Is Packaged Foods A Good Career Path? Let’s Resolve The Riddle

January 18, 2024 Packaging Stats

The demand and consumption of frozen and fast food has increased as never before. People, in their busy routines, prefer ready-to-eat foods as no one has time to spend hours in the preparation of food. This high food demand has led to a surge in the demand for custom food packaging.

The need for food packaging experts has also increased providing a good career path to the people. Food packaging expert is a brighter career that can be started even after high school. Packaging is required to increase food safety and to cast a positive impression on the customers.

Only a packaging expert or packaging engineer can create such packaging that will be sustainable, attractive, and sturdy. People who want to join the food industry as packaging engineers, food inspectors, or scientists can start an excellent career with an impressive income.

What Is Custom Packaging?

Different foods have different requirements, to make the boxes as per the specific needs of the food items custom packaging is used. For fast foods, fast food packaging boxes are used. In the same manner, for frozen foods custom frozen food packaging is manufactured. The packaging requirement for fully cooked food is different from the packaging of partially or uncooked food.

That is why most of the food processing units get boxes customized to the needs of the product and the standard of their company. This customization facility allows the brands to give high-end protection to their food so that it remains fit for human consumption.

Furthermore, brands get custom-printed boxes to obtain maximum benefits for themselves. For instance, a pizza-selling company will get pizza slice boxes printed with their logo. That printed logo will help them promote themselves and give an identity to their product.

How Packaged Food Is A Good Career Path?

The demand for food packaging is directly proportional to the scope of the packaging career. Companies want their food product packed in quality packaging that is not only food-grade but also low in cost. To identify packaging having all the desired features the expertise of a packaging expert or engineer is required.

This requirement for experts makes food packaging a promising career. Only an expert knows what mandatory features pie boxes must have. An expert can identify what chemicals in the packaging can spoil the quality of food and how this spoilage can be prevented. If you are thinking of starting your career in the food manufacturing sector then get excited as you are going to enjoy the best income per annum.

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What Career Roles Does the Food Packaging Sector Provide?

There are multiple career roles that the food packaging sector can provide. From the quality assurance of the food ingredients to the quality assurance of the packaging, all are done by an expert. In the US economy, the share of the food industry is 5-6 % which means this sector can provide better career opportunities. Not only for packaging but also for the manufacturing of food, experts are required.

Below are some of the career choices that the food industry sector provides:

Food Inspector:

This person is responsible for examining food for any kind of contamination. A food inspector also conducts audits for the company.

Batch Mixer:

Every good food industry has a perfect ingredient concentration. Any minor change in the ingredients’ concentration leads to a change in the product taste, to prevent this change a batch mixer is required that weighs the ingredients, maintains their concentration, and also keeps the manufacturing area organized.

Oven Operators:

This person has the sole duty of running and maintaining the ovens. An over-operator makes sure that the temperature of the ovens remains at a pre-defined temperature to prevent under or over-cooking of the food.

Food Scientist:

A food scientist is responsible for the quality assurance of the food. This person tastes the food to check flavor consistency, food color, etc. He also checks the food hygiene and identifies if any adulterant is present in the food.

Packaging Designers:

Packaging designer, designs the boxes, and gives them a desirable, convenient, and protective shape.

ISO 9000 And Food Packaging

The International Organization for Standardization is a set of quality standards that give quality assurance and management laws to companies all around the world. It is compulsory to follow all the standards set by ISO 9000 to give quality products and packaging.

These sets of rules are technicalities that a technical person can comprehend. People with ISO 9000-certified diplomas play a very important role in manufacturing companies to make sure nothing goes out of the way. So if you want to kick start your career in this domain you just have to get a diploma in ISO-9000 certification.

ISO 9000 And Packaging Engineers

Packaging engineers must understand ISO 9000 to manufacture packaging that can keep the product safe, fulfill all legal obligations, and sustainability criteria. As a packaging engineer, you will have the following responsibilities

Product Manufacturing
Product Marketing
Material and technicalities of packaging
Communication graphics
Understanding of changing trends

FSC-Approved Packaging

The Forest Stewardship Council manages the forests to ensure their sustainable use. The resources of an FSC-approved forest are managed to promote sustainable packaging. With the increased demand for eco-friendly packaging solutions, there is an increase in the opportunities for persons who know how to abide by FSC legalities, and sustainable development goals, while keeping the packaging budget in control.

The Future Of Food Packaging

The demand for ready-to-eat food has increased due to the surge in the working class. The imminent future forecasts that the number of working-class people will further increase and so does the need for ready-to-eat food.

This increase in food demand will intensify the demand for packaging. According to global market insights, custom packaging will hold a share of 3.03 trillion dollars in the world’s economy. In the USA alone, the custom packaging business is growing at a rate of 3.97 % and currently, it is expected that by 2029 its packaging business will expand to 244.17 billion dollars.

What Are The Requirements For Food Packaging

What Are The Requirements For Food Packaging?

After understanding the importance of food packaging in paving a bright career path you are certainly excited to start your career in this domain. Before starting anything, you must understand certain pieces of informal information about your packaging.

Robustness:

Food packaging must be made from a robust packaging material so that the packed items remain secure. The robustness of the material is not only for the protection of the physical aspect of the food but also for the texture, taste, and color of the food.

Food-Grade:

The material that can be used to manufacture food packaging must be food-grade. This is because if you neglect the food-grade nature of the material you may spoil your food with chemical contamination.

Cost:

The cost of food packaging is a significant factor to consider. Material, printing, manufacturing, and additional customization must be selected carefully keeping in mind the budget of your company. For instance, you can not use rigid material for burger boxes as it will increase the cost of burgers too, so cardboard and Kraft will be a better option.

Final Words!

Many youngsters question, “Is packaged food a good career path or not?” so the answer is yes. The advancement in this career depends upon the expertise of the individual. From basic to technical all kinds of opportunities are there in the custom food packaging business. You just have to understand and identify which sector comes under your interest and then choose the job role accordingly.