UK lidding specialist makes inroads into SA market

According to research by Euromonitor International, South Africa’s ready meals sector is dominated by retailers’ private label brands, providing a choice of products at a variety of price points. Future sales growth is expected to be driven by middle-income consumers who seek innovative products to complement their busy lifestyles – and this is where KM’s expertise comes in. The company is poised to take advantage of the increasing popularity of convenience foods in South Africa.

KM revolutionised the ready meals industry with lidding film for aluminium foil trays in the late 1990s, and has since led the way in the development of class-leading lidding solutions for a wide variety of other tray materials including A-PET, C-PET and even lacquered materials. Having pioneered packaging solutions for freezable and ovenable meals, KM is now turning its expertise to more diverse markets including fresh products such as meat, fruit and vegetables.

According to the company’s commercial director, Graham Holding, the ready meal sector started to take off in the 1990s – attributable in part to KM’s devising the ideal lidding solution to achieve a premium look at a less-than-premium cost. ‘South Africa’s retailers took a little while to catch on but demand for quality convenience food is now rocketing – especially as the packaging becomes lighter and more eco-friendly,’ he says.

‘We work closely with major suppliers of all types of tray and heat sealing machinery, to ensure that products progress technically as the needs of the farmer, food manufacturer and retailer become more complex. Sophisticated, home-made-style ready meals and pre-packed meat and veg are exactly what the South African consumers are snapping up,’ he adds.

For more information visit www.kmpack.co.uk.