Pet Food Packaging: Why Flexible Materials?

Submitted by Donna Fiedler on

flexible packaging material

Pet food markets are one of the fastest growing market in the flexible packaging market as more pet food companies search for custom food packaging solutions. With their flexible packaging products, pet food manufacturers are able to provide their end customers with durable, protective packaging that stands out on the shelf. With the U.S. industry expected to grow from $74 million in 2012 to almost $100 million by 2018, flexible packaging material suppliers are investing more dollars into providing their pet food clients with innovative solutions to their packaging needs. Here?s a brief look into how the flexible packaging industry has affected the packaging of pet food.

Flexible Packaging Benefits
There are a variety of different advantages a pet food manufacturer can achieve by utilizing flexible packaging solutions in their product packaging. One of the major benefits to flexible packaging materials is the cost savings that a company can find. Modern flexible food packaging helps keeps food fresh, and can help protect the product from contamination. Packing experts believe that each pound of plastic can reduce food waste by 1.7 pounds. Flexible packaging materials such as plastic can also reduce transportation costs. In fact, just 2 pounds of plastic can deliver 1,300 ounces of a liquid. In comparison, you?d need three times as much of a rigid material such as aluminum to carry the same amount.

Popular Packaging Solutions
Flexible packaging materials can be used for nearly all forms of pet food products, including kibble, frozen foods, and raw diets. Flexible packaging material suppliers offer a variety of different customizable plastics that incorporate high quality laminates and barrier materials that will keep your product fresh and elongate its shelf life. Popular flexible packaging products include stand up pouches, metallized films, and laminated rollstock. Typically, customers are looking for more innovative solutions to boost the usability of the package, and desire special features such as resalable zippers.