Karunesh Singh discusses emerging beverage trends and Lamipak's innovative packaging solutions for the Gulf and South Asia region

Lamipak, a leading global player in aseptic packaging, has established a significant presence in South Asia and the GCC region. During Gulfood Manufacturing 2024, FoodTechBiz had the opportunity to interview Karunesh Singh, ISU Cluster Head at Lamipak. Singh shared the motivation behind the company's strategic investments and discussed the emerging trends shaping the beverage industry in the region.

FTB: Could you provide an overview of Lamipak's business operations and the scale at which the company operates?

Karunesh Singh: Lamipak is a global food and beverage packaging solutions company, specializing in aseptic beverage cartons. We offer aseptic laminates for both roll and sleeve-fed machines, along with a suite of sustainable packaging options including paper straws and their associated wraps. Along with our high-quality packaging, we offer our customers technical and marketing support to ensure they enjoy problem-free production and success in the marketplace.

We supply aseptic packaging solutions to over 430 customers in 86 countries globally from our two state-of-the-art production facilities in Kunshan-China and Indonesia. Our customer base is diverse and includes some of the biggest global and regional dairy brands as well as emerging and promising brands in the markets where they operate. In 2023, we delivered more than 13 billion packs to our customers worldwide, and we anticipate this number to increase as more customers join us in the coming years.

FTB: Lamipak has established a strong presence in Southeast Asia and Gulf Cooperation Countries. Could you share the strategic reasons behind entering this market?

Karunesh Singh: South Asia represents approximately 25% of the world’s population. And by this metric alone, it made absolute sense for an aseptic packaging company like us with global ambitions to establish a presence here. Over and above this, South Asia has a thriving beverage market. India, the region's largest market, currently consumes over 26 billion liters of white milk annually, with forecasts predicting this volume will climb to approximately 32 billion liters within the next four years.

GCC, on the other hand, represents an exciting new growth frontier. The region’s population has grown rapidly, nearly doubling from 26 million in 1995 to 56 million in 2021. It is expected to reach 66 million by 2030, according to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). This is expected to drive growth in the beverage industry, which is the primary consumer of aseptic cartons. Juice is poised to be one of the largest beneficiaries of this growth, with consumption expected to rise by 116 million liters over the next four years, reaching 609 million liters by 2028.

As Lamipak, we want to assist beverage players in this region to ride this growth wave. The company has strategically grouped all markets in this region into a single operational cluster, referred to as ISU, to streamline its regional approach and leverage synergies across these markets.

FTB: What are the most significant trends shaping the beverage industry today?

Karunesh Singh: Four major trends are shaping the beverage industry: functional benefits, sugar reduction, hydration, and affordability. Consumers are no longer seeking beverages that quench their thirst. They are looking for drinks with additional benefits such as heart and brain health. Within the health trend, we see different generations having different priorities- for Gen Z, improving their fitness level is their number one priority. It will, therefore, actively seek beverages that help them move closer to this goal. On the other end of the generation spectrum, we have the Gen X and Boomers, whose priority currently is beverages that can help them lead longer, quality lives. High protein, however, stands out as an ingredient that transcends the generational gap, remaining highly sought-after by consumers of all ages. As a result, we are witnessing many new product launches featuring high-protein claims, with some products containing as high as 80g of protein per pack.

Sugar is also a significant consumer concern. A recent study asked consumers an open-ended question: ‘What are you looking to avoid in a package? The number one answer was sugar.’ This means sugar reduction will continue to be a top priority in new product launches, and we expect to see more products with zero, no-added, or reduced sugar claims in the beverage category.

Hydration may come as a surprise, but what we are implying in this trend is functional hydration, where consumers are seeking beverages that deliver electrolytes. This has traditionally been common in sports and energy drinks, but we are starting to see a spill over into other categories like juice.

Lastly, affordability remains an issue for many consumers. Although inflation has cooled down, consumers remain very sensitive to beverage prices right now and have no qualms about switching to cheaper alternatives or in-store products.

FTB: With sustainability becoming a critical factor, how is your company innovating to meet the eco-conscious demands of consumers in these categories?

Karunesh Singh: Lamipak has introduced several sustainable innovations, including LamiNatural, our very first eco-friendly product; LamiPure, with a PE-based barrier aseptic carton; and U-shaped paper straws.

LamiNatural is made of bio-based polyethylene (bioPE) and unbleached paperboard. The unbleached paperboard ensures minimal consumption of chemicals while using a bioPE layer, which raises the renewable content to 85% compared to the standard aseptic carton pack. What’s more, its unique structure results in a 10% reduction in carbon footprint compared to the standard pack.

LamiPure, on the other hand, represents a significant leap forward in sustainable packaging. Thanks to its unique structure comprising a proprietary polyethylene barrier, it is easier to recycle than standard aseptic cartons, aligning perfectly with the growing global push toward a circular economy.

Our U-shaped paper straws, produced from 100% recyclable, food-grade paper, have been a timely, sustainable alternative to plastic, particularly in markets like India, where plastic straws are banned.

By switching to our paper straws, customers make a significant contribution to the environment. For one, they are biodegradable, eliminating the risk of ending up in the ocean and harming marine life. Second, they have a 27% lower carbon footprint than plastic straws, which is a meaningful step toward mitigating global warming. We complete the package by offering our customers paper-based wrappers that are not only functional but offer plenty of room for creative designs and endless branding opportunities.

I would also like to stress that all of our aseptic cartons and straws are made from paperboard, sourced from responsibly managed forests certified by PEFC or FSC, making them the ideal sustainable packaging for the beverage industry.

FTB: How are you helping brands position their dairy and juice products as premium offerings through packaging design or functionality?

Karunesh Singh: Our portfolio includes premium packaging designs that provide customers with a competitive edge on the shelf while offering consumers enhanced functionality. Take LamiDiamond for instance. This pack has a distinctive, eight-sided shape and a tall, slim profile, which gives brands a premium look on the shelf. Beyond shelf appeal, the octagonal shape gives it a better grip, making it the ideal modern, stand-out package for on-the-go consumption and at-home functionality.

LamiGemina stands out as the tallest of our 1000 ml packages and comes with a distinctive top that resembles a chilled "gable top" package, making it difficult to miss on crowded shelves. Its seamless, edgeless design space spans all sides, offering ample room for creative graphics and unlimited branding possibilities.

Other packs in our premium portfolio include LamiEdge, which has a unique slanted shape that provides great shelf impact – and brand differentiation, and LamiLeaf, which has extra panels for bold designs. We plan to further extend our premium portfolio in the coming years with additional roll and sleeve-fed machine options to meet the diverse needs of our customers.

FTB: Lamipak recently participated in Gulfood Manufacturing. What were your key objectives for attending the event, and how well did the outcomes align with your expectations?

Karunesh Singh: Gulfood Manufacturing is one of the most influential and comprehensive trade events for the food and beverage manufacturing industry in the Middle East.  

As an exhibitor, it provided a unique opportunity to connect with key industry players, establish new partnerships, and gain valuable insights into emerging trends and technologies in food manufacturing.

Our stall drew strong interest, particularly with new product launches like LamiSleeve, LamiNatural & LamiPure that align with the growing demand in the Middle East for sustainable packaging and innovative processing solutions. We believe our positive engagements with innumerable visitors, some of whom represent key beverage players in the region, will lead to stronger business partnerships in the future.

FTB: What are Lamipak's long-term goals for South Asia and Gulf countries, and how do you plan to expand your presence in the coming years?

Karunesh Singh: Our long-term goal is to become the preferred aseptic packaging solutions for dairy and juice players in these regions. We are confident in our ability to achieve this goal, thanks to the exceptional quality of our packaging and the added value we provide through comprehensive technical and marketing support.

We are also making significant R&D investments to further extend our premium pack portfolio with additional roll and sleeve-fed options. LamiSleeve, which we recently launched, will become available in 21 sizes across four different formats once the production reaches full capacity. This will help us attract more customers to the sleeve-fed technology and move us closer to achieving our goal as the preferred aseptic packaging supplier globally.