From Cabin Crew to Consumer: Enhancing Food Experience With Premium Fibre Packaging

The Changing Face of Food Packaging in India.

The manner in which we consume food has altered - and so has the manner in which we enjoy food.Whether it is in-flight meals at 35,000 feet of altitude or deliveries at the doorstep on a rainy night at Mumbai, the packaging does a silent yet potent job of creating the feel of food.

However, under each meal tray and takeout box, there is an increasing worry, India produces more plastic waste than 9.4 million tonnes of waste every year, 60 percent of which consists of food and beverage packaging (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, 2024).

This has brought about another revolution in design, in which eco-friendly F&B packaging is not an option, but a new rule. Fibmold, the first Indian manufacturer of moulded fibre packaging in aviation, food service, and consumer delivery is at the core of such revolution.

The way the In-Flight Meal sparked a Packaging Evolution.

Fibmold partnered with major airline caterers in 2023 to switch to a high-quality fibre package instead of single-use plastic trays and casserole containers. The outcome was instantaneous, less weight, increased heat retention and a more pleasant meal.

Their aviation casserole trays are of natural fibre pulp:

• Compostable and microwave safe, to the global airline hygienic standards.
• Sealable and stackable so that they can fit on automated filling and sealing lines.
• Good-looking and useful, that is, elegant, present a high-end look, and are made of plastic-free trays.

Switching to the fibre casserole trays of Fibmold saved more than 20 tonnes of plastic waste each year without reducing the efficiency of flight services, as one airline partner reported.
This invention did not long remain in the skies. The same design ethos now drives the packaging of cafes, cloud kitchens and gourmet delivery brands nationwide.

The reason F&B Brands are going to Fibre-Based Luxury.

The food packaging has been considered disposable over the years. However, the modern-day consumer wants a package that fits as well as the food contained in it.

Fibmold way of packaging brings together three important ingredients that the contemporary F&B brands require:

a. Experience First

Its packaging should create a feeling of comfort, concern, and mastery regardless of whether it is a fast meal or a gourmet experience. The smoothness, matte finish and superior forms of Fibmold bring the food experience to an extraordinary level of sensory - even before the first bite.

b. Function Meets Form

The fibre packaging is biodegradable and compostable whereas conventional plastic preserves food. It is also resistant to moisture, oil and heat and can thus be used in packaging lunch boxes, disposable casserole trays and microwaveable compostable trays that are used in restaurants and catering chains.

c. Responsible Luxury

The customers in the fast-developing market of food delivery in India (it is projected to increase to ₹2.5 trillion in 2028) actively prefer sustainable brands. A sustainable F&B packaging is a statement of responsibility with the luxury that is not lost at the expense of sustainability which is the fashion in defining modern dining.

Consequently, F&B packaging no longer concerns itself with convenience alone but a continuation of the soul of the brand.

Restaurant to Retail Continuum: Kitchen to Consumers.

The food culture in India is currently moving through industries, cafes are transformed into packaged brands, kits are mixed with the FMCG and airlines are introducing new standards of sustainability. Fibmold fibre-based solutions in all types make the ride classy, clean, and suitable.

• Restaurants and Cloud kitchen: This is done by custom-shaped moulded fibre trays which are leak-resistant and stack easily when delivering in large volumes.
• Retail FMCG: Instant noodles or dessert fibre cups and inserts with substitutes made of plastic materials have a bagasse packaging that is an exclusive 100 percent compostable short-pack.
• Airline Catering: Lightweight dry and heat tolerant trays are automation, storage and hygienically designed.
• Institutional & Corporate Dining: Compostable food trays allow minimizing waste management issues and preserving a high-quality image.

The design is the same goal of each of the use cases - to make sustainability a seamless process.

Within the Innovation: How Fibmold Designs to Food and Planet.

In the state-of-the-art facility of Fibmold, there is a meeting point between automation and design. All trays, cups, and casseroles are manufactured using plant fibre that is responsibly sourced - bagasse, bamboo, and recycled pulp.

• The production process is based on the closed water system and zero-waste production, and the footprint on the environment is minimal.
• In addition to this, the products of Fibmold are assessed to satisfy the FSSAI and international standards of food contact safety, heat resistance, and biodegradability by the Fibmold R&D department.
• These products are designed to fit in both manual and automated food production lines by combination of advanced thermoforming and pulp-moulding technologies to maintain sustainability that is efficient and scalable.

The Human aspects of Sustainable Packaging.

Fibmold is also assisting brands to reconnect to that relationship without guilt or compromise with eco-friendly FMCG packaging, fibre-based F&B trays, and biodegradable food packaging materials.

Dagger: Conclusion: Serving Sustainability, One Meal at a Time.

• Premium fibre packaging is quietly transforming the Indian culinary experience — from airline kitchens all the way to your dining table.
• It excels in design, longevity, and environmental commitment, helping brands delight customers while protecting the planet.
• Every time you unzip a hot dish or open a sandwich at a café, you may actually be holding the future of Indian packaging innovation.

Change with Fibmold.

Collaborate with Fibmold to transform the food experience of your brand using a sustainable package that feels high quality, works well, and saves the environment.

Learn more about our fibre-based approaches to the aviation casseroles, compostable food trays and FMCG-ready fibre packaging at www.fibmold.com.

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