Why More Food & Beverage Brands are Turning to Plastic Injection Molding Companies Over Glass Containers

Food and beverage brands have a wide range of materials to choose from when it comes to packaging materials. But with all those options on the table, plastic and glass remain the two most popular options. Since the 1990s, plastic has passed glass as the most commonly used packaging material. However, as a leader in your organization, are you sure that plastic is the right option for your products? This article is intended to help food and beverage C-Suite personnel learn about the benefits when you work with plastic injection molding companies in place of those who manufacture glass containers. 

Data Favors Plastic Injection Molding Companies

Industry reports show that plastic injection molding companies are the clear winner over glass. A 2021 Food Packaging Forum report revealed that plastic dominates the market share of food storage materials with a stake of 37%, while glass remained in the dust at third place with only 11%.  Further data revealed that the decision to partner with a plastic injection molding company was predicated on several benefits that this article will further explore. 

Plastic Injection Molding is More Affordable than Glass

Plastic is significantly more affordable than glass when it comes to food storage containers in fact, plastic costs four times less than glass. In addition, plastic containers are faster to produce, require less machining, and fewer team members are needed during each stage of the manufacturing process. In fact, rapid prototyping is more cost effective when plastic injection molding for food storage is used, and as such most plastic injection molding companies, like Laszeray, can complete projects at the highest level, while staying under budget, and while delivering on time. 

A Longer Shelf Life Makes Plastic Injection Molding More Attractive to Brands

A good brand is always looking for ways to present solutions to common problems faced by consumers, and one of the biggest components in the arena of food storage is that glass has a small shelf life since it easily breaks. While a basic glass container can’t survive a fall from a kitchen counter to the floor or ripping through a sack lunch onto the pavement (glass containers can even crack when they clank against each other, making them unsafe to use), plastic on the other hand can take a beating, as it has high impact resistance. In fact, plastic injection molding companies can use a specific type of plastic that is so durable that it can survive a car backing over a container. Food brands love to use plastic containers because the option is more popular across a wide range of customer personas they are targeting. This reason, alone, makes working with plastic injection molding companies so ideal. 

Plastic Injection Molding Companies Produce Space-Saving Products

Consumers crave kitchen space, and when a manufacturing process enables consumers to have extra kitchen space, the benefit will make the option a clear winner. Glass food containers cannot be safely stacked; they can nick each other and cause cracks or tiny glass shards making their use unsafe. This means they need to sit flat on the bottom of a shelf making vertical space a waste. On the other hand, plastic food containers can be stacked from the bottom of a shelf to the top, and this frees up a ton of space for cookware, appliances, and other items. 

Plastic Food Containers are Lightweight

Glass food containers can weigh 10 times more than plastic containers. The last thing someone wants is having unnecessary weight added to the backpack, gym bag, or sack lunch. One’s lifestyle is so much better “on the go” when they have less weight to carry around, and plastic injection molding companies can fulfill a need that is widely expressed by consumer groups. Food brands understand that their profitability is greater when their appeal amongst consumers is greater than the competition. That said, sending a product to market that is lightweight and highly attractive to your buyers will give you that competitive edge and help you hit your company’s revenue and growth goals while other competitors are weighed down by heavy, bulky glass containers that waste away untouched on bargain basement retail shelves. 

Plastic injection Molding Companies Seldom Make Products that Get Resold to Bargain Chain Stores

Ever go to big chain bargain stores like Ross or Marshalls, and visit the housewares section? You can find a plethora of glass food storage containers in all shapes and sizes for more than 50% off the standard retail price. But how often do you see high-quality plastic food containers in these stores? You probably haven’t, and the reason is simple: people buy them; they are willing to pay a low full price for something that adds value to their life.

When discount chain stores stock their shelves they never buy directly from the manufacturer; they buy their product from other retail stores that have overstock issues since people simply aren’t willing to pay asking retail price for a product they view as inferior. When stores sell their overstock items to these discount brands, they lose roughly 70% of the sale value, but they know that recouping 30% is better than 0. Once retailers are forced to do this, then cancel their purchasing agreements with suppliers, and this can kill your bottom line. As a result, savvy food brands are partnering with plastic injection molding companies because they know they will be able to move product at full asking, remain profitable, and continue to evolve and grow as an organization. 

Call Laszeray; the Leader of Plastic Injection Molding Companies

Now that you have a firmer understanding of the benefits in working with plastic injection molding companies, call Laszeray for a quote regarding your upcoming project. All plastic injection molding and design operations are performed in-house, right here in America, by the best teams of people in the industry.