All you need to package your products

Bidvest Data, Print & Packaging provides an array of products and services that are represented in six main categories, including packaging and labelling. The group is committed to delivering efficient and cost-effective solutions to customers while championing ethical and sustainable business practices. These principles extend to the packaging companies within the group, which include Aluminium Foil Converters, Lufil Packaging, Rotolabel, S&N Labels, Masterpack Gauteng and Masterpack Cape, Sprint Packaging and Green Home.

Aluminium Foil Converters

This formidable niche business boasts a wealth of experience in the aluminium foil, film and paper flexible packaging industry. Founded in 1982, Aluminium Foil Converters (AFC) has become the preferred supplier of lidding, closures and wrapping to a range of leading national brands in the dairy, general food, wine and beverage, pharmaceutical, confectionery and agro chemical industries. AFC offers flexographic and gravure printing, laminating, punching, embossing, guillotining and slitting.

AFC is committed to controlling food safety hazards to ensure that its food and pharmaceutical packaging is fully compliant and safe. The company is accredited with ISO 22000:2018 quality food safety management system certifications.

AFC believes in a partnership with its customers whereby valid or reasonable recommendations are adopted with the intention of enhancing food safety for the end user. A pleasant outcome is that customers who audit AFC generally provide positive comments.

Lufil Packaging

This packaging manufacturer has carved a niche for itself by offering a comprehensive range of packaging products tailored for the fast-food segment. Lufil Packaging’s unique positioning allows brands to source all their packaging needs from a single supplier, setting it apart from competitors.

The company’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its approach to demonstrating the circular economy for recycling, ensuring that if a product is not repulpable, then it is biodegradable. Lufil Packaging has also made significant strides in introducing environmentally friendly products. The company now exclusively procures FSC certified materials. In the past, some suppliers struggled to achieve FSC status, but through strategic partnerships, Lufil has helped them become certified. Currently, 90% of Lufil’s products are environmentally friendly, with a strong focus on reaching 100%.

To maintain its FSC and FSSC 22000 V5.1 Food Safety Management System certifications, Lufil has appointed a dedicated quality and food safety manager, who stays updated with any updates to these standards and promptly implements necessary changes in the management system.

By joining the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system a year ago, Lufil proactively adapted to changes in environmental legislation and market demands. The company reports to Fibre Circle, a Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO), and holds a certificate of good standing from the PRO, affirming its commitment to producing sustainable products.

Lufil is on the brink of launching several exciting projects. One notable development is the creation of an aqueouscoated paper to replace the poly-coated paper currently used for takeaway chicken bags. The launch of this new material is expected in a few months. It will be recyclable, unlike the existing product. Lufil will also begin supplying a large pharmaceutical chain with prescription paper bags from early next year, replacing the plastic bags currently in use.

S&N Labels

A prominent name in the packaging industry, S&N Labels specialises in converting self-adhesive labels and tags. Its extensive product range includes thermal transfer ribbons, price marking guns, tagging tools, and servicing of printers and price marking guns.

Quality is at the heart of S&N Labels’ operations. The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified, underscoring its commitment to maintaining high standards. By sourcing products from the most reliable raw material suppliers, S&N Labels ensures consistent product quality, giving customers confidence in their purchases.

S&N Labels is renowned for its ability to supply high volumes of labels within the required lead times, particularly in the blank label space. This efficiency is made possible by its investment in some of the best machinery in the industry, which enables the business to meet customer demands swiftly and effectively. Sustainability is a key focus for S&N Labels. The company is FSC certified, reflecting its commitment to the future of our planet. The company continuously seeks ways to reduce waste and recycle as much inbound packaging as possible. Additionally, S&N Labels has minimised the use of plastic cores in its rolls of labels, opting for paper alternatives where feasible.

Masterpack Cape

Masterpack Cape stands as a beacon of excellence in the realm of primary and secondary food packaging. This commitment to quality is underpinned by its BRCGS certification. The company’s adherence to stringent standards is also supported by its Mellow Colour Impression-Proof and Proficient Printer Certifications, ensuring that every product meets the highest benchmarks of quality and consistency. Furthermore, Masterpack Cape holds a AA+ British Retail Consortium (BRC) food packaging safety certification, reflecting the company’s rigorous quality management practices. The AA+ rating is particularly noteworthy as it can only be awarded during unannounced audits. Its recent 2024 audit has set the stage for the eagerly awaited renewal of this prestigious certification, with the next unannounced audit scheduled for 2025.

Sustainability is a cornerstone of this business. In addition to its longstanding FSC certification, the company recently achieved Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) status. This dual certification ensures that all raw materials are sourced sustainably and responsibly. Furthermore, Masterpack’s Fibre Circle EPR programme membership reinforces its commitment to environmental stewardship, promoting sustainable practices across the entire supply chain.

As a commitment to innovation and customer service, Masterpack Cape will be boosting its production capabilities with the installation of its first six-colour UV press. This state-of-the-art equipment will enable the company to produce instantly dry packaging, significantly reducing lead times and enhancing efficiency.

Masterpack Gauteng

Masterpack Gauteng focuses primarily on servicing the healthcare market with folding cartons and package inserts. The balance of this is split between the personal care and confectionery food industries with the supply of folding cartons. A small percentage of the business also feeds the homecare space with cartons and blister cards.

Its capabilities to service such a diverse portfolio of customers include six colour offset printing with full UV options, hot stamp foiling, embossing, PET windows, die-cutting, gluing and leaflet folding. Masterpack Gauteng’s production facility is certified with ISO 9001, FSSC 2200 and FSC accreditations in addition to approval by pharmaceutical customers to produce their products in accordance with the SAHPRA requirements. Masterpack Gauteng is part of the Global Packaging Alliance (GPA), which is a union of nine like-minded companies that share some global customers. Recently the GPA enjoyed a shared win of finding reliable costeffective suppliers of paperboard subsequent to a drought in supply that was followed by the ballooning of prices. The continual sharing of technical expertise also results in efficiency improvements, such as the development of a structural carton design that delivers optimum packing efficiency on automated packing lines.

Sustainability is also important to Masterpack Gauteng. The business will be harvesting rain and evaporative cooler water as a primary eco-project, and it will be completing its migration to LED lighting during the current financial year. In addition, efforts to demonstrate the advantages of paperboard over other packaging substrates as a meaningful biodegradable and compostable option are being ramped up through focused communication campaigns.

Masterpack Gauteng has been working on some exciting projects. One is the development of a more cost-effective solution with increased appeal for ice cream packaging for a boutique ice cream brand. It is also working with a cosmetics manufacturer to define a fact-related method for measuring colour through a documented process of LAB readings. Thanks to contributions from various suppliers included in the process of delivering consistent colour, this development will set the trend in the industry to move from a subjective method of analysing colour to an objective one.

Rotolabel

Based in Cape Town, Rotolabel takes pride in its role as a pioneer in making self-adhesive labelling more environmentally friendly in South Africa. Over the past few years, the business has spearheaded numerous innovations aimed at reducing its ecological footprint and driving positive change in the industry. These innovations include achieving FSC certification, its liner-backing recycling programme, and the launch of CleanFlake™– Rotolabel’s PET wash-off label that enables 100% PET food-grade recycling.

Rotolabel remains at the forefront of sustainable labelling solutions. The company’s journey towards sustainability continues with many more exciting innovations in the pipeline, each aimed at furthering its commitment to environmental stewardship.

As a solution to consumer demand and regulatory requirements driving brand owners to make their products environmentally friendly and recyclable, Rotolabel has collaborated with Avery Dennison to introduce a revolutionary label for PET containers and bottles.

Rotolabel is proudly leading this sustainability-driven change in the South African market, with a 60%+ adoption rate. Despite the company championing CleanFlake™, many PET packs still use incorrect adhesives, resulting in the packaging being downcycled or ending up in landfill.

Sprint Packaging

Sprint Packaging sells over 3 000 commodity packaging lines like styrene to butcheries and retail markets. These traditional, bottom-end packaging solutions and products are crucial to the success of thousands of brands and finished products manufactured nationwide. The company is proud of its national distribution footprint, which services retail service departments such as the deli, bakery, fruit and vegetable, and butchery departments. Sprint Packaging currently provides route-to-market solutions for 265 South African food and packaging manufacturers. Its functional packaging designs not only enhance product visibility but also ensure maximum protection during transportation and storage. With a dedicated team of experts, Sprint Packaging continuously strives to stay ahead of industry trends, providing cutting-edge solutions that cater to the evolving needs of its customers.

CleanFlake™ is a film label with an adhesive that enables true bottle-to-bottle recycling for 100% foodgrade rPET. This scientifically designed adhesive ensures that labels get cleanly detached during the recycling process, facilitating the production of food-grade rPET.

CleanFlake™ has been approved by the Association of Plastic Recyclers and it has received formal approvals from key recyclers both in South Africa and abroad.

Green Home

Established in 2007, Green Home is South Africa’s first and longest-running compostable food packaging business. The company’s visionary approach, guided by its founder, has kept it at the forefront of industry trends and innovations.

In the words of Margaret Mead, “never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For indeed, that’s all who ever have”. Green Home embodies this spirit, proving that sustainable choices can drive meaningful change. The inspiration behind the founding of the business was straightforward yet profound: if better packaging exists, then it must be used. The founder’s first encounter with compostable food packaging has created a world of possibilities, highlighting the urgent need to move away from non-renewable, petroleum-based single-use plastics. This realisation sparked a passion to explore and develop ecofriendly packaging solutions.

At the heart of Green Home’s mission are two core values:

1. all products are made from plants

2. all products are compostable after use. Its commitment to sustainability is reflected in Green Home’s extensive range of takeaway food packaging, which includes hot cups, clear cold cups, sugarcane takeaway containers, Kraft food containers, cutlery, bamboo cocktail accessories, serviettes, and more. Each product is designed to minimise environmental impact while providing practical solutions for the catering industry.

Green Home’s products are certified compostable, meaning they break down into healthy compost, creating a closed-loop system. This process transforms plant-based packaging into nutrient-rich soil, which in turn supports healthy plant growth. Additionally, Green Home is a founding member of the Organics Recycling Association of South Africa, an organisation dedicated to promoting and expanding the country’s composting and organic recycling market. Together, they are working towards a future with zero organic waste to landfill. •