Close×

Packaging company Visy has partnered with Water.IO to bring smart packaging to Australia and New Zealand.

Under the partnership, Water.IO solutions will enable Visy to provide intelligent packaging options to brands and manufacturers in beverage, pharma, and food industries as well as other verticals across Australia and New Zealand.

Israel-based Water.IO uses a combination of sensors, algorithms, cloud servers and mobile apps to provide an IoT Platform for consumer packaged brands and pharmaceutical companies.

Its patented Smart Cap technology can convert any bottle into a smart bottle to provide consumers with important personal reminders and alerts, such as when it's time to take their medication or hydrate, or when the product is about to run out and needs to be re-ordered.

Through Water.IO, brands and manufacturers also have access to customer data, real-time analytics, and direct engagement opportunities.

Visy's insights and innovation general manager Richard Macchiesi the future of packaging will involve improved customer engagement, personalised products, data supplied to brand owners, and continued authenticity and integrity in food and pharma products.

Yoav Hoshen, co-founder and executive VP for Water.IO, said the companies would work together to set a new standard for packaging.

"As the Internet of Things raises consumers’ expectations for products that anticipate their every need, Water.IO is leading the charge on doing this for consumer goods," he said. 

"For the first time, brands can gain critical firsthand insights on how their customers use their products and who they are."

Food & Drink Business

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) says it won’t oppose Lactalis’ proposed acquisition of Fonterra’s consumer and food service businesses, if the bid goes ahead. While it would see two of the largest buyers of raw milk combine, the ACCC says it is “unlikely” to result in a lessening of competition.

Maxum Foods says the appointment of Adrian Lochland as the company’s first CEO is a significant milestone in the company’s growth and evolution. Lochland has been at Maxum since 2021 as executive general manager of its Animal Nutrition division.

Australia has earned its stripes as a nation of committed snackers, but this love affair with snacks isn’t without its quirks. Mintel Food & Drink associate director, Cormac Henry, says its research shows while Australians are chasing healthier options, cravings for indulgent treats remains strong.