Reporting

6 months after Baltimore’s bridge collapse, lessons are emerging for a rebuild

By Shefali Kapadia A key feature is missing over the Patapsco River in Baltimore. The water still glistens, and cargo ships still pass by on their way in and out of the port. But the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which had spanned the river since 1977, is no longer there. In March, a container ship crashed into one… Read more
Can canned food outlast competition from flexible plastic alternatives?

By Shefali Kapadia When Sonoco announced plans to acquire European metal packaging specialist Eviosys in a nearly $4 billion deal this summer, the packaging giant made its intentions clear: It was betting big on metal food cans. At a time when novel materials and formats are proliferating in packaging and food companies rely on innovation to drive sales in… Read more
Social media-driven redesigns: Lessons from a packaging pickle

By Shefali Kapadia Consumers on social media were loud and clear about their thoughts on Grillo’s Pickles. They loved the pickles, but hated the packaging. Pickle juice leaked or spilled in the refrigerator, and consumers reported hurt fingers or broken nails when opening the lid, according to Eddie Andre, vice president of branding at Grillo’s… Read more
Meet America’s Best Banks And Credit Unions In Each State 2024

By Shefali Kapadia Leslie Weist knew she was assuming significant risk when she decided to secure a loan two years ago to construct a new building for her small Ohio-based business, Michael Byrne Manufacturing. So, it was critical to be able to count on the financial institution she chose as her lender. Picking the right… Read more
Farmers Aren’t Keeping Up With Oat Milk Demand

By Shefali Kapadia “Oat milk latte!” “Cappuccino with oat milk!” A barista’s voice rises above the clamor of a café, as drinks appear on the counter. Scenes like this play out all across America today, with oat milk rapidly catching up with traditional dairy as a caffeinated beverage staple. The plant-based drink has exploded in… Read more
SKU rationalization is in. What does that mean for packaging partners?

By Shefali Kapadia When Unilever’s new CEO Hein Schumacher took the helm last summer, he was ready to make sweeping changes to the consumer goods giant. One of these actions was reducing the number of SKUs in Unilever’s portfolio. This process, known as SKU rationalization, eliminates the lowest-margin product versions and sizes to improve profitability… Read more