foodservice packaging institute&rsquos annual trends report shows market shifts and changing demands throughout the supply chain.falls church, va. prweb november 19, 2014an everevolving foodservice packaging supply chain was examined in this year&39s trends report, published this week by the foodservice packaging institute fpi. the report, which details results of fpi&rsquos annual trends survey, revealed the following industry shiftsin packaging this year&rsquos foodservice packaging trends focused on both the environmental attributes as well as the &ldquolook&rdquo of containers. demand for products that can be recycled andor composted continued, with perhaps a greater interest this year in compostable products, which could be the result of a growing number of food waste diversion initiatives throughout the foodservice industry. respondents also pointed to the use of unique colors, shapes and sizes that help to incorporate branding in a package. interestingly, clear transparent packaging was also mentioned, which focuses the visual cues on the foods and beverages, instead of the container.in raw materials shifts within the resins used to make foodservice packaging continue, and this year&rsquos survey results showed greater demand for polypropylene in particular. on the paper front, increased interest in molded fiber, especially from domestic sources, were noted.in machinery the trend in machinery used to manufacture foodservice packaging is the use of highlyautomated machines that run faster, more efficiently and at lower costs.in distribution survey respondents purported that the proposed merger of the two largest foodservice distributors would lead to changes in the broader distribution landscape. if the sysco corp. acquisition of us foods inc. is secured, the rest of the distribution community will need to adapt to compete. this could lead to the additional niche distributors, and more mergers and acquisitions within small to medium companies.in operations foodservice operators are looking to differentiate themselves from the competition. healthier menu offerings, sustainability initiatives and yes, packaging are a few ways to satisfy the changing demographics of today&rsquos consumers and drive sales.&ldquofpi&rsquos trends report lets us share an upfront glimpse into the industry and how it is evolving,&rdquo said lynn dyer, fpi president. &ldquothis year, changing demands throughout the supply chain are impacting our industry and how we adapt and serve the needs of customers.&rdquothe survey was distributed earlier this fall, collecting opinions from companies in the raw materials, machinery, packaging, distribution and operations sectors. the first section of the report contains more than 15 pages of direct comments and insights by industry players. these results were analyzed to identify the key high level trends, which are included in the second section of the report.the report, now in its sixth year, is complimentary to fpi members. nonmembers may purchase it for 250. about fpi founded in 1933, the foodservice packaging institute fpi is the leading authority for the north american foodservice packaging industry. fpi encourages the responsible use of all foodservice packaging through promotion of its benefits and members&rsquo products. serving as the voice of the industry to educate and influence stakeholders, fpi provides a legal forum to address the challenges and opportunities facing the foodservice packaging industry. members include foodservice packaging manufacturers and their raw material and machinery suppliers, restaurants, grocery and convenience stores, distributors and nearly 50 school districts, colleges and universities. learn more at httpwww.fpi.org and follow us on facebook, linkedin and twitter.source httpwww.virtualstrategy.com20141119reportrevealschangesfoodservicepackaging…
