More than a third of the food produced in the world – 1.3 billion tons per year ¬– never finds its way into anyone’s stomach. It can rot in the field, go bad during processing, spoil at the grocery store or get tossed in the garbage by the consumer. For food producers, processors and manufacturers with the foresight and ingenuity to tackle this problem, there is more than a cautionary tale here – there is real business opportunity.

In recent years, private label has increasingly gained ground in the marketplace with the majority of U.S. shoppers (86%) purchasing some type of store brand regularly . Store brands now account for one out of five items sold in US supermarkets, drug chains and mass merchandisers . In particular, product categories like salty snacks, soda, cookies and paper goods are gaining ground on their national brand counterparts. The trade-off is that the price/value point is no longer enough of a differentiator and private label brands must step up their game in an effort to meet rising shopper expectations. Addressing this progression partly means understanding shopper preference, but it’s also important to remember that consumer curiosity (and brand loyalty) is sparked through creatively designed brand packaging that leads to shelf interaction.

Doritos, a brand from PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay division, partnered with branding and design firm Hornall Anderson to update its identity and packaging to create global harmonization and unleash the power of the iconic brand.

Last year, Fowler Products (www.fowlerproducts.com), powered by Pro Mach and Zalkin sponsored the Application Fundamentals of Aluminum Closures (AFAC) conference, a non-commercial symposium attended by a who’s who of Spirits, Wine, Beer and Soft Drink brand owners.

German company, Big Drum Engineering GmbH specializes in the manufacture of equipment for the filling and packaging of ice cream. Its innovative machines make it possible to produce a wide variety of ice creams (with the exception of those on a stick) with a production capacity of up to 50,000 tubs per hour.

With a family recipe more than 75 years old, Texas-based Best Maid Products Inc. has grown from a single-kitchen operation to a beloved brand known throughout the southwest region of the United States.

When it comes to food packaging, food safety and quality are the top priorities. Even though there are sufficient food packaging regulations, standards and guidelines in place to protect consumers, there is still room to go above and beyond industry standards to improve food safety and quality. At GSC Packaging, we are looking to the pharmaceutical industry for inspiration on raising the bar on food safety and quality.

The movement to ensure greater food safety has led to evaluation of all the steps from field to table, including shipping platforms. For decades, wood pallets have been the standard of shipping for almost all manufactured products of any type. It has only been within the past several years that a viable alternative, the plastic pallet, has become available.

Regulations not only influence copy, but packaging design elements as well.