The goal is to strengthen expansion in the Middle East and Africa markets through technology that is perfectly aligned with local industry needs and a growth strategy that takes into account the specific cultural, economic, and regulatory dynamics of each country.
Evolution of the MEA food market: opportunities and challenges
In 2023, the food market in the MEA region reached a value of $277.9 billion, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 3% until 2028. The main categories include baked goods, cereals, and dairy, with the bakery and cereals sector recording the largest share in 2023. The primary distribution channels were hypermarkets and supermarkets, while flexible packaging dominated. [Source: GlobalData]
The food industry in the region continues to evolve, with increasing emphasis on health and wellness, as well as demand for sustainable packaging. These trends are encouraging industry players to develop appropriate packaging solutions. Coesia Group companies are at the forefront of meeting these needs with integrated, highly customized solutions designed to address the ever-evolving challenges of the global market.
Coesia Companies in food packaging bring innovation and synergy
Among the companies specializing in food packaging, Volpak stands out for developing HFFS (Horizontal Form Fill Seal) machines for flexible packaging, particularly focusing on the food and dairy sectors. Its portfolio includes solutions for packaging products like tomato paste, sauces, dried fruits, rice, and dairy. Local demands have led Volpak to develop high-speed machines for packaging liquid and semi-liquid products, such as juices, offering various pouch reclosure options.
ACMA, a leader in consumer goods packaging for over a hundred years, serves the food industry with a particular focus on the Confectionery sector, which is growing in the MEA region. The company offers primary packaging solutions with Flow Pack machines – for snacks, bars, baked goods (e.g., cookies, brioches), pre-packaged products (e.g., lasagna), and flat-base confectionery – and Fold Wrapping machines for chocolate pralines and candies, providing the ability to handle multiple wrapping styles. The local market also includes companies in the liquid food sector, such as edible oils. For this reason, ACMA has developed a specific bottle-filling platform that emphasizes flexibility, allowing for the filling of bottles or containers of various types and sizes, with multiple capping systems, while also enabling quick format changes.
FlexLink, another key player in the Coesia Group, is a reference in the production of conveyors for food handling. With configurable and modular systems, FlexLink optimizes production lines, increasing efficiency in processing and packaging operations. This translates into higher Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and faster Return on Investment (ROI).
PWR, a new addition to the Coesia family, specializes in robotic automated packaging systems for the food industry, supporting Bakery, Confectionery, Snacks, and Pet Food segments. PWR enhances Coesia’s offering with automated packaging solutions based on robotics, improving productivity and flexibility.
Finally, Norden offers solutions for filling tubes, cartons, boxes, and tray packaging, focusing on the final stages of production. Its solutions ensure traceability, precision, and load stabilization.
Integrated food packaging solutions: The Coesia Model
Being part of the Coesia Group, alongside a pool of companies mastering different technologies, offers significant advantages, including the ability to design integrated production lines. Coesia can cover all stages of the packaging process with cutting-edge solutions: from primary packaging to end-of-line management, including advanced handling and automated transfer systems.
From packaging and wrapping to pouching, filling, and cartoning, to automated production flow and robotics, the technological range includes automatic machines and integrated solutions for primary and secondary packaging. Cutting-edge product handling and palletizing solutions complete full-cycle automation, effectively meeting the growing demands of the food market. Thanks to shared know-how, food industry companies will not only have access to a wide range of technologies but will also be better equipped to tackle market challenges.
Info about Coesia
Coesia, with its headquarters based in Bologna, Italy, consists of a group of companies specializing in highly innovative industrial and packaging solutions. Coesia’s companies are leaders in the fields of advanced automatic machines, packaging materials, industrial process solutions, and precision gears. Coesia’s customers operate in a wide range of industries such as aerospace, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, electronics, healthcare, automotive, tobacco, food and beverage, consumer, and luxury goods.
