Feb 19, 2026

What Are the Key Challenges in the Current Foodservice Industry?

At a Glance:  Foodservice challenges: Rising labor (+30%) and food costs (+36%) are crushing margins.  Sector differences: Sit-down, grab-and-go, and delivery each face unique pressures.  Efficiency focus: Streamlined menus, tech tools, and prepped ingredients cut costs.  Smart packaging: Treat packaging as branding and invest where performance matters.  Since early 2020 (you know, when that little thing called COVID-19 came to our […]
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Feb 11, 2026

How Can I Use Packaging to Make My Product Stand Out?

At a Glance  Packaging differentiation comes from performance — leak resistance, durability, clarity, safety, and shelf-life protection — not just eye-catching design.  Brands often make costly mistakes chasing creative shapes or cheaper options that leak, pop open, or create labor and customer service issues.  The winning formula blends functionality with creativity: Test small, ensure the package […]
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Feb 06, 2026

Chemical vs. Mechanical Recycling Explained

At a Glance  Chemical vs. mechanical recycling is a growing point of confusion in food packaging, with major differences in cost, performance, and how materials are processed back into usable forms. Mechanical recycling is established and more affordable, but material quality degrades with each cycle, often requiring design or material adjustments. Chemical recycling can return plastics to near-virgin […]
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Feb 06, 2026

EPR Fees and Food Packaging: What You Need to Know Before Costs Jump

At a Glance  EPR fees are unavoidable: If you sell food in packaging, you’ll help fund recycling systems — and costs change based on material type, weight, and recyclability.  Packaging choices affect the bill: Single-material, recyclable packaging and recycled content can lower fees; mixed or hard-to-recycle materials raise them.  This is a planning issue, not just […]
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Jan 30, 2026

rPET Food Packaging: What Food Businesses Need to Know Beyond the Sustainability Hype

At a Glance  rPET in food packaging is in high demand, but supply can’t keep up — creating cost premiums, regulatory considerations, and sourcing challenges for food businesses.  U.S. collection rates remain low for recyclable plastics, driving shortages and limiting how much recycled content brands can realistically use.  Although rPET costs more than virgin PET, it can meet FDA food-grade safety standards when properly […]
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Jan 26, 2026

Will Reuse Programs Work in Grocery Stores? Here’s What Food Retailers Need to Know

 At a Glance  Reuse programs sound promising, but most struggle in grocery retail due to heavier containers, higher transportation costs, added labor, and increased food safety and liability risks.  Reuse works best in closed, controlled environments (cafeterias, stadiums, campuses) or very specific product categories, not across full grocery assortments.  Consumer participation and convenience remain major barriers — […]
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Jan 23, 2026

How to Build an Effective Food Safety Program

At a Glance  Food safety failures often come from small sanitation gaps, not lack of effort, and one pathogen event can undo years of trust and investment.  Using sanitation zones helps facilities prioritize risk, focusing the most rigorous cleaning where food contact actually occurs.  Dry cleaning strategies reduce pathogen spread by limiting moisture, which can otherwise reactivate and […]
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Jan 23, 2026

Impact Testing: The Hidden Secret to Packaging That Actually Works

At a Glance  Impact failures with packaging aren’t bad luck — they’re the result of containers that weren’t designed or tested to withstand stacking, drops, and cold storage.  Impact testing reveals how containers behave at their weakest points, especially corners, across real-world temperatures where plastic becomes more brittle.  When packaging fails, the true cost goes far beyond lost product, adding labor, safety risks, […]
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Jan 16, 2026

How Did the U.S. Plastics Pact’s Roadmap to 2025 Fare?

At a Glance  The U.S. Plastics Pact set ambitious 2025 goals, but many depended on recycling infrastructure and end markets that simply weren’t ready, creating a gap between commitments and reality.  Recycling rates and access to food-grade recycled content proved to be the biggest obstacles, not a lack of intent from participating companies.  Some brands stepped back […]
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Jan 09, 2026

Are Your Employees Worried About Automation? Here’s What They’re Missing

At a Glance  Automation hesitation stems from fears of job loss, mistakes, and tough learning curves.  Reality check: automation reassigns roles, improves safety, and boosts efficiency.  Trust matters: transparency and involvement ease fears and build support.  Upskilling wins: employees gain new skills and career opportunities.  Your employees shouldn’t be hesitant about automation, and neither should you. But it’s totally understandable why it could […]
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