Amid growing demand for chilled retail prepared and convenience foods, plastic packaging specialist Linpac Packaging (Featherstone, West Yorkshire / UK; www.linpac.com) has launched a new “Freshware” range, the first brainchild of its newly formed Freshform division. The company said its move into the market, estimated at EUR 145 bn in Europe alone, complements its existing activities in the meat, fish and poultry as well as fresh produce and foodservice sectors. The launch of the Freshform business was accompanied by the instalment of additional flexible thermoforming capacity at Linpac’s site in Featherstone / UK, details of which were not disclosed. Linpac did say, however, that it plans to make additional investments at its sites in Germany and Poland in the future.

Traditionally the domain of takeaway stores and food outlets, retail convenience foods are increasingly being sold across major supermarket chains, too. In the UK alone, Linpac said, the market’s overall value grew by 3.4% in 2010 to EUR 17 bn, with a volume gain of 2.2% to 2,663.5m kg. By 2015, this particular market segment is expected to reach EUR 20 bn at a volume of 1,951.3m kg.

The new “Freshware” range will include packaging for prepared fruit and salads, dips, pasta, pizza, vegetables, bakery, cooked meats and fish, among others, with a series of new product launches scheduled for 2013. One of the innovations Linpac plans to introduce is a series of interlocking containers in different sizes that will allow consumers to pick and mix different food items, including salads, pastas, toppings and sauces, creating a complete menu from starter to dessert.

The new Freshware range will include Linpac’s recently introduced sealant technology, debuted in its “Rfresh Elite” meat and poultry trays – see Plasteurope.com of 21.01.2013.