Pack format innovation & lift off on Brandbite 2026

Happy Friday GRATE readers,

This week, I’m shining a light on packaging — because innovation isn’t always about what’s inside. Some of the most interesting shifts right now are happening around format: how food is delivered, stored, used and experienced. Whether it’s reducing waste, boosting convenience or simply making something more fun to eat, packaging is quietly solving problems and unlocking new occasions.

Is anyone in your business really looking at packaging as a source of innovation? And could changing format unlock new uses, occasions or consumers for your product?

Here are a few that caught my eye this week… I hope they inspire your thinking

As always, enjoy the read, 

Annie x

MARKS & SPENCER FLIP & DIP RANGE

A brand-new concept for M&S that turns packaging into part of the theatre. Available in flavours like basil and smoky red pepper, the creamy cheese base is topped with a punchy dressing — and the magic happens when you flip the pack to serve. Designed for maximum impact with minimal effort, it transforms into an instant sharing centrepiece. Right now, it’s all about formats that elevate entertaining at home — simple, interactive and just a bit of fun.

HONEY DEPT - HONEY IN A TUBE

Honey, but reimagined for modern use from The Honey Dept. The squeezable tube  of Premium raw honey, thickened and squeezed from a tube is mess-free, portable and precise  — perfect for everything from toast to gym bags. It’s a small shift, but one that speaks to a bigger trend: making traditional, natural products work harder for today’s lifestyles.

SUSHI POPS, LONDON

Sushi Pops has just opened in London and its capturing the attention of sushi lovers by turning sushi into a handheld, lollipop-style snacks — and the packaging is central to the appeal. Designed for portability, social sharing and zero-fuss eating, it’s gone viral for a reason. It perfectly captures the TikTok era of food: visual, playful, and built for on-the-go consumption without compromising format integrity.

BALLYMALOE X KILLOWEN FARM STIR-IN PASTA SAUCE

A great example of hybrid packaging meeting hybrid usage by two iconic Irish brands, Ballymaloe & Killowen. This format combines sauce and award winning cream cheese, designed to be stirred through hot pasta, eliminating multiple ingredients and steps. As consumers continue to seek shortcuts without sacrificing quality, formats like this that simplify cooking — while still feeling fresh and premium — are right on time.

REUSEABLE TAKEAWAY PACKAGING PILOT

A really smart rethink of the system, not just the pack. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and University of Vaasa are trialling standardised reusable containers that can be returned as easily as buying a ready meal. Designed for supermarket integration, it tackles the biggest barrier to reuse: convenience. With Ireland’s hugely successful deposit return scheme as proof that behaviour can shift, this feels like a natural next step — but scaling cleaning, logistics and cost will be the real test.

BRANDBITE 2026 IS OFFICIALLY UNDERWAY

22 ambitious Irish food and drink brands joined us for Session 1 this week, diving into the foundations of what makes a brand truly work — not just look good, but connect, resonate and sell. The Neworld team set the tone with a powerful session on brand fundamentals.

There’s something special about the energy at the very start of a programme like this — different stages, different stories, but a shared ambition to build something stronger and more commercially impactful.

We’re incredibly grateful to Taste 4 Success Skillnet for their continued support in making this programme accessible, and to Bridie Corrigan Matthews for her inspiring opening words — a reminder of what’s possible with the right focus and commitment.

And this is just the beginning.

Over the coming weeks, these brands will challenge assumptions, refine their positioning, and sharpen how they show up in the market — all building towards the opportunity to win one of two Brand Development Awards, each valued at €20,000.