“What’s good for our consumer is good for our business”

Waseem Jeenah, Senior R&D Cluster Design Manager Skin Care Unilever NAMET tells Packaging MEA, and any companies that still have doubts about sustainability, why the approach is both laudable and lucrative. Unilever MENA boasts one of the largest F&B as well as personal care manufacturing facilities in the region, producing hair and skincare products. Packaging …

Starbucks pauses use of reusable cups

Starbucks has announced it is temporarily stopping the use of reusable personal cups and “for here” ware in their stores to prevent the spread of germs amid the coronavirus outbreak, according to a recent Brussels Times report. Customers will be served in single-use cups, although the company will continue to honour the 10% discount for …

OKI offers communication on demand solutions during Covid-19

In increasingly unpredictable times, retailers need to be ready to react quickly to sudden market changes and emerging trends. The spikes in footfall that supermarkets, grocers and pharmacists are currently experiencing due to the Covid-19 is something many retailers could not have prepared for. As customers flock to stores to pick up essentials, retailers will …

Syntegon supplies pharma packaging lines to Pharmax

Pharmax was set up to help the UAE become more independent from imported drugs and promote the local production of generic pharmaceuticals. With the UAE Government strongly supporting local manufacturers, Pharmax’s custom-built factory is equipped with the latest technology, meeting European, UAE and GMP standards. The facility received its GMP licence in 2018 and is …

Neopharma and GSK partnership produces first line of medicines packaged in UAE

Partners Neopharma and GSK have produced the first batch of medicines at local secondary packaging stage. 35,000 packages of the medicine were manufactured in three months, with plans to have them on UAE shelves within a month. The partnership, announced in April 2019, established Neopharma, a leading global pharmaceutical company based in the UAE, as …

Oui by Yoplait recognised as a ‘Breakthrough Innovation’

Oui by Yoplait, the premium French-style yoghurt crafted in a glass jar, has been recognised in Nielsen’s 2019 Breakthrough Innovation Report. Oui was one of the biggest yoghurt launches in recent times, generating more than $100 million in first-year sales and finishing among the top three new products according to IRI’s 2018 New Product Pacesetter …

Pinar unveils UAE’s first processed cheese factory, creating more than 100 jobs and aiming to double output within two years

UAE: The Middle East’s leading food brand, Pinar, has opened the UAE’s first processed cheese factory. Yasar Group, which owns Pinar, opened the plant with an initial investment of $27 million. The first-ever “Made in the UAE” cheese will be produced at the complex in Abu Dhabi. Attending the launch of the new facility was …

Top 5 food packaging trends in MEA to watch for in 2020, according to SIG Combibloc Obeikan

From smarter factories and sustainable packaging to changing tastes and more, we take a look at some of the top industry trends and developments. It is time to shine the spotlight on some of the big industry trends and developments to come out of 2019 and discuss the top 5 food packaging trends in MEA …

Oasis Water unveils GCC’s first sustainable water packaging at Gulfood 2020

Oasis, a leading water brand of UAE based National Food Products Company (NFPC) has staked its claim as the first beverage brand in the GCC to provide drinking water for the consumer market in environmentally-sound, Tetra Pak carton packages with biodegradable and recyclable properties. The pioneering Oasis product was unveiled at Gulfood 2020 and reaffirms …

Agthia launches region’s first plant-based water bottle and signs sustainability MoU with Veolia at Gulfood 2020

Agthia Group PJSC, one of the region’s leading food and beverages companies, today announced the launch of Al Ain Plant Bottle, the region’s first plant-based water bottle, at a press conference on the sidelines of Gulfood 2020 during UAE Innovation Month, In the presence of H.E. Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Climate Change …