestyles and eating habits might have a vital impact on the market. There is a rising demand for high-quality and natural foods, which do not contain preservatives and serve a longer shelf-life.

As per a report by Fortune Business Insights™, the market for food packaging reached USD 323.81 billion in 2020 and is set to reach USD 478.18 billion by 2028 with a CAGR of 5.1% during the forecast period. The market hit USD 338.34 billion in 2020. Key market players have been focusing on new strategies, such as acquisitions, product launches, and partnerships, to gain a competitive edge.

Fortune Business Insights™ Profiles Top 10 Key Players/Companies of Food Packaging 

1. Amcor plc

The company was founded in 1896 and is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. The company offers flexible packaging, specialty cartons, rigid containers, beverage, closures, and services for food packaging, home and personal care, pharmaceuticals, and other products. Currently, the company is present in 40 countries and has more than 230 manufacturing units all over the world.

• In December 2022, Amcor, a global leader in responsible packaging solutions, stated the opening of a new manufacturing plant in China. The plant will provide food packaging solutions with the automated production line with an investment of USD 100 million.

2. Berry Global

The company was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Indiana, U.S. The company is divided into three core divisions such as health, hygiene, and specialties; consumer packaging; and engineered materials. The company works with around 265+ facilities globally to meet customers’ needs.

• In August 2022, Berry Global Inc introduced its most famous and bestselling thermoformed, injection stretch blow molded food packs manufactured in recycled PET. The high transparency and stiffness, plus good barrier protection, make it more suitable for different food products.

3. Sealed Air Corp

The company was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in North Carolina, U.S. The company has two well-known brands, Bubble Wrap cushioning packaging and Cryovac food packaging. The company delivers the products such as easy-open packaging solutions, films, trays, and food packaging equipment systems. Other offerings include fulfillment, engineering, designing, graphic, and ship-from-anywhere services.

• In December 2021, Sealed Air Corp, in partnership with Tesco, agreed to conduct a unique trial. In this partnership, it was proved that soft plastic could be recycled and can be brought into use multiple times. The scientifically-based, high-quality, closed-loop trial resulted in the production of uniform and food-grade plastic packaging.

4. Coveris

The company was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Vienna, Austria. It has around 29 facilities in Germany, the U.K., France, Egypt, and Hungary. The company is known for manufacturing paper and plastic-based flexible packaging for some brands. It manufactures packaging that helps protect food, pet food, and medical devices to industrial and agricultural consumption items.

• In January 2022, Coveris joined hands with the UPM Rafkatac to deliver new label & recycling solutions that will decline the carbon footprint of packaging and offer substantial environmental benefits.

5. DS Smith

DS Smith was founded in 1940, and headquartered in England, U.K. The company offers fiber-based food packaging in Europe and the U.S., with papermaking operations and recycling. It is known for its 100% recyclable packaging and operates at 37 sites.

• In July 2022, DS Smith, in partnership with Veetee, agreed to create a fully recyclable rice box to remove over 50 tonnes of plastic from supermarket shelves.

6. Smurfit Kappa Group Plc

The company was established in 1934 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. It is one of the companies in Europe producing corrugated packaging, ‘bag in box,’ and containerboard. It is the only Pan-American producer of containerboard and corrugated packaging.

• In January 2022, Smurfit Kappa will extend the Better Planet Packaging portfolio with a unique and advanced new solution for fast food. Smurfit Kappa has made new, entirely sustainable packaging solutions for fast food following close collaboration with Independent Packaging Consultant Juozas Baranauskas.

7. Tetra Pak International

One of the top food packaging companies in the world, Tetra Pal International was founded in 1951 in Switzerland. The company delivers filling machines and processing for dairy, cheese, beverages, ice cream, and prepared food, including distribution tools such as cap applicators, accumulators, film wrappers, conveyors, crate packers, straw applicators, and line controllers. They are currently present in over 160 countries.

• In February 2023, Tetra Pak, in collaboration with MAX IV, has commenced research toward advancing fiber-based substantial food packaging, a global synchrotron radiation laboratory. The research was conducted with the motive to uncover “fresh insights” into the nanostructure of fiber materials, with the first application to optimize the composition of materials used for paper straws.

8. Mondi Inc

Established in 1967 and headquartered in the U.K., Mondi is a global leader in sustainable packaging and paper, employing around 22,000 people and also present in almost 100 production sites. The company is in around 30 countries with prominent operations in North America, Africa, and Europe.

• In March 2023, Mondi Inc collaborated with Swiss converter ATS-Tanner to create a unique paper band that can hold individually labeled products or bundles, reducing the amount of unnecessary plastic. This solution is enough to replace the plastic on single or bundle packages and is ideal for fruit, vegetable, and drinks.

9. Sonoco

The company was founded in 1899 and headquartered in Carolina, U.S. The company is the biggest international supplier of diversified consumer packaging, protective packaging, and packaging supply chain services and the world’s largest producer of composite cans, cores, and tubes. The packaging also includes high-density film products, flexible packaging, and folding cartons.

• In May 2022: Sonoco, one of the leading global sustainable packaging companies, declared favorable results from a recent study by trial with Sustana in collaboration with Kellogg’s, delivering new opportunities to recycle paper containers.

10. WestRock

The company was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Georgia, U.S. WestRock is a leader in sustainable, fiber-based packaging solutions. It has presence in around 300 production facilities globally. The aim and vision of the company are to make subsequent progress toward a more circular, sustainable environment.

• In April 2022, WestRock Company (NYSE: WRK), a leading company in the sale of paper and packaging solutions, declared a partnership with Recipe Unlimited to provide a suite of recyclable paperboard packaging predicted to divert 31 million plastic containers from landfills across Canada each year. The packaging was started at Swiss Chalet restaurants in October 2021 and is now available across all its locations.

Surging Advancements in the Packaging Industry to Augment the Food Packaging Industry

The growing advancements in packaging hold an opportunity for the packaging market growth. Packaging plays an important role in preserving food quality, guaranteeing food safety, and increasing shelf-life duration. This new advancement includes a wide range of packaging options such as active packaging, edible/biodegradable packaging, intelligent packaging, nanocomposites, and other types of food packaging designs.