Page 33 - Food&Drink Business Magazine July-August 2020

down – which can lead to inflexibility, wastage and missed opportunity.
“Luminar offers print-on- demand in flexible packaging thanks to the HP Indigo 20000, with which we also print labels.”
BIG AND SMALL
While digital print technology is well suited to the SME market, the craft food and drink businesses, (and for some customers Luminar has become their sole packaging supplier), the company does work with big brands too.
Ellis says, “We welcome opportunities to work with bigger brands that want to innovate. While the hero products might not fit into the digital landscape, but digital is definitely a fit for the innovation department. Many of these big businesses want to create different versions, and we have a role to play there.
“So, rather than having a brand with one product they might want multiple versions of that product to appear, or they may want to test a new product, and test it in
multiple packages.
They may have a
mock-up of 5000,
10,000, or 20,000
pouches, and they
can cost effectively see
what works. These are
all viable runs for digital,
but their current supply
chain may not want to work with this as their systems
may not work at those levels if they are geared up for much longer runs.”
For the craft and bespoke FMCG and food sectors though, Luminar is well placed, and seeing sales increase rapidly. Ellis says, “I set ambitious targets and they are all being exceeded. Sales in flexibles were up by 166 per cent in the year to April. Business overall is up by 44 per cent, it is an exciting time for us.
“I am having more and more conversations with businesses who are surprised to learn they
can order 2000 or 3000 bags. And they can order multiple SKUs within that. And it’s important to note that HP Indigo is the only digital colour printing process that matches gravure quality and is safe for primary food packaging. They are quite happy to hear that there are these opportunities, and suppliers that can offer this capability now. It impacts on their growth plans, as it gives them a flexibility that was not there before.
“We have worked hard on building a business that can offer value to other businesses, I believe in being able to work with a business based on offering value to that business. This is what we are able to do, and this is what excites me.”
The Luminar business is also developing an online transactional model, where customers can order themselves, particularly aimed
at repeat orders, but still meaning that customers do not have to carry stock. The company is also currently building a clean room for food package printing that will have HACCP accreditation.
In flexibles its main products are pouches, sachets, and rewinds. Ellis says, “There is increasing demand, as the industry realises what we can achieve with them. The print quality we produce on the HP Indigo is outstanding, and the flexibility is causing FMCG and food producers to look at new opportunities.”
Luminar is not just working with end-customers though, it also supplies a trade service to other flexible packaging printers. Ellis says, “We enable traditional flexible packaging businesses to offer a new service to their customers. They may have a request for versions, or a test, or mock-ups,
that are just too expensive to put on their presses. That’s where we come in, we can print for them, so they can fully satisfy the needs of their blue-chip customers.
“I think the market has yet to fully realise this opportunity.”
With Luminar’s ability to marry innovative print technology with a clear strategy of seeking to add genuine value to FMCG and food companies, it is little wonder that the company’s growth is surging. ✷
To find out how Luminar can help your brand, contact Matt Ellis on e: matt@luminar.com.au
This article was sponsored by HP. HP invites you to
learn more
through its ebook
and webinar series. hp.com/ go/indigo
PACKAGING | SPONSORED
www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au | July/August 2020 | Food&Drink business | 33