With innovations in manufacturing, packaging and design, the food and beverage industry continues to announce new developments that help this market thrive. Here are a few news highlights, revealing efforts to reduce food waste, protect the environment and support convenience as well as health:

StePacPPC’s Packaging Helps Foodservice Operations Minimize Waste

StePacPPC‘s advanced modified atmosphere/modified humidity (MA/MH) packaging solutions are transforming the U.S. foodservice sector with success in reducing waste and improving operational efficiency. The visionary food packaging developer together with its partner Windham Packaging Ltd. Inc., USA, is serving the demand for impactful solutions to the widespread issue of food waste in the sector. These solutions will be showcased at the upcoming Fruit Logistica, February 5 to 7 in Berlin, booth no. C-30, Hall 5.2.

The European Food Information Council estimates that some 1.05 billion tons of food waste is generated globally, out of which 60% comes from households and almost 30%—or a distressing 290 million tons—emanates from the foodservice industry.

The foodservice industry is often forced to discard large volumes due to the perishable nature of fresh produce, supply chain temperature fluctuations, spoilage and kitchen waste, creating a costly cycle and ethical dilemmas that persist despite improved inventory management measures and donation efforts.

To address these challenges, StePacPPC and its partner Windham Packaging have developed a range of its bulk modified-atmosphere packaging to extend the shelf life of fresh produce headed to foodservice outlets—predominantly restaurants, hotels, and canteens. These films are already gaining momentum among fresh produce packagers in the US, specifically for the delivery of ready-to-use sliced mushrooms, green beans, brussels sprouts and broccoli, with demonstrated success in improving operational efficiency and reducing waste.

Learn more at www.StePacppc.com.

JASON MOMOA LAUNCHES MANANALU POWERED BY BOOMERANG WATER IN HAWAII

Jason Momoa’s Hawaiian water company Mananalu relaunches as Mananalu Powered By Boomerang Water, now a fully back-of-house, progressive on-site bottling system that provides healthy water to all people without single-use waste that is damaging to the environment. Using Boomerang Water technology that won the 2024 SXSW Product Innovation Award, Mananalu Powered by Boomerang Water bottling systems are roughly the size of a hotel ice maker and can sanitize, rinse, fill and cap 400 to 500 aluminum or glass bottles per hour with ultra-purified water that are then returned to the same machine for reuse after consumption, making it fully sustainable.

Relaunching in Hawaii first, this marks the completion of the zero single-use plastic company’s transition into a technology-forward, on-site bottling system that is fully circular and reduces the brand’s carbon emissions by 95%. This relaunch is an early case of a company shifting away from a single-use waste model and adopting new technology to better serve people and the planet.

The rollout of Mananalu Powered by Boomerang Water also boosts Hawaii’s independence from energy-consuming shipments of drinking water from the mainland. Each bottling system is hooked to any local source of municipal water where it is ultra-purified with a proprietary filtration process and bottled back-of-house.

Mananalu Powered by Boomerang Water bottling systems has anchored its breakthrough technology on Oahu with its first partners, The Twin Fin Hotel, Romer House Waikiki, Kaimana Beach Hotel and Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach and is bringing a renewed commitment to its guests and shareholders to prioritize environmental stewardship in pursuit of service excellence.

Mananalu Powered by Boomerang Water leads with Hawaiian values by promoting human connectivity through honoring and respecting the Earth and the elements. It is bringing circular sustainability (zero-waste) water systems to Hawaii with an eye on new global markets. This collaboration supports ecological preservation and represents a transformative step towards a circular economy, where sustainability and innovation drive economic growth and environmental health.

For more information about Mananalu Powered by Boomerang Water, visit mananalu.com

Genpak Expands Foodservice Packaging to Include Durable, Polypropylene Bowls

Genpak LLC, a food service packaging manufacturer, recently launched Grab-A-Bowl, a new line of polypropylene bowls and lids. Designed with easy grip tabs, Grab-a-Bowl containers offer enhanced usability and convenience for on and off-premises dining. Grab-A-Bowl is Genpak’s answer to convenient, versatile packaging for on and off-premises dining.

Suitable for both hot and cold meal applications, Grab-A-Bowl offers performance, reliability and functionality. Its stackable design enables space-saving storage and easy transport. The clear lid provides quick visibility of contents, supports order accuracy efforts and helps maintain freshness, providing a solution for convenience stores, value-added grocery retail outlets and restaurants.

Engineered for durability and versatility, Grab-A-Bowl is microwavable and refrigerator safe for meal prep applications. The bowls are available in a variety of sizes to meet restaurant operator needs.

Visit https://www.genpak.com/brands/grab-a-bowl/ to learn more or request product samples.