The enormous amount of attention paid to ingredients in food and beverage by processors may have some overlooking an equally important element of the F&B experience: the container in which that food or beverage is sold. Packaging today plays many roles: carrier of F&B, protector of temperature-sensitive items, barrier for potential adulteration, manifestation of a brand’s sustainability initiatives and more.

American Sugar Refining, Inc., a member of West Palm Beach-based ASR Group, and its parent companies—Florida Crystals Corporation and Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida—celebrated the maiden voyage of its newly constructed, state-of-the-art barge, Knot Refined.

Younglove Construction, L.L.C., Sioux City, Iowa, received a construction award from Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Iowa during the association’s annual Excellence in Construction Gala on April 8, 2022.

The latest development by Innovia Films is Propacast KF, a clear cast polypropylene film that was designed as a lamination solution for HFFS, VFFS and lidding applications.

In its report, “Inflation Accelerates,” about the ascent of private label brands in the grocery space, DataWeave (a retail data, pricing and AI analytics company) explores the reasons behind and numbers backing the rise in popularity of private label food brands and products resulting from the pandemic, and now rising inflation.

Energy and raw material prices were already at a high level but surged even further after the beginning of the war in Ukraine. Those increases combined with availability issues have serious financial impacts on the flexible packaging supply chain in Europe, according to a report by FPE (Flexible Packaging Europe, the industry representing interests of 80 companies and manufacturers).

Six new pet care businesses from across Europe and North Africa will partner with Purina to support the development of new products and services.

Batory Foods, a national distributor of food and ingredients, has acquired Sweetener Solutions, a Savannah, Ga.-based company specializing in custom sweetener formulation, precision blending and specialty portion packaging.