3 minute read
High-quality sustainable food packaging
In this issue of Food & Drink Matters we are pleased to feature Viscose Closures Ltd as our Eco-Friendly Food Packaging Company of the Year.
Viscose has been a leading manufacturer of tamper-evident solutions in the UK for over 125 years, achieving remarkable milestones that have shaped its legacy. Three of these milestones occurred in 2024 when Viscose marked its return to key industry tradeshows for the first time since before COVID-19, re-launched its brand, and launched its online shop. To top off the year, it was named runner-up for SME Manufacturer of the Year at the Swansea Bay Business Awards.
During this period, Emma Blackmore stepped into the role of Managing Director, and the company also made significant investments, upgrading equipment and investing over £500,000 in factory improvements. These enhancements have not only modernised operations and improved working conditions but also safeguarded jobs, retaining highly skilled workers and a loyal local workforce.
To gain further insight into the company’s progress and sales over the past year, we spoke with Seren Pontin, Marketing & Brand Manager.
“We have a fantastic team that delivered improvements across our factory: reduced lead times, increased OTIF and delivered cost savings to allow us to remain competitive. 2024 results were favourable vs forecast and stable YOY with a continuing improvement in EBITDA. Our business has managed to thrive despite the economic challenges of the last few years, and has adapted to the changing packaging needs of consumers.”
“We have also invested £100k in Solar panel technology (2023) - on average 30% of all our electricity is now produced from these. We achieved and maintain BRC AA* grade status in our heat-shrink sleeves department AND we recently started our compostable accreditation journey for our Plastic-free shrink sleeves.”
Viscose’s plastic-free shrink sleeves are among its most popular products, and they are set to launch in Australia following the recent onboarding of an Australian distributor. Seren shared insights into the company’s standout product:
“Demand for sustainable and eco-conscious packaging is at an all-time high. As the world’s only producer of cellulose cut bands, our sleeves are a unique tamper evident packaging solution for eco-conscious producers. Moreover, our sleeves are crafted from sustainable wood pulp, making them biodegradable, and home-compostable. Designed to enhance both product and brand presentation with a superior finish, they also feature a unique heat-free, self-shrinking capability – shrinking at room temperature within an hour. This makes them ideal for heat-sensitive contents while simultaneously reducing energy consumption and costs.”
Viscose may be a small company, but its global impact has been incredible. As agile problem solvers who think outside the box and make quick commercial decisions – which is crucial in FMGG, they trade with over 50 countries and evidently compete with businesses more than three times their size.
Excited for what’s ahead, we asked Seren what can we expect from them in the next few years.
“In the short term, the business is positioned for and focused on growth, we want to take our offering to new markets via additional distributors, growing our online platform and implementing an external sales team.”
“Our biggest project for 2025 is gaining the OK Home Compost accreditation for our Plastic-free shrink sleeves providing additional credibility to allow us to enter new markets. In the longer term, we have several NPD projects that will deliver new services and products to our existing customers.”
For more information, please see below:
T 01792 796393
