The UK’s fastest growing snack is being used to package and transport goods. Lush, a handmade cosmetics chain, has shunned traditional packaging materials such as shredded paper and polystyrene in favour of air-popped popcorn (The Guardian). Popcorn is not only 60% lighter than shredded paper, but it also reduces the need to individually wrap products – an idea that is estimated to save around 4.6m plastic bags per year. What’s more…once the package has been unpacked the popcorn pieces can be put into compost bins and will completely break down.
According to gov.uk we produce around 10m tonnes of packaging waste every year. This staggering figure has provoked new Waste Recovery and Recycling targets for 2013 to 2017, which will put many businesses under pressure. One of the best solutions to this problem is believed to be popcorn, a product which meets all of the necessary requirements for use as a packaging material and allows packaging producers to meet their obligations.
Although this is a relatively new concept, some UK popcorn manufacturers have already approached big name companies to offer their product for use as packaging. It looks like popcorn is set to take over more than just the UK savoury snacks market!
The popcorn industry has grown enormously in recent years. According to the Daily Mail, sales of popcorn soared by a whopping 300% from the year 2011 to 2012. But the boom didn’t stop there, it is estimated that the UK popcorn market today is worth more than £53m (Mintel, 2013). This consumer trend is thought to have been influenced by the emergence of ‘posh popcorn’ brands that offer gourmet popcorn in a variety of exotic and unusual flavours.
Tesco, Cadbury, Tyrrell’s and Walkers are just a few of the big name companies who have recently introduced new popcorn-based products to meet consumer demands and grab a share of the rapidly increasing market. According to Tesco snack buyer Lee Bannerman, ‘popcorn is the biggest success story in the UK snacking market for at least 10 years and has inspired a rapidly growing home industry’.
According to RnRMarketResearch, the UK’s savoury snacks market will positively increase between 2013 and 2017 with popcorn and potato chips topping the popularity chart. The research team forecast an average growth rate of 4.08% year on year, by which point the market value is expected to reach £5,485.7m!
Martek Food Systems has invested in a range of food dispensers that are made from polycarbonate and are free from Bisphenol A - a chemical that is often used to make plastics and epoxy resins.
If you are not familiar with Martek Food Systems then this is our brand new website, providing you with all of the information you need to know about our two different product divisions – Cretors popcorn equipment and self-serve dispensers.
For a long while there have been discussions regarding the excessive use of plastic carrier bags in England. It is reported that more than 8 billion disposable bags are used in England every year. The problem is that the majority of these bags are used once and then end up in landfill sites, in the sea or littered across the country which has detrimental effects on our wildlife and their habitats.
