Mondelez's Vishal Poojara talks resins in packaging at IFCA
Vishal Poojara, AP sourcing manager, flexibles, and AMEA packaging sustainability lead at Mondelez India, highlighted the importance of chemically recycled resin in the packaging industry, which is the primary request of most brand owners today. He shared that one of the positive developments he could think of was the recycled content in their films.
03 Jan 2025 | 948 Views | By Prabhat Prakash
IFCA hosted its annual awards on 13 December 2024 in Mumbai. The awards recognised various industry stakeholders for their work in different packaging domains. The awards function also served as a platform where industry leaders gathered to share developments in the industry, the transformation the sector is undergoing, the challenges, and the way forward.
In his address, Vishal Poojara, AP sourcing manager, flexibles, and AMEA packaging sustainability lead at Mondelez India, thanked the industry for its ongoing efforts. Speaking from Mondelez’s perspective, he said, “You ensure that the product on the shelf gets picked up by the consumer, and you are the first impression of the product once they open it.”
He added that packaging is the first impression of the product for the consumer, and it is a creation of the packaging industry.
Emphasising that the industry is striving to be the best and that there are times when being the best can be the enemy of the good. Poojara shared that the industry is moving towards a closed-loop economy from a circular economy, and it should focus on the good things that already exist and work towards improving them.
Poojara remarked, “One of the good things that I can think of is the recycled content in our films.”
He highlighted the importance of chemically recycled resin in the packaging industry, noting that this is the request of most brand owners in today’s world. Given the recent regulations, particularly in the Western world, packaging associations need to step up and work towards ensuring the sector moves in the direction of chemically recycled resins.
He concluded, “As brand owners, we would be looking forward to such good things—if not the best things that are already available—and then work towards getting better and better.”
Mondelez India in October 2024 launched the Lighthouse Project in Goa, a five-year initiative in association with the Goa State Pollution Control Board and the Mapusa Municipal Council to redirect 1000-metric tonnes of plastic waste. The initiative intends to address key waste management challenges and contribute to a circular economy.
Saica Group and Mondelez International have collaborated to launch a new paper-based product for the confectionery, biscuits, and chocolate markets. The paper-based packaging has been designed to be recyclable in the paper waste stream. This initiative is part of Mondelez International’s efforts to pack light and right. The company also intends to reduce the usage of virgin plastic in rigid plastic packaging by at least 25% and in all plastic packaging by 5% in 2025.