Retort Films Market

Retort Process: An Overview

Retort refers to a cooking process which utilizes heat and pressure to cook food in a sealed package. Retort flexible containers have witnessed steady growth in sales in the past decade. The growth in preference for consumer-friendly packaging formats, along with the ongoing shift in preference from rigid to flexible packaging varieties, are expected to play a key role in boosting sales of retort films.

One of the key factors contributing to the growth of the global retort films market, is their advantages over their counterparts such as metal cans. Retort flexible containers are able to enhance the shelf life of the product as much as a metal can. Retort films are widely used for products such as boiled & sterilized products, juices, and ketchup & mayonnaise, among others.

Manufacturers of retort films focus on producing high quality microwavable retort films with high gas barrier properties, which helps in enhancing the shelf life of the content, and consumer-friendly easy tear-open features.

Global retort films market: Research methodology

A robust research methodology was adopted to arrive at the market size for the global retort films market. More weightage was given to demand-side analysis to obtain the consumption data for retort films.

Supply-side analysis

The key manufacturers of retort films were identified and their revenues were tracked. The revenues were validated through various sources (paid databases) such as Avention, Factiva, Bloomberg, and Morningstar. The product portfolio were carefully mapped, and the revenue generated from the sales of retort films was estimated. The production capacities of the key players were carefully tracked to arrive at an estimated production data.

Demand-side analysis

The overall demand and size of the global flexible packaging market from our in-house repository was used to estimate the penetration of films as a product type. The market size for retort films was estimated by determining the penetration of retort process in the overall flexible packaging films market. Primary interviews were conducted with leading industry experts, such as sales and marketing heads, C-level executives, and independent consultants to validate the data obtained from primary as well as desk research, and estimate the global retort film demand.

Ismail Sutaria

Principal Consultant

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Global retort films market: Key players

Few of the leading players operating in the global retort films market are –

• Toray Plastics (America), Inc.
• Ester Industries Ltd.
• Kuraray Co., Ltd.
• Mondi Group Plc

Retort films: Significance

Retort films are widely used for food packaging applications. Retort films generally function as the sealant layer in a retort pouches, lids, and trays. The products made of retort films are durable and can withstand temperature range up to 100 to 135 degree centigrade. Growth in demand for such solutions to enhance shelf life of the product, is expected to be steady during the forecast period.

Retort films: Key Developments and Trends

The global retort films market is characterized the presence of several large players operating in the market.

• In 2014, Kuraray launched its new grade of KURARISTER transparent high barrier films for retort-packaging market. The retort films could be used for pharmaceutical and other medical products, IV solution, and liquid meals & pet food, among other areas where retort plastic packaging has witnessed increased use in the last decade.
• Ester Industries Ltd. (Type EX) has developed a retort film which is essentially a Bi-axially oriented polyester film. One of the sides is a co-extruded layer of a special co-polymer. The film is suitable for applications requiring high thermal treatment / exposure and resistance. Manufacturers of retort films focus on manufacturing films which can adhere to a wide a wide range of release coatings, varnishes, primers, and solvent based inks, to name a few.

The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macroeconomic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.

Global retort films market: Segmentation

Globally, the retort films market has been segmented as –

On the basis of material type, the global retort films market is segmented as –

• Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
• Polyamide (PA)
• Polyethylene (PE)
• Polypropylene (PP)
• Others

On the basis of application, the global retort films market is segmented as –

• Boiled/retorted and sterilized products
• Juices and concentrates
• Food condiments
• Hygiene products (wet tissues, shampoo, etc.)

On the basis of region, the global retort films market is segmented as –

• North America
• Latin America
• Western Europe
• Eastern Europe
• Asia Pacific excluding Japan
• Middle East & Africa
• Japan