Ready-to-Eat Food Sector: Market & Packaging Issues
Analysis of the pre-prepared food industry: market environment and packaging dilemma
In recent years, the pre-prepared food market has shown an explosive growth trend. With the accelerated pace of people's lives and the increasing demand for convenient diets, pre-prepared food has become the new favorite in the catering market.
On the one hand, the younger generation of consumers have higher requirements for the convenience and efficiency of cooking, and pre-prepared food just meets their expectations of "quick start and easy cooking". Pre-prepared foods such as dumplings, buns, and meatballs are very popular. On the other hand, the impact of the epidemic has also prompted more people to cook at home, and pre-prepared food has become their first choice.
For example, on major e-commerce platforms, the sales of pre-prepared food continue to rise, and pre-prepared food of various flavors and categories are dazzling, meeting the needs of different consumers. According to relevant data, the sales of pre-prepared food on a certain e-commerce platform in 2023 increased by more than 50% year-on-year.
Problems and challenges faced by pre-prepared food packaging
1. Freshness and quality preservation
The freshness and quality of pre-prepared food are the focus of consumer attention. The packaging needs to have good barrier properties to effectively prevent the intrusion of oxygen, moisture and microorganisms to extend the shelf life of pre-prepared dishes.
2. Safety of packaging materials
Consumers pay more and more attention to food safety, and the safety of packaging materials has become a crucial issue. Some packaging materials may contain harmful chemicals such as bisphenol A, which may migrate into pre-prepared dishes and pose a potential threat to health.
3. Innovation and personalized needs
Intensified market competition requires pre-prepared food packaging to be innovative and personalized to attract consumers. However, most of the packaging on the market currently lacks characteristics and it is difficult to highlight the advantages and brand image of the product.
4. Manual problems
In the pre-prepared food industry, the manual problems in the packaging link are prominent, including low efficiency leading to order backlogs, inconsistent operations affecting packaging quality, rising labor costs, and easy fatigue errors.
The freshness and quality of pre-prepared food are the focus of consumer attention. The packaging needs to have good barrier properties to effectively prevent the intrusion of oxygen, moisture and microorganisms to extend the shelf life of pre-prepared dishes.
2. Safety of packaging materials
Consumers pay more and more attention to food safety, and the safety of packaging materials has become a crucial issue. Some packaging materials may contain harmful chemicals such as bisphenol A, which may migrate into pre-prepared dishes and pose a potential threat to health.
3. Innovation and personalized needs
Intensified market competition requires pre-prepared food packaging to be innovative and personalized to attract consumers. However, most of the packaging on the market currently lacks characteristics and it is difficult to highlight the advantages and brand image of the product.
4. Manual problems
In the pre-prepared food industry, the manual problems in the packaging link are prominent, including low efficiency leading to order backlogs, inconsistent operations affecting packaging quality, rising labor costs, and easy fatigue errors.
The key role and development trend of packaging equipment
Efficient and accurate packaging equipment is an important means to solve packaging problems. It can ensure the sealing and stability of the packaging, improve efficiency, and reduce errors caused by manual operation.
2. Development Trends
(1) Intelligence
In the future, packaging equipment will be more intelligent, able to automatically detect product quality, adjust packaging parameters, and realize intelligent production.
(2) Multifunctional integration
Packaging equipment that integrates multiple functions such as filling, sealing, and labeling will become the mainstream, improving production efficiency and reducing equipment footprint.
(3) Energy saving and environmental protection
In response to environmental protection requirements, packaging equipment will pay more attention to energy conservation and the recycling of materials.
The packaging of multiple varieties of quick-frozen dumplings faces the classification and arrangement problems caused by the differences in shapes, sizes, and weights of different varieties of dumplings, as well as the requirements of ensuring accurate quantity and neat placement. Solutions include the use of advanced sorting technology, strict quality control, and optimized production line layout to achieve efficient and accurate packaging.
This is an octopus ball bagging production line. We use a rolling conveyor belt to directly transmit the material, making the overall counting and packaging rate higher. Continuous transportation through a vibrating track and accurate identification using a photoelectric eye device perfectly meet the advantages of professional counting mechanism, good counting, good sorting, good filling, and good walking.
The elevator conveys materials, and the photoelectric eye sensing device accurately identifies irregular ingredients in pre-prepared dishes, such as sea cucumbers, fish maws, scallops, etc. in Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, as well as various meatballs and vegetables that are indispensable in self-heating hot pots. Ingredients of any shape, size and material can be accurately counted. Not only in the field of pre-prepared dishes, but also in the field of ready-to-eat products such as quick-frozen foods (dumplings, steamed buns, wontons, etc.), which are also popular, you are welcome to contact us to discuss packaging cooperation and other matters. Hengli Packaging is committed to solving your packaging problems and meeting your packaging needs.
This pre-prepared food bagging machine newly developed by Hengli Packaging is suitable for food mixed packaging, small bags in large bags and other packaging forms. Its counting equipment is suitable for products of various materials, sizes and shapes, and can automatically load a variety of categories into large bags. This equipment not only has a counting function, but also a weighing function. Its weighing is achieved through advanced technology, which is accurate and suitable for a variety of materials. This equipment keeps up with the trend of the times and cooperates with the new digital operation mode to play a scientific and technological effect to solve employment problems. For pre-prepared dishes of different shapes and sizes, it can accurately count and quickly package. Moreover, its strong adaptability can also form a complete line with other equipment and easily put into packaging production. This equipment shined at the Shanghai International Processing and Packaging Exhibition and was well received by visitors.
Hengli Packaging has always been committed to providing professional packaging equipment and customized packaging technology solutions. It has a certain influence in the field of automated packaging and can customize solutions according to the specific needs of customers to help customers achieve diverse packaging needs.
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