Packaging options in the bakery department are meeting the hottest trends in consumer shopping habits, including a pressing demand for more environmentally friendly options.
“One key challenge facing supermarkets today is the movement away from plastic to more sustainable packaging solutions. Shelf-life stability and food safety concerns are also important factors,” says Marc McGregor, National Sales Manager, Novacart.
Consumers have been interested in smaller individual portions for a while now, he adds, “and we see that trend continuing. The interest in products that cater to special diets like low carb, gluten free, vegan and allergy free products means customers are looking for grab and go products for convenience.”
McGregor points out that holiday and special occasion items are always a driving force in the bakery aisle, and packaging is an important factor in determining which products a customer is drawn to.
Novacart is the inventor of the first paper baking mold and is the world leader in design, manufacture, and distribution of paper products for the baking and confectionery industries.
Current trends in the marketplace include offering solutions in customization printing, he says.
“We are adding sizes to our product line every year to address the needs of the market. We recently added two new sizes to our Easybake line,” McGregor says.
Other packaging industry leaders are developing new resources to expand educational and practical tools.
Inline Plastics Corp. is excited to announce the launch of the Learning Center – a new destination for comprehensive insights, expert knowledge, and practical guidance. Visit www.inlineplastics.com/learning-center to discover more.
The comprehensive learning center delivers balanced, fact-based industry insights. “Our mission is to answer all your questions with objectivity, supported by data and diverse industry perspectives. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting your journey, our goal is to provide clear, reliable information you need.”
- Explore blogs and articles
- Access in-depth information
- Discover best practices
- Learn about sustainable packaging
- Find answers to your most pressing questions.
- Watch for upcoming how-to guides and videos with industry experts.
In addition, Safe-T-Chef features include the first tamper-evident and tamper-resistant polypropylene packaging product family on the market. This packaging features a leak-resistant seal. For hot food applications, Safe-T-Chef is microwaveable, easy to use, and dishwasher friendly. It is perfect for takeout, third-party delivery and grab and go.
Inline Plastics offers a variety of packaging solutions for foodservice and more. Inline Plastics transformed the marketplace with its patented Safe-T-Fresh® technology. Check out how to achieve tamper evidence and tamper resistance in one simple step, keeping food safe and secure.
The popular Safe-T-Fresh 7” Rounds collection has grown from three to five offerings to meet diverse food packaging demands while ensuring safety through its exclusive tamper-evident technology.
Enhanced convenience
Genpak LLC, a leading food packaging manufacturer, recently launched Grab-A-Bowl, a new line of polypropylene bowls and lids. Designed with easy grip tabs, Grab-a-Bowl containers offer enhanced usability and convenience for on and off-premises dining.
Grab-A-Bowl is Genpak’s answer to convenient, versatile packaging for on and off-premises dining.
Suitable for both hot and cold meal applications, Grab-A-Bowl delivers performance, reliability, and functionality. Its stackable design enables space-saving storage and easy transport. The clear lid provides quick visibility of contents, supports order accuracy efforts, and helps maintain freshness, making it ideal for convenience stores, value-added grocery retail, and restaurants.
“Grab-A-Bowl containers are intrinsically designed to provide exceptional ease of use and practicality for operators and consumers,” stated Monica Bowser, corporate marketing manager. “This durable and stackable line of bowls with easy-to-grip tabs are optimally designed for hot and cold sides, soups, and entrees.”
Engineered for durability and versatility, Grab-A-Bowl is microwavable and refrigerator safe for meal prep applications. It is available in a variety of sizes.
Tamper proof
To convert more customers, retailers must make food convenient while providing consumers with assurance of food safety.
Anchor Packaging built its expertise in foodservice packaging innovation by addressing the most significant challenges operators face every day. Solutions like Culinary Tamper Safe™ support efficient operations, reduce waste, and preserve food quality to help foodservice leaders control costs, provide sustainable solutions, and, most importantly, win more meals.
Technomic, a leading authority for foodservice research, reported in the 2024 Delivery & Takeout Consumer Trend Report that over 80% of consumers agree a tamper-proof seal is a critical feature for food-to-go packaging. Further, convenience is the biggest driver for increasing purchases. Culinary Tamper Safe™ gives retailers an easy solution by providing high-visibility tamper-evident security perfect for the grab & go, takeout, and delivery convenience consumers crave.
Culinary Tamper Safe™ is rated to 230°, enabling hot display merchandising and microwave-safe reheating, a feature consumers value. Its snap-tight closure prevents leaks, and its unique, no-tear-strip design eliminates waste to create a positive consumer experience. Single and multi-compartment options preserve food presentation. After use, these containers remain fully recyclable.
Recyclable solutions
ProAmpac, a leader in flexible packaging and material science, exhibited its latest recyclable and high-performance packaging solutions at Packaging Innovations 2025, which took place Feb. 12–13 at the NEC Birmingham. ProAmpac showcased its latest advancements in fiber-based packaging, recyclable films, and food-to-go solutions.
“At ProAmpac, we are proud to lead the way in developing sustainable packaging solutions that meet the needs of both consumers and the environment. Our advancements in fiber-based and recyclable flexible packaging demonstrate our commitment to innovation and a circular economy,” said Kristy Paulin, executive vice president of global marketing for ProAmpac.
ProAmpac featured a range of sustainable, high-performance flexible packaging solutions, including RAP Food To-Go Packaging – ProAmpac’s fiber-based, high-performance innovations for fresh food-to-go include products like the HandRap™ and the RAP Sandwich Wedge. These products offer premium shelf appearance, product visibility, and shelf-life extension while offering a solution to plastics reduction. ProAmpac is a leading global flexible packaging company with a comprehensive product offering, providing creative packaging solutions, industry-leading customer service and award-winning innovation to a diverse global marketplace. ProAmpac’s approach to sustainability provides innovative sustainable flexible packaging products to help customers achieve their sustainability goals.
Sustainable packaging research
The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR), in partnership with Clemson University (Clemson) and the International Fresh Produce Association’s Foundation for Fresh Produce (FFP), has accepted plans for research, scale and commercialization applications that can expand U.S export markets through innovative packaging solutions.
Emerging global restrictions on single-use and plastic packaging limit specialty crops’ access to international markets. To accelerate packaging innovation that facilitates market access, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) has awarded $5 million each to Clemson and FFP to establish the Sustainable Packaging Innovation Lab, with FFAR partnering in its implementation.
