CAIRO: Food processing and packaging solutions company Tetra Pak held its third annual Innovation Day to share with the Egyptian food industry the recent technologies and expertise it uses globally. More than 80 customers attended the conference such as Juhyana, Faragalla, Beyti, Arab Dairy, Domty, Danone, Best, Heinz, Obour Land and Al Masreen. This year, the conference focused on portfolio innovations for future growth, it included a condensed agenda with six speakers from 5 different countries covering; Value Adding Innovations, The 21st Century alternative for Canned Food Products, Cheese Innovations, and Packaging Design Trends. The Exhibition hall was set up to include six different sections: Product Tasting, Design Trends, Portfolio Innovations, Cheese Innovations, and Loose Milk Conversion. The main highlight of the exhibition area was the sampling booth which had samples from around the world. Customers had the chance to taste different flavors of products and get all information they needed about these products. Anders Lindgren, managing director of Tetra Pak Egypt, delivered a welcoming speech at the beginning of the conference. "This year's event came amidst our celebration with our 30th anniversary in Egypt, we still believe in the strength and solidity of the Egyptian Economy, that's why we were keen as our habit annually to share our expertise in packaging technologies with our customers in the Egyptian market. We will continue in meeting the rising demand for safe and nutritious food.” He added, “We are determined on doing what we do well and building on our 30 years of experience in the Egyptian market. We believe innovation is to find new ways to satisfy customers, then he concluded that “the best way to predict the future is to create it,” and that is why innovation is one of Tetra Pak's strategic priorities. On another note, Per Sundelin, Tetra Pak Egypt's marketing and portfolio management director, stated, “We hope the Innovation day was inspiring to our customers and helped create a clearer picture for the future.” He also mentioned that knowing consumers drives and needs is a key to creating more appealing products. It is worth noting that Tetra Pak led different initiatives on the social side, one of which was the “The National Campaign for Milk and Dairy Products safety,” that has been launched in 2009 under the auspices of the Ministry of Health and in cooperation with key dairy producers. The campaign was meant to deep root the health benefits of the packed milk and dairy products compared to the hazards of the loose milk. Other initiatives include recycling initiatives in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment. A recent study issued by the ministry proved that each recycled ton of remnants provide six job opportunities, reduced unemployment rate and enhances the Egyptian economy. –Daily News Egypt
