the indian food packaging industry is aiming to provide the ultimate in convenience to the consumer.essel propack ltd, which has a global presence, is now working to increase its presence in both the international and indian markets. the company employs over 2,600 people representing 25 different nationalities.in an email interaction, ashok goel, the company&rsquos vicechairman and managing director, informed nandita vijay that consumers were increasingly looking for packs that provide ease of use. excerptshow does essel propack look at the food and beverage sector to offer its solutionsthe food and beverage industry is unveiling significant avenues in packaging. it is a huge opportunity for us, especially with regard to foods that are in a viscous state for instance, sauces, pastes, jams, spreads, honey and condensed milk. for these, packaging is indispensable.which of the company&rsquos offerings to this sector have transformed packaging conceptsour specialised, custommade laminate structures provide the required barrier properties to keep the food fresh during its shelf life and ease of use without contamination.we provide laminated tubes, which provide tamperproof features, including closures that safeguard the quality and hygienes of the product filled in them.we also ensure that attractive packaging is eyecatching, and therefore, ensure that highend decoration capabilities attracts and captures attention on the retail shelf.the company also offers different pack sizes to suit the price points. it facilitates hasslefree usage by all age groups, without the need of spoons, etc.in addition, the attractive packaging and optimum size also facilitate storage on the kitchen shelf or dining table, as well as for offsite consumption.what is the presence of the company in the f&b sector would you be able to share the names of customers opting for essel propack globally, food in tubes is more of a european phenomenon, but it is fast catching up in emerging markets.there exists a huge potential for growth in foods. brands and products such as jam, go cheese, gourmet garden condiments, wasabi paste in china, mayonnaise in europe and el tubito a south american brand of condensed milk use our tubes.i would like to add here that essel propack is a part of the 2.4 billion essel group, and has turnover is excess of 350 million.it is one of the largest specialty packaging global companies, manufacturing laminated plastic tubes catering to the fastmoving consumer goods fmcg and pharmaceutical sectors.the company functions through 24 stateoftheart facilities in eleven countries, which sell over six billion tubes and grow every year.the company holds a 33 per cent share in the global oral care market in terms of volume.this makes us one of the world&rsquos largest manufacturers with units operating across countries such as the united states, mexico, colombia, poland, germany, egypt, russia, china, the philippines, indonesia and india.these facilities cater to diverse fmcg and pharmaceutical brands, which include cosmetics, personal care, pharmaceutical, food and oral care products.they offer customised solutions through continuously pioneering firstinclass innovations in materials, technology and processes. this gives us the market reach and growing business possibilities.the company started its african operations in egypt in 1993. it was the first overseas joint venture of the company.operations started with an annual volume of 20 million tubes, and crossed 250 million in 2010. the company is still witnessing doubledigit growth in that geography.essel propack holds numero uno status in the laminated tube market in egypt, catering to such companies as unilever, colgate, eva cosmetics, sesic and amoun pharmaceuticals, in addition to a number of local companies. its market share is close to 90 per cent.a bigger manufacturing facility started recently in obour, egypt to meet the growing demand by consumers and pharmaceutical standards.it is around 30km from cairo airport.therefore in the food space too, we have the infrastructure in place to drive both value and volumes.how would you describe the scene in india and global markets for food packagingright now, jars, bottles and laminated pouches are used. liquids in bottles and brick packs which also use laminates as bases are popular.tubes are being used to package such foods as ketchup and fish paste. moreover, in an age of efficient supply chain management, it is vital to increase speed to market and product safety, which would ultimately give packaging solutions a competitive edge.what are the emerging trendspeople are looking for packs which provide ease of use.therefore, for products such as jams, sauces and pastes, our laminated tubes would be the ideal choice for both the manufacturers and the consumers.europe is the leader in packaging food in tubes, and in the rest of the world row markets, we are experiencing a similar demand, which indicates that there is a considerable interest to be a part of the trend.what issues are companies in the packaging sector like yours facing the food brands need to recognise that there is a set of consumers which is looking for ease of consuming their products.the concept of laminated tubes could fill that void and create a new niche for products.another point is that with processed food gaining ground, packaging cannot be ignored. in fact, it is stated that food is one of the most frequentlypackaged goods, as well as one of the most challenging products to be packaged.there are issues like the need to ensure hygiene, energy efficient besides, security and traceability. in addition, there is also an increased demand for complex and smart packaging. 
