Former Principal Engineer at Dyson, Co-Founder of the world’s most popular beer club, and the man charged with shaping the future of packaging among the first speakers confirmed for Packaging Innovations 2024

Packaging Innovations & Empack is set to kick off the packaging industry’s 2024 in fine style, after it announced the first flurry of speakers hosting talks at the must-attend event.

Taking place on the 21 & 22 February 2024, the event will once again provide an unrivalled platform to those looking to showcase innovative products, services, and solutions to some of the world's most iconic FMCG brands, online retailers and key players, for whom innovation and sustainability are high on the agenda. The two events promise to deliver a unique perspective on the entire packaging journey.

The timetable of talks, spread across three stages throughout the event at Birmingham NEC, brings together some of the leading experts from the present and future of packaging. The first announcement of speakers lays the foundations of an engaging, insight-packed two-day schedule featuring influential names from all corners of the packaging industry, and beyond.

Leading voice on innovation and creative thinking Ben Edmonds, who spent twelve-and-a-half years at the cutting edge of new product innovation and as Principal Engineer at Dyson, will share his unique insights from a lifetime of problem-solving and innovation. The self-styled ‘cardboard ninja’, who has already addressed the Ministry of Defence, Airbus, and a convention of 350 Head Teachers this year, will spearhead what promises to be an unmissable class of 2024.

Fraser Doherty MBE, who started his business career at age 14 making jam in his grandmother’s kitchen and went on to become the youngest-ever supplier to a major supermarket, will explain his approach to product development and innovation. In the summer of 2013, Doherty co-founded Edinburgh-based Beer52, the world’s most popular beer club, inspired by a road trip that took him all over the world in search of the best beers. As co-founder and CEO he now presides over one of Scotland’s fastest-growing startups with more than 200,000 customers, shipping 50,000+ cases of beer a month and producing the world’s number-one craft beer magazine, Ferment.

There will also be an opportunity to hear from a man charged with shaping the future of packaging. Former packaging designer turned Principal Lecturer of the UK’s only packaging degree apprenticeship course, Peter Macqueen, will outline precisely where he thinks packaging is headed, while Tom Barton will tell the story of how the sustainably minded Honest Burgers restaurant morphed from a humble marquee with a griddle and fryer to a 30+ site ‘better burger’ powerhouse.

Zero waste pioneer and founder of Unpackaged, Catherine Conway, will discuss the UK Refill Coalition’s first in-store trial at Aldi to reduce single-use plastic waste, while Margaret Bates of OPRL will impart the wisdom of more than 30 years spent in the world of waste management and recycling.

“From a cardboard ninja (Ben Edmonds) and Jam Boy (Fraser Doherty MBE) to the man charged with shaping the future of the packaging industry, this already has the making of one of the most enlightening and thought-provoking line-ups that we have ever put together,” said Easyfairs’ Community & Content Manager, Parisa Maleki.

“This announcement is a real statement and we’re so pleased that we’ve been able to deliver another stellar line-up, particularly on the back of London Packaging Week, which was incredibly well received.

“It will, quite literally, stop you in your tracks and force you to think about where we are headed, and what the future could look like for producers, retailers, brands, and the supply chain that stitches everything together.

“When you combine more than 330 suppliers and over 6,500 visitors looking for packaging solutions for a range of industries, including food and beverage, food service, FMCG, beauty and personal care, and pharmaceuticals, with unrivalled networking opportunities, a schedule packed with insightful talks, and the fact it’s free to attend, it’s easy to see why, for many, it has become an unmissable event.”