Interpack 2014 Preview: Packaging for Confectionery and Baked Goods

Low-cost and eco-friendly persuasion are the key trends for packaging related to bakery and confectionery, as energy and raw materials are becoming more expensive and consumers want to do more for the environment.

This is forcing manufacturers of sweets and snacks to make difficult adjustments: their products have to stand out from the crowd, without extravagant packages that drive up costs. Help is on hand from packaging producers and machine manufacturers – with material-saving packaging solutions and more efficient production lines, according to research announced by Interpack.

“Halloren Kugeln” chocolates have been a longstanding favourite on the confectionery shelves, and without much publicity. A big-selling product for over 60 years, they have repeatedly assured the Halloren chocolate factory in East Germany of outstanding business figures. In 2013, the company aims to pass the EUR 100 million sales mark for the first time after roughly EUR 90 million in 2012.

“Since privatisation in 1992, we’ve managed to hold our own on the market without neglecting our roots and what we do best,” says CEO Klaus Lellé.

Innovations to Be Showcased

At Interpack 2014, many more packaging innovations for confectionery and baked goods will be on show, from 8 to 14 May in Düsseldorf. Over 1,000 of the roughly 2,700 expected exhibitors have named the confectionery industry as the target group for their products and services – the items on display will be correspondingly varied.

Machine manufacturers will also be present with many new developments in Düsseldorf. “Their focus is on boosting efficiency, because every tenth of a cent counts in the production of confectionery today,” explains Beatrix Fraese of the Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association in the German Engineering Federation (VDMA).

Surviving Competition

The range of sweets and snacks is exhaustive, which makes packaging the key factor in purchasing/when making the purchasing decision. It not only has to protect the product’s delicate contents, but also catch the eye. This calls for exceptional creativity from designers: attractive colours and shapes are just as important as effective consumer marketing.

However, some manufacturers of confectionery and baked goods tend to overdo it, according to Interpack’s research.

Cheaper Alternatives

Confectionery and baked goods manufacturers are facing massive pressure on costs, making oversized packages counterproductive, especially considering the price of energy and raw materials. For instance, the spot price for cocoa butter, which is used in the production of bars of chocolate, shot up by 80 per cent to USD 8,000 per tonne in 2013 – and this puts a squeeze on profit margins.

Cost efficient alternatives involve packaging products without elaborate design and extra frills. Other strategies include resorting to downsizing, giving preference to packaging materials that are easier to recycle and that conserve resources by being thinner.

Research is conducted for alternative packaging methods that are even greener and cheaper, according to Interpack’s release.

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