Duni Group 2022 / Business Area BioPak An innovative offering for take-away The trend of take-away, delivery and ready meals continues to be strong, even after the pandemic. And demand for sustainable packaging is increasing. The BioPak business area has alternatives to plastic packaging, which consumers are demanding. We also have circular alternatives in both multi-use and single-use solutions, and are well positioned for the future in these areas. The BioPak business area coped well with the pandemic. Demand for food packaging solutions skyrocketed, as take-away and home delivery of food were two strong trends. “There’s still good demand, but the product mix has changed somewhat, and cups and glasses have recovered, while food packaging has stabilized at a higher level than before the pandemic. The market continues to see stable growth with a focus on sustainability,” says Nicklas Bengtsson, who took over as EVP of the business area in autumn 2022. Sustainability and convenience are two underpinning drivers for the take-away sector. Even after the pandemic, many people are working from home several days a week, and home delivery or take- away are useful options. Maintaining quality for ready meals The growing demand for take-away and ready meals has also broadened the sec- tor. More and more retailers are now selling ready meals, in competition with tradi- tional restaurants. This makes it easier for consumers, who can buy ready meals at the same time as other food items. The business area’s Duniform® packaging concept is an excellent alternative for ready meals and can extend shelf life while maintaining quality, which contrib- utes to reduced food waste. Sealable Duniform® Forum trays were launched in 2022. Manufactured from FSC®-certified cardboard, they contain 85% less plastic than traditional trays. Seeking producers closer to customers The difficulties experienced during the pandemic of producing and transporting products from Asia led the business area to start looking for European subcontractors in 2021. This transition continued in 2022. “Although the supply of transport containers is better and prices are becoming normal- ized at a higher level, there are still long delivery times from Asia. But some materials cannot yet be produced in Europe and must continue to be produced in Asia. Producing outside Europe is some times a requirement from customers from a price perspective. With more pro- duction in Europe, the risk is reduced and planning is easier. It will take time to strike the right balance, but we strongly believe that this is the right way forward,” explains Nicklas. Even though there are many benefits to this transition, we must also be competitive. For many of our customers, price remains the deciding purchase factor. There is also expertise in Asia and materials of interest. “Customers know they can trust us, and if they want the best, we’re there for them.” N icklas Bengtsson, Executive Vice President, Business Area BioPak Three key success factors 2022 was strongly characterized by external factors that created tremendous uncer- tainty and affected all industries. Increas- ing prices for transport, energy and raw materials naturally have consequences. Higher costs must be passed on to the end consumer. In this respect, our commer- cial organization has shown fine judgment. “Our success is based on three main components. We always create our own design, we must always be premium and we must be the most sustainable supplier. I find it very difficult to see how a competitor can match us here with our wide prod- uct range. Customers know they can rely on us, and if they want the best, we’re there for them,” continues Nicklas. Product range Products for serving meals, on-site or take-away. 2022 product launches • S ealable fiber trays for Duniform® • Take-away solutions in carton and bagasse • Wooden and paper cutlery Customer segments • Fast casual • Events and catering • Cafés • Supermarkets • Fast food • Food producers • Public sector • Other 27
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