The two-day event took the plaudits of many of the 190+ exhibitors and thousands of visitors, with vibrant discussions, innovative showcases, and high-profile industry participation underscoring the event's impact. The show, which saw a strategic return to a mid-week schedule, brought together top-tier exhibitors, government agencies, and thought leaders, setting a strong foundation for future growth. Senior Marketing Manager at Easyfairs UK, Jamies Montero MacColl, said: "Moving the show back to Wednesday-Thursday has been a real success for us. You can tell people are engaged in the content and conferences, and all of the stages have been really busy. The exhibitors are delighted, and lots of high-level conversations are happening. The award winners are delighted, giving them richly deserved credibility to move forward with.
Fresh from the conference stage, Melvin Jay, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Gunna Drinks, the 'UK's First' aluminium bottled 'immune boosting' lemonades, said: “These shows are essential. There are just so many surprising connections that people will make here. I could come here and think, who or what am I going to see that will be valuable to me – well, it's a heck of a lot. You meet people, get new ideas, even just the joy of walking around and checking out what the exhibitors can do.”
The inaugural London Packaging Week Innovation Awards honoured groundbreaking designs, including Bowmore ARC-52 Mokume, Highland Park's 54-year-old decanter, Coca-Cola's label-free Sprite Naked, and Altra's groundbreaking Altra Box. Bowmore, one of two Premium and Luxury Drinks winners, were represented on the day by Malcolm Swindell Strategic Innovation Lead at Suntory Global Spirits. He said: “As custodians of Bowmore, it's so special to be recognised by the judges of London Packaging Week. Firstly, we'd like to thank our partners at Aston Martin. The two teams shared a vision to bring together the very best in technical expertise and creative thinking – to push boundaries and develop something truly special. As a unique elevation to the commercially released Bowmore Arc-52, the Makume edition allowed us to release an exc-VAT price of £187,000 at auction, with all of the proceeds returning to communities in Bowmore's home in Isla.”
