The Packaging Forum
The Packaging Forum is a New Zealand membership-funded product stewardship organisation operating four accredited recycling schemes (soft plastics, glass, food and beverage cartons, caps and lids) for over 250 member companies spanning brand owners, retailers, and recyclers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersManukau, New Zealand
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Packaging Forum does
The Packaging Forum Ltd is a New Zealand-based, membership-funded product stewardship organisation founded in 2006 (with some sources citing 2004), headquartered in Auckland/Manukau with a staff of 1-10. It operates as the umbrella body for four accredited voluntary product stewardship schemes — the Glass Packaging Forum, the Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme, the Food and Beverage Carton Recycling Scheme, and the Caps and Lids Recycling Scheme — plus a Litter and Public Place Recycling programme and a Plastic Packaging Product Stewardship (PPPS) co-design initiative. The organisation is governed by a board chaired by Victoria Carter with CEO Craig Miller, and includes representatives from member companies such as Visy Recycling, PepsiCo, Lactalis-Mainland, Woolworths, Foodstuffs, SIG Group ANZ, Plus Pac, 5R Solutions and Foundation Coffee.
Its core technology is a product stewardship and recycling scheme management platform that coordinates multiple waste streams (soft plastics, glass, cartons, caps and lids) across drop-off points, processors, brand owners and retailers, supported by a secure Member Portal providing access to reporting tools (notably the Valpak Reporting System), grant applications, and member-only resources. Operational reach includes 320+ public soft plastic drop-off points at retailers such as Countdown, The Warehouse and Huckleberry, with collected material processed by New Zealand partners including Future Post and 2nd Life Plastics into downstream products like fence posts, buckets and matting.
The business model is membership-funded: members pay recurring levies tied to the volume of packaging they place into the New Zealand market, with the Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme reportedly 100% funded by its 250+ scheme members and the Glass Packaging Forum funded by more than 100 member brands. The organisation additionally operates grant programmes (Glass Packaging Forum grant rounds run annually in February; broader grants open for 2024-2025 and 2026-2027 cycles) funded by member contributions and external partnerships, plus a Buy Recycled Programme promoting procurement of recycled-content products. Members span packaging manufacturers, brand owners, retailers, recyclers and government departments, and the entity operates as a not-for-profit stewardship body rather than an equity-backed commercial enterprise.
The Packaging Forum firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Packaging Forum
- Legal name
- The Packaging Forum Ltd
- Website
- https://packagingforum.org.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Packaging Forum is a New Zealand membership-funded product stewardship organisation operating four accredited recycling schemes (soft plastics, glass, food and beverage cartons, caps and lids) for over 250 member companies spanning brand owners, retailers, and recyclers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Packaging Forum industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Product Stewardship & Packaging Recycling Services
- NAICS
- Packaging and Labeling Services (56191)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Packaging Recovery & Closed-Loop Programs (Take-Back, Deposit-Return, EPR Support) (IMALAMAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Reusable Packaging & Refill Systems (Returnable Transport Items, Deposit/DRS Ops) (EUAIANAE), Sustainability Testing, Certification & Compliance (LCA, Recyclability/Compostability Testing, FSC/PEFC) (IMALAMAK)
Keywords
Where The Packaging Forum is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Manukau
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Packaging Forum business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Contributions: Members pay levies to the Forum directly related to the volume of packaging they put into the New Zealand market place. Glass Packaging Forum has more than 100 member brands paying levies. Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme is 100% funded by its 250+ Scheme members.
- Grant Programs: The organization provides grants for projects that improve recycling outcomes, funded by member contributions and external partnerships.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
The Packaging Forum product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Packaging Forum is a New Zealand membership-based organization that operates government-accredited voluntary product stewardship schemes for packaging recycling. It coordinates multiple waste-stream programs — Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme, Glass Packaging Forum, Food and Beverage Carton Recycling Scheme, Caps and Lids Recycling Scheme, and Litter/Public Place Recycling — funded by member company levies based on packaging volume placed into the NZ market. The organization also runs grant programs, a member portal, and advocacy efforts to advance the circular packaging economy.
Product overview
The Packaging Forum is a membership-based organization operating as a platform of coordinated product stewardship schemes and recycling programs in New Zealand. The core offering consists of three accredited product stewardship schemes (Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme, Glass Packaging Forum, Food and Beverage Carton Recycling Scheme) plus the Caps and Lids Recycling Scheme and litter/public place recycling initiatives. These schemes are funded by over 250 member companies and provide infrastructure, grants, and community programs to divert packaging from landfill. The organization also operates a Member Portal for resource access and coordinates a Plastic Packaging Product Stewardship (PPPS) scheme co-designed with government. The product portfolio functions as an integrated ecosystem where membership provides access to all schemes, grants funding, and collaborative sustainability solutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Love NZ Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme: Government accredited voluntary product stewardship programme enabling New Zealanders to recycle plastic wrappers and bags.
- Glass Packaging Forum
Products and services
- Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme A government-accredited voluntary product stewardship program that enables New Zealanders to recycle soft plastics (bags, wrappers, packaging) through dedicated bins at supermarkets, with collected material processed into new products such as fence posts, buckets and matting by NZ processors. Funded by 250+ scheme member companies and reaching 87% of New Zealanders within 20km of home or work.
- Glass Packaging Forum An accredited product stewardship scheme connecting businesses that sell glass-packaged consumer goods with collectors and recyclers, working toward zero container glass to landfill by returning glass bottles and jars to furnaces or converting them into alternative products. Over 100 member companies pay levies based on glass volume placed in the NZ market.
- Food and Beverage Carton Recycling Scheme
Quantifiable outcome
- 87% of New Zealanders now have access to soft plastic recycling within 20km of home or work
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Packaging Forum
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Packaging Forum technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Packaging Forum partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Future PostcoreNew Zealand business that manufactures fence posts from 100% recycled plastic waste including soft plastic collected through the Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme. Future Post products enable diversion of soft plastics from landfill into durable construction materials.
- 2nd Life PlasticscoreNew Zealand processor that turns soft plastics into useful products such as buckets, matting and other hard wearing plastic products. Part of the innovative solutions ecosystem for soft plastic recycling.
- CountdowncoreMajor supermarket chain providing recycling facilities for soft plastics. Countdown stores host soft plastic drop-off bins as part of the Love NZ Soft Plastics Recycling Scheme.
- The WarehousecoreRetail partner providing recycling facilities for soft plastics at store locations. Supports the Love NZ Soft Plastics Recycling Scheme with additional support for the program.
- HuckleberryminorPartner providing recycling facilities for soft plastics. Contributes to the Soft Plastics Recycling Scheme infrastructure.
- EssityminorContributed funding to the $150,000 fence post donation initiative supporting North Island flood recovery efforts.
- GriffinsminorContributed funding to fence post donation initiative. Member of Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme Steering Committee.
- James CrispminorContributed funding to the fence post donation initiative supporting flood-affected communities.
- MondelēzminorContributed funding to the fence post donation initiative supporting North Island flood recovery.
- NestleminorContributed funding to fence post donation. Represented on Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme Steering Committee.
- PepsiCocoreContributed funding to fence post donation. PepsiCo Bluebird represented on The Packaging Forum Board by Dylan Brown.
- SanitariumminorContributed funding to fence post donation initiative supporting flood recovery.
- WoolworthscoreContributed funding to fence post donation. Woolworths representative (Nicola Voice) serves on Glass Packaging Forum Steering Committee.
- Visy RecyclingcoreNick Baker from Visy Recycling serves on The Packaging Forum Board. Major recycling industry partner.
- SIG Group ANZminorCarmen Houston from SIG Group ANZ serves on Food and Beverage Carton Recycling Scheme Steering Committee.
- Plus PacminorGavin Fong from Plus Pac serves on The Packaging Forum Board and Recycling/Resource Recovery & Litter Advisory Group.
- 5R SolutionsminorChris Grant from 5R Solutions serves on The Packaging Forum Board. Provides glass recycling services.
- Foundation CoffeeminorJamie Galloway from Foundation Coffee serves on The Packaging Forum Board and Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme Steering Committee.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Packaging Forum competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Recycle BC: British Columbia's residential packaging and printed paper recycling PRO, funded by brand-owner fees and operating collection/processing infrastructure. Comparable member-funded, multi-stream stewardship model in a similarly-sized regional market.
- REPAK: Ireland's packaging compliance scheme operator, funded by member levies on packaging placed on the Irish market and coordinating recycling/recovery. Directly comparable to The Packaging Forum's volume-based levy structure and multi-stream scheme portfolio.
- Ecoembes: Spanish PRO for light packaging recycling, financed by EPR fees from brand owners and operating the Green Dot system in Spain. Comparable business model — member-funded, government-recognized, multi-stream packaging stewardship.
- Valpak: UK-based Producer Responsibility Organisation providing compliance, recycling, and reporting services to brand owners. Directly comparable to The Packaging Forum's Valpak Reporting System webinar integration and member-funded stewardship model.
- Boomerang Alliance: Australian cross-industry alliance advocating for container deposit schemes and packaging reduction. Comparable peer in advocacy-led, member-funded policy work targeting packaging waste reduction, though more advocacy-focused than operational.
- Citeo: French EPR organization for household packaging, funded by brand-owner levies and operating collection/recycling schemes. Highly comparable business model — member-funded, accredited by government, multi-stream packaging focus — at much larger scale.
- Fostplus: Belgian PRO coordinating household packaging recycling under federal/regional regulation, funded by industry contributions. Same member-funded, accredited-scheme operating model as The Packaging Forum.
- Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO): Australia's industry covenant for packaging sustainability, coordinating brand owners and recyclers under a national framework. Closest geographic and functional peer to The Packaging Forum, operating voluntary product stewardship and member-funded scheme infrastructure across multiple packaging streams.
- Duales System Deutschland (Green Dot / DSD): Germany's founding PRO for packaging recovery under the German Packaging Act, financed via the Green Dot license fee on packaging placed in market. Directly comparable as a member-funded, government-recognized stewardship scheme operator across multiple packaging streams.
Broad incumbents
- WRAP: UK-based circular economy charity working across packaging, food, and textiles with a much broader mandate. Comparable in non-profit, member-funded approach to resource recovery, but operates at significantly larger scale and scope.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Packaging Forum social profiles
Digital presenceThe Packaging Forum financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Packaging Forum leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
The Packaging Forum subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
The Packaging Forum funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Packaging Forum M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Packaging Forum
What does The Packaging Forum do?
The Packaging Forum is a New Zealand membership-based organization that operates government-accredited voluntary product stewardship schemes for packaging recycling. It coordinates multiple waste-stream programs — Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme, Glass Packaging Forum, Food and Beverage Carton Recycling Scheme, Caps and Lids Recycling Scheme, and Litter/Public Place Recycling — funded by member company levies based on packaging volume placed into the NZ market. The organization also runs grant programs, a member portal, and advocacy efforts to advance the circular packaging economy.
Is The Packaging Forum a public or private company?
The Packaging Forum is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Packaging Forum founded?
The Packaging Forum was founded in 2006. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Packaging Forum based?
The Packaging Forum is headquartered in Manukau, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does The Packaging Forum make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership Contributions are the primary driver. The others are grant Programs.
Who are The Packaging Forum's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Recycle BC, REPAK, Ecoembes, Valpak, Boomerang Alliance, Citeo, Fostplus, Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) and Duales System Deutschland (Green Dot / DSD). WRAP is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does The Packaging Forum have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Packaging Forum.
What industry is The Packaging Forum in?
The Packaging Forum's product category is Product Stewardship & Packaging Recycling Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMALAMAF, Packaging Recovery & Closed-Loop Programs (Take-Back, Deposit-Return, EPR Support), with a secondary code of EUAIANAE, Reusable Packaging & Refill Systems (Returnable Transport Items, Deposit/DRS Ops). Its NAICS code is 56191.