Finalists have been announced for the 2024 Australasian Packaging Innovation & Design (PIDA) Awards. With 15 categories and almost 50 entries the packaging sector awards, and 20 individuals in the packaging professional and scholarship awards, judges have a formidable task ahead.
For the full rundown of finalists, visit our sister title PKN Packaging News.
The PIDA Awards are designed to recognise companies and individuals who are making a significant difference in their field across Australia and New Zealand. Award winners in select categories are then eligible for entry into the prestigious 2025 WorldStar Packaging Awards competition run by the World Packaging Organisation (WPO).
The PIDA awards is the exclusive feeder program for ANZ for the WorldStars and in recent years this region has punched well above its weight, regularly placing in the Top 3 spots ahead of many major markets.
PIDA CATEGORIES
The Packaging Innovation & Design of the Year company awards recognise organisations that have designed innovative packaging within six categories:
Food Packaging Design;
Beverage Packaging Design;
Health, Beauty & Wellness Packaging;
Domestic & Household Packaging;
Labelling & Decoration; and
Outside of the Box.
There are also four special awards:
Marketing Design;
Accessible & Inclusive Design;
Save Food Packaging Design; and
Sustainable Packaging Design.
The individual categories are:
Industry Packaging Professional of the Year;
Young Packaging Professional of the Year;
ABA Scholarship – Diploma in Packaging Technology;
ABA Scholarship – Certificate in Packaging; and a new category
Packaging Technologist of the Year.
PKN and Food & Drink Business, the exclusive media partners for the PIDA Awards, have packaged up the full list of finalists for you below:
Food Packaging Design
The Food Packaging Design of the Year award recognises organisations that have designed innovative packaging and/or materials within food packaging and processing including fresh, frozen or other. This is a WorldStar Packaging General Award category.
Bars To Paper Wrap: Mars Wrigley Australia
The finalists are:
Amorette Premium Mandarins Paper Bag: Costa Group & The Packaging Hippie
Bars To Paper Wrap: Mars Wrigley Australia
Deli Cuts: Don Smallgoods
Gippsland Dairy Twist Yoghurt 160g: Chobani
Koor: koor by Jean-Francois Roiron
Masterfoods Squeezy PET Sauce bottles: Wellman Packaging & Mars Food
Prime100 pet food in Tetra Recart: Tetra Pak
Woolworths Pad-free rPET Trays with 'Leave Attached' Film for kerbside recycling: Pact Group, Woolworths & Hilton Foods
Beverage Packaging Design
The Beverage Packaging Design of the Year award recognises organisations that have designed innovative packaging and/or materials within packaging and processing for liquid or dry tea, coffee, water and soft drinks including wine, beer and spirits. This is a WorldStar Packaging General Award category.
The finalists are:
PIDA 2024 finalist Beverage Packaging Design and Sustainable Packaging Design – Starward Nova: Starward
Aqueous Ripple Paper Coffee Cup - Truly Eco: Pinnacle Packaging
Elephant in the Room 1.5L Bagnum Range: Fourth Wave Wine & Auspouch
Fleurieu Milk Company - Refillable Glass Bottle: Cutler Brands
Plastic-Free Plant Fibre Sipper Lid & Reclosable Lid: BioPak
Starward Nova: Starward
Thermocup: Wellman Packaging
Labelling & Decoration Design
The Labelling & Decoration Design of the Year award is designed to recognise the addition of content to a pack which creates a unique or innovative appearance, function or communication. This may include labels, sleeves, tags, coding/markings, etching, directly applied inks or by any other similar process. This is a WorldStar Packaging General Award category.
PIDA 2024 finalist Labelling & Decoration Design – Sealed Air Personalised Smart Pouch: SEE New Zealand
The finalists are:
A’kin: Katie McManus & McPherson’s
Art Series and Indigenous Art Series BioCups: BioPak
Sealed Air Personalised Smart Pouch: SEE New Zealand
Whistler - Avian Intelligence Birdfood Range for Fibrecycle: Zipform Packaging
Marketing Design
PIDA 2024 Marketing Design Finalist - Premium Grapes Paper Bunch Bag: Costa Group & The Packaging Hippie
Packaging can elicit emotional responses in consumers and should be seen as your best form of marketing. The right packaging design and eye-catching aesthetics can create emotional stimuli that ensures a brand is purchased. The Marketing Design of the Year award considers not only primary packaging, but also secondary and tertiary packaging designs. This is a WorldStar Packaging Special Award category.
The finalists are:
EzyPour + Refill: Thankyou & Caps and Closures
Premium Grapes Paper Bunch Bag: Costa Group & The Packaging Hippie
Accessible & Inclusive Design
The Accessible & Inclusive Packaging Design Special Award is designed to recognise packaging that is accessible, intuitive, easy-to-open and innovative. Accessible & Inclusive Packaging Design needs to include measuring techniques, understanding injuries caused by packaging and consumer satisfaction levels with packaging accessibility. This is a WorldStar Packaging Special Award category.
The finalists are:
Deli Cuts: Don Smallgoods
EzyLug + Coconut Oil: Melrose & Caps and Closures
Save Food Packaging Design
PIDA 2024 finalist in 3 categories: Food Packaging Design, Accessible & Inclusive Design and Save Food Packaging Design – Deli Cuts: Don Smallgoods
The Save Food Packaging Design Special Award is designed to recognise companies that are working to minimise or prevent food waste from paddock to plate using innovative and intuitive design features that can contain and protect, preserve and extend shelf life; all the while meeting global sustainable packaging targets. This is a WorldStar Packaging Special Award category.
The finalists are:
Cryovac Flexprep Portion Dispensing Pouches for McDonald`s Australia: SEE
Deli Cuts: Dons Smallgoods
Dutch Cream Potatoes Red Gem: Red Gem Packers and Growers & The Packaging Hippie
Ezylug + Coconut Oil: Melrose & Caps and Closures
Naked Rivals: Naked Rivals
Sustainable Packaging Design
The Sustainable Packaging Design of the Year award is designed to recognise companies that have developed innovative packaging or processing solutions that incorporates sustainability considerations. Elements include Social, Material, Source Reduction, Energy and Recovery. This is a WorldStar Packaging Special Award category.
PIDA 2024 finalist Sustainable Packaging Design – Maggi Mug Noodles 4 Pack - Chicken and Beef Flavour: Nestlé Australia
The finalists are:
Australian-Made Post-Consumer Recycled Content Postage Satchel: Close the Loop
Birds Eye Steamfresh 750g: Simplot Australia
Bunzl Workwear Packaging: Bunzl Safety and Lifting
Don Smallgoods 100% rPET Tray: VERIX & Martogg Group
EPS Replacement Prawn Carton: Tassal Group & Visy Industries
Green Action Dishwashing Liquid 500ml: TrendPac
Home Compostable Container Range: BioPak
Korrvu Retention for Australia Post: SEE & Australia Post
Liquipure Ultra for The Muse Wine Company: SEE
Maggi Mug Noodles 4 Pack - Chicken and Beef Flavour: Nestlé Australia
Masterfoods Squeezy Pet Sauce Bottles: Mars Food & Wellman Packaging
PREP - Designing For The Circular Economy: PREP Design
Purex: Essity New Zealand, supplied by TC Transcontinental New Zealand
QV Face Range: Ego Pharmaceuticals
Starward Nova: Starward
Strike Pro Cleaner refill pods: Woolworths
Thermocup: Wellman Packaging
Woolworths Pad-free rPET Trays with ‘Leave Attached” Film for kerbside recycling: Pact Group, Woolworths & Hilton Foods
Woolworths Spring Water Bottles 600ml X 24 Pack: Nu-Pure Beverages & Woolworths Food Company
Woolworths uncoloured milk lids: Woolworths
Industry Packaging Professional of the Year
2024 Industry Packaging Professional of the Year Award is designed to recognise and acknowledge the outstanding achievements and contribution by an individual currently working within the packaging industry in Australia and New Zealand. The judges look for individuals who have demonstrated vision and leadership, shows innovation and not afraid to take risks. This award is for significant and continued contribution of an Individual to the industry over a minimum period of 20 years.
George Sofocleous, managing director, Pinnacle Packaging
Mark Kerr, packaging manager, Don KRC
Young Packaging Professional of the Year
The purpose of the Young Packaging Professional of the Year Award is to provide incentive and recognition to young professionals who are both currently working in and wish to continue their career path within the packaging industry in both Australia and New Zealand. This can be within any industries such as Food, Beverage, Health, Beauty & Wellness, Domestic & Household.
The finalists are:
Curtis Wakeley, structural designer, Blue Star New Zealand
Hamish Hingston, chief executive officer, ICEE Technology Group
Pippa Corry, founder & director, Philo & Co
Dr Ruby Chan, project researcher, RMIT
Packaging Technologist of the Year
The Packaging Technologist of the Year Award is designed to recognise and acknowledge the outstanding achievements and contribution by an individual currently working within the packaging industry across Australia, New Zealand & Asia.
The finalists are:
Christopher Cester, packaging specialist, Flavour Makers
Conny Gibson, packaging specialist, Woolworths
Nicholas Campbell, general manager operations & technical, Wellman Packaging
The Australasian Bioplastics Association (ABA), in partnership with the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP), is pleased to offer an annual Scholarship Program for Australia and New Zealand. The Scholarship Program will enable one eligible candidate the opportunity to undertake a Diploma in Packaging Technology, and a second person the opportunity to undertake a Certificate in Packaging.
Sustainable packaging achievements were recognised at the APCO Annual Awards in Sydney last night. The event celebrated organisations, and individuals, driving change towards the 2025 National Packaging Targets and beyond. PKN was there.
Adamantem Capital is bidding to acquire Close the Loop Group. The board has recommended the offer, and is realigning itself, with CEO Joe Foster stepping down from the board, as are the chairman and CFO. Foster will become chief operating officer at the company.
In one of the biggest deals ever undertaken by an ASX-listed business, Amcor is acquiring US-based Berry Group in an all-stock merger, in a move that will create a consumer and healthcare packaging business with 400 operating plants around the world.
