Sealed Air
A lot of the products on display at Sealed Air’s stand were examples from the UK, "but that’s because we find that the UK is one of the most innovative areas in the world in terms of packaging", said Simon House, food care business director – Middle East & North-east Africa. "In the Middle East, the market is dominated by poultry and is also moving into value-added ready meals and packaged liquids, replacing the need for tins and jars," he said. However, he said that, in this part of the world, gas doesn’t exist in terms of packaging, as consumers want their products to be as fresh as possible, with a maximum shelf-life of three days the norm. House said the industry over here was looking at vacuum-packaged products, however, as it looks to move towards drip-proof solutions. "There is also no tray, so we’re reducing the packaging weight," he said. "Ready meals and foodservice are huge here because of all the hotels. It is all about convenience and drip-free packaging, but they don’t require the shelf-life extension." Sealed Air was also showcasing a roast-in-a-bag solution, and self-ventilating films for convenience packaging.