Pet Food Packaging Industry Trends to Watch

Pet food packaging continues to evolve alongside shifting consumer expectations, market innovations, and sustainability demands. While many of the trends shaping this space have remained consistent over the past few years, our understanding of those trends has deepened. What were once emerging concepts—like sustainable pet food packaging, premium branding, and functional design—are now becoming standard features in a competitive and fast-growing industry.

At BW Flexible Systems, we strive to stay on top of the latest developments in the industry to ensure we are in the best position possible to serve our clients. Learn more about the biggest trends developing in the industry, and do not hesitate to reach out to us to learn more about how we can help you meet your needs.

Sustainable Pet Food Packaging Solutions

While this post does cover the topic of “trends,” we’ve admittedly covered how sustainability is far from a trend and is, rather, a core pillar of our business. Sustainability in pet food packaging is no longer just a passing trend; it has firmly established itself as a core principle within the packaging industry. Pet food brands consistently seek to transition from traditional poly-woven bags to recyclable paper poly bags. However, questions about durability and the performance of sustainable materials throughout packaging and distribution processes have persisted.

Through ongoing collaboration with our upstream^{Upstream refers to all the parts of a manufacturing process that come before another specific manufacturing process further down the production line (e.g. raw material extraction is upstream from labeling).} bag manufacturing partners, we've rigorously tested various sustainable materials with encouraging results. As our experience with these materials has grown, we've successfully optimized our packaging machines and processes to accommodate sustainable pet food packaging solutions without sacrificing strength or durability. Extensive testing has allowed us to mitigate common issues, such as bag rips and quality concerns, ensuring robust and reliable sustainable packaging solutions.

One challenge frequently encountered by pet food manufacturers occurs during palletizing, where conventional palletizers cause friction that sustainable packaging materials often can't withstand. Traditional palletizers, which slide or push bags into place, can inadvertently damage these newer, environmentally friendly options. Our solution to this issue is the Symach Mach-Series Palletizer—a hybrid robotic and conventional palletizer featuring a dual-axis gantry-style robotic arm. By utilizing the robotic arm, we eliminate damaging friction, making it possible to palletize sustainable pet food bags effectively and reliably.

Data-Driven Product Efficiencies

Data plays a critical role in modern pet food packaging operations, significantly influencing decision-making and productivity. Recognizing the importance our customers place on accessible, actionable data from their machines, we've committed to enhancing data collection, aggregation, and analytics processes. programmable logic controllers (PLCs)^{A programmable logic controller (PLC) is a hardened controller engineered to control manufacturing equipment and processes.}—the digital systems controlling packaging machinery—have been a particular focus of our continuous innovation efforts.

Our Digital Innovation (DI) team identified opportunities to improve how PLCs manage and present data. Initially, data from various machine components was fragmented, complicating aggregation and limiting usability. By addressing these challenges, we've developed a streamlined, scalable data pipeline that consolidates diverse information sources into intuitive analytics dashboards. This enhanced capability empowers customers with actionable insights, driving significant improvements in operational efficiency and performance.

We remain dedicated to progressively implementing these advanced data analytics capabilities across our entire range of packaging machines. The goal is to consistently expand these benefits, ensuring our customers can leverage precise, reliable, and comprehensive data to optimize their operations effectively.

Improving Operator Training

Operator turnover remains a significant challenge within manufacturing industries, including pet food packaging. Effective training and retaining skilled operators are ongoing issues, and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)^{In the packaging industry, an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is the company which manufactures the machinery used to facilitate the packaging process.} continue to seek effective solutions. A particularly promising approach to this challenge involves improving the usability and functionality of human-machine interfaces (HMIs)^{A human-machine interface (HMI) is the dashboard through which an operator interacts with packaging systems or equipment. Modern HMIs can offer operator training resources, provide preventative maintenance reminders, assist in troubleshooting machine malfunctions, and much more.}.

At BW Packaging, we've prioritized the design and development of intuitive, user-friendly HMIs to simplify operator training and enhance operational efficiency. By directly engaging with machine operators and observing them in their work environment, we've gained valuable insights into the practical use of our HMIs. This hands-on approach has allowed us to optimize HMI performance to better match the daily routines and needs of operators.

Our upgraded HMIs now feature integrated video training capabilities that are directly accessible from the interface, which can help simplify operator training and save money. Additionally, custom video tutorials demonstrating precise operational steps specific to each facility can be uploaded and viewed right on the HMI screen. Furthermore, we've launched an initiative to standardize the user interface across our entire machinery portfolio, ensuring a consistent and intuitive user experience. This ongoing standardization effort will progressively benefit all markets we serve, including food packaging.

Innovation

Innovation in pet food packaging and beyond has increasingly focused on a people-centric approach, aligning closely with Barry-Wehmiller’s core vision: "We measure success by the way we touch the lives of people." By placing people at the center of our innovation strategy, we aim to comprehensively meet the needs of operators, maintenance teams, and business leaders who depend daily on our packaging solutions.

This approach involves actively asking: What challenges do operators face when interacting with our machinery? How can maintenance processes be simplified and optimized? What strategic insights do business leaders require to succeed? Answering these questions guides our development efforts, ensuring our innovations genuinely add value at every level of the customer experience.

People-centric innovation ensures our technological advancements remain focused on real-world applications and human interaction. We continuously strive to create tangible value for our customers and operators, reinforcing our commitment to quality and reliability in all aspects of our packaging solutions.

Exports and Global Markets

The growing global demand for pet food products highlights the necessity for sophisticated and versatile packaging solutions. The U.S. pet food industry's expanding export market underscores the need for machinery that can efficiently handle diverse packaging standards and consumer preferences worldwide. OEMs like BW Flexible Systems play a crucial role by developing customizable, adaptable, and high-capacity packaging lines to support international growth.

From North America to Asia and beyond, our innovative machinery solutions are designed to deliver speed, efficiency, and flexibility, addressing varied global market demands. This adaptability positions us as essential partners in the continued growth and expansion of the international pet food industry.

Phaseout of PFAS Chemicals

The recent voluntary phaseout of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in packaging marks an essential step toward safer and more environmentally sustainable pet food packaging solutions. This industry-wide initiative reflects our collective commitment to public health, environmental responsibility, and consumer confidence.

By proactively eliminating PFAS chemicals, the packaging industry demonstrates its dedication to aligning with regulatory expectations and consumer safety priorities. Going forward, we continue to prioritize packaging innovations that emphasize material safety, sustainability, and the long-term health of pets and the environment.

Increased Demand for Convenience and Portability

Consumer lifestyles have increasingly favored convenience and portability in pet food packaging. Easy-to-open, resealable bags and portion-controlled packaging options are highly sought-after as pet owners look to simplify feeding routines and ensure freshness. BW Flexible Systems continues to innovate packaging solutions that enhance consumer convenience without sacrificing product integrity or shelf life.

Beyond convenience at home, portable packaging also caters to pet owners who travel frequently or maintain active lifestyles. Lightweight and compact packaging solutions make it easier to feed pets on the go, increasing overall product appeal and meeting diverse consumer needs.

Enhanced Brand Visibility Through Customizable Packaging

As competition in the pet food market intensifies, brand differentiation through visually appealing and distinctive packaging has become critical. Customizable packaging with vibrant colors, clear branding, and engaging graphics significantly enhances product visibility on store shelves and online platforms. BW Flexible Systems offers tailored solutions that empower brands to effectively capture consumer attention and loyalty.

Moreover, customizable packaging solutions enable brands to easily adapt their packaging for seasonal promotions or special editions. This flexibility not only keeps the brand visually appealing but also helps maintain consumer interest and encourages repeat purchases.

Integration of Smart Packaging Technologies

Smart packaging technologies, such as QR codes and RFID tags, are becoming integral in pet food packaging for traceability, consumer engagement, and inventory management. These digital tools enable manufacturers to provide detailed product information, streamline logistics, and foster direct interactions with consumers. BW Flexible Systems is exploring ways to integrate smart packaging features that deliver added value across the entire supply chain.

In addition, smart packaging allows pet owners to access detailed nutritional information and source it with ease, enhancing transparency and trust in pet food brands. Leveraging these technologies can significantly improve customer loyalty and engagement, setting brands apart in a crowded marketplace.

Capitalize on Packaging Trends with BW Flexible Systems

The pet food packaging industry continues to evolve with sustained momentum toward sustainability, efficiency, and innovation. From recyclable packaging materials and advanced data analytics to intuitive HMIs and people-centric innovation, BW Flexible Systems remains dedicated to understanding and addressing the dynamic needs of our customers. As global markets expand and consumer preferences shift toward convenience and smarter packaging solutions, we are committed to continuously enhancing our offerings. Stay connected with us to explore how these ongoing trends shape the future of pet food packaging.