As we draw to a close for 2010 here at Genpak, I figured a top 10 list might be in order. There certainly are many topics to choose from both inside and outside our company. Who knew the food service industry could be such a hot bed of topics? From silly governmental bans to block-buster acquisitions, it’s tough to pick a top ten. Since there were so many juicy headlines to choose from, I’ll break this out into two categories. Top ten news stories outside Genpak and the top ten within Genpak.
First our own stories:
10. Broke 500 followers on our Twitter account. It’s not an Oprah-like following, but then again food packaging isn’t as exciting as the latest muckitymuck gossip.
9. Launched the TR04PC “corn” tray.
8. Expanded our Smart Set Pro microwave safe offering. We now offer compartmentalized rectangular and round microwave safe food packaging.
7. Launched the fast growing Supermarket Container line of clear food packaging. This particular configuration has become the “must have” for dip companies as well as dried fruit and nut processors.
6. Our ever popular line of AD Deli Containers became endorsed by the Green Restaurant Association. Our industry leading use of post consumer recycled material was a major contributing factor with this endorsement.
5. Introduced a hybrid line of food service packaging with our Harvest Starch offering. We replaced 60% of the standard petrochemical resin with natural, annually renewable starches.
4. Introduced cutlery for the first time into our every growing family of products. As part of our Harvest Starch line, we included forks, knives and spoons. Many environmental cutlery offerings out there just sort of melted with hot food/drink applications. Ours won’t!
3. Acquired Dover Cup Company. With this move, we have become a major player of hot and cold paper drink cups and food containers in Eastern Canada.
2. Launched a line of PET cold drink cups. With this substrate, customers can now recycle our cups where #1 curb side programs exist. It also allows us to start including post consumer recycled content into our cups.
1. Launched Harvest Fiber which is a natural and compostable line of food service products. Genpak was the first major food service packaging provider to launch a full line of compostable food packaging products with our Harvest Collection nearly two years ago. Since that time we have upgraded, added products and moved into a fiber substrate offering which gives our customers many more options. Harvest Fiber is fast becoming known as the gold standard for compostable products with its superior engineering and product functionality. Who says a fiber product can’t be loaded with quality?
In total we launched 65 new products in 2010. That doesn’t include improvements and upgrades to existing items, which there were plenty of. I’m expecting 2011 to be just as fast on the product front. Stay tuned as you just might be surprised what’s in store!
And now my top 10 list from outside Genpak.
10. The number of active restaurants fell by over 5,000 in 2010. I guess that stimulus package really didn’t apply to our friends in the restaurant biz.
9. Pactiv acquired PWP for a cool $200MM. And the number of suppliers for clear food packaging just got smaller by 1. For those folks buying from PWP because they didn’t like Pactiv, we invite you to review our huge selection of clear hinged & two piece bakery products. Don’t see what you need? No problem, just give us a call as we specialize in custom packaging solutions.
8. Walmart vows to decrease its greenhouse gas emissions by 20 metric tons by 2015. Translation – suppliers better figure out how to cut emissions PDQ.
7. The city of Seattle forces all food service operators, including supermarkets to find compostable alternatives for all single use items by July 1st. I’ll bet a pound of ground beef in Seattle just went up by 10%.
6. Breakfast on the go hits $57B in sales and accounts for nearly a quarter of sales for some eateries. As a side note, the breakfast sandwich reins supreme for the most ordered item.
5. The degradable plastics market will hit $380MM by 2014. Green packaging is here to stay.
4. Solo Cup purchases InnoWare for $24MM.
3. San Francisco proposes a ban on toys in kids meals to combat childhood obesity. Probably the most silly of the “government in your face” bans of them all.
2. The FTC announces their proposed new Green Marketing guide for environmental claims. Forget sleeping aids. Just start reading this gem and you’ll be out like a light.
1. Pactiv is acquired by Rank Group LTD (Reynold’s) for an easy $6B. The bakery packaging supplier choices continues to shrink. Fear not as we have the absolute biggest selection of bakery products imaginable!
Well there you have it. The official top ten lists as determined by your humble blogster. I look forward to more posts in 2011. Until then, Happy New Year!
I ended up on your website because I wondered where to put the take-out container that I got from a Panda Express in Seattle: the recycle bin or the compost bin. The answer is the compost bin. From reading some of your rants and #7 above, I can see that you don’t feel that government should be telling businesses what to do. Well, the way it works out here in the upper left corner, we elect politicians that will execute progressive ideas that the citizens mostly support. That includes compostable and recyclable food containers. We separate our garbage into a very large food and yard waste bin (which eventually we can buy back as garden compost), a large recycle bin, and a small garbage bin (the only part that goes a landfill in Oregon). I think it works great and cannot figure our why all cities wouldn’t do the same. I am glad to see that businesses like yours are ready to offer the products to make it work. And that our local politicians are showing other cities the way forward.
Trenton,
Hey thanks for your input. I’m glad the program is working for you. Seattle is unique in that you have Cedar Grove compost facility out there to handle the compostables diversion. Most cities don’t have that available to them, which is why I rant about it. For Seattle it works and that’s great. Other places, not so much. Also glad you were enjoying that fine Panda food in our Harvest Fiber products! Try their Orange Chicken. Can’t get enough of it.
Ken Gap