From Canton Fair 2025 to 2026: New Opportunities for Grizzlies Bagasse Packaging
Grizzlies successfully concluded Autumn Canton Fair 2025 in Guangzhou, where our team welcomed international buyers at Hall 15.4, Booth I25 and discussed new food packaging projects for the coming year.
The exhibition provided another valuable opportunity to meet distributors, foodservice buyers, retailers, importers and private label customers from markets around the world.
For Grizzlies, the fair was not only a place to present our sugarcane bagasse tableware. It was also an important platform for discussing customized molded fiber packaging, barrier solutions, compliance requirements and 2026 purchasing plans with customers face to face.
Many conversations this year were noticeably more technical and project-focused. Buyers increasingly came with clear target applications, expected order volumes, required barrier performance and market-specific compliance questions.
Strong Global Buyer Participation at the 138th Canton Fair
The second phase of the 138th Canton Fair was held from October 23 to October 27, 2025.
By the end of Phase 2, nearly 240,000 overseas buyers from 223 countries and regions had attended the fair in person, representing another record for the event.
The strong attendance gave Grizzlies valuable opportunities to communicate with buyers from Europe, North America, Australia, the Middle East, South America and other international markets.
For many customers, Autumn Canton Fair was already part of their 2026 sourcing preparation.
Discussions therefore focused not only on current products but also on:
- new product ranges for 2026;
- custom mold development;
- barrier and lamination requirements;
- PFAS-free packaging;
- compliance documentation;
- production capacity;
- bulk-order planning.
Green and Low-Carbon Products Were a Strong Exhibition Theme
Sustainability was highly visible across the 138th Canton Fair.
According to official Canton Fair information, more than 10,000 companies participated in Phase 2, with 41.2% reporting the use of low-carbon production models.
Green and low-carbon products accounted for more than one quarter of displayed products during the phase.
This broader market direction reflected what Grizzlies was also seeing in customer conversations: buyers increasingly wanted food packaging solutions that could combine lower environmental impact with reliable commercial performance.
For molded fiber packaging, this created continued interest in sugarcane bagasse as a renewable fiber material for foodservice, takeaway, catering and retail applications.
Bagasse Food Containers Remained a Core Buyer Interest
One of the main product categories discussed at our booth was bagasse food containers.
Buyers were interested in different container formats for:
- hot meals;
- prepared food;
- takeaway;
- meal delivery;
- chilled food;
- retail food programs.
Different applications require different structures.
Some customers preferred fully molded fiber packaging, while others required transparent or high-barrier lid combinations for prepared-food and retail applications.
This made product development increasingly application-specific.
Clamshell Packaging Continued to Support Takeaway Programs
Hinged molded fiber containers also remained an important product category during the exhibition.
Our bagasse sugarcane clamshells are available in different sizes and compartment configurations for burgers, sandwiches, fried food, rice meals and combination meals.
For divided meals, products such as our 8 × 8 inch and 9 × 9 inch three-compartment bagasse clamshells provide separate sections for different meal components.
Buyers were particularly interested in how product structure, depth and barrier performance could be adjusted for different restaurant and takeaway applications.
Laminated Molded Fiber Became a Bigger Discussion in 2025
One of the most important developments in our customer conversations at Autumn Canton Fair 2025 was growing interest in laminated and coated molded fiber packaging.
Traditional bagasse products work well for many short-hold foodservice applications, but some customers require stronger moisture, oil, temperature or storage performance.
This is particularly relevant for applications involving:
- chilled prepared meals;
- frozen food;
- high-moisture dishes;
- oily meals;
- longer holding times;
- retail food distribution.
For these projects, Grizzlies can support different coating and lamination directions depending on the required performance.
Available development directions may include PE, PLA, PP, PET, CPET, EVOH and water-based barrier structures depending on the project and target application.
The objective is to combine molded fiber structure with the level of barrier performance required by the food product.
Buyers Were Looking for More Than Standard Compostable Packaging
Another clear trend in 2025 was that buyers were becoming more sophisticated in how they evaluated sustainable packaging.
Questions increasingly moved beyond whether a product was simply described as biodegradable or compostable.
Professional buyers wanted to understand:
- material composition;
- barrier chemistry;
- food-contact suitability;
- heat and grease performance;
- certification;
- end-of-life conditions;
- market-specific compliance.
This more technical sourcing approach benefits manufacturers that can support buyers with clear specifications, documentation and application testing.
PFAS-Free Performance Remained a Key Requirement
PFAS-free packaging continued to be an important requirement for customers serving North American and European markets.
For molded fiber food packaging, grease resistance remains essential for many restaurant and takeaway applications.
However, customers increasingly wanted that performance without relying on PFAS chemistry.
For Grizzlies, the focus is therefore on balancing chemical compliance with real packaging performance.
Depending on the application, buyers may require different barrier technologies to provide suitable oil, moisture and heat resistance while meeting PFAS-free requirements.
PPWR Was Already Influencing 2026 European Packaging Plans
European buyers at Autumn Canton Fair 2025 were also preparing for the next stage of EU packaging regulation.
Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste had entered into force earlier in the year, and most provisions were scheduled to apply from August 12, 2026.
This meant that many buyers preparing 2026 product programs were already reviewing packaging structures, materials and documentation.
Topics discussed included:
- packaging minimization;
- material selection;
- recyclability considerations;
- substances of concern;
- packaging design;
- environmental claims.
For manufacturers and buyers, preparing early can reduce the risk of developing a packaging format that later needs significant redesign.
Customization Became Central to New 2026 Projects
Many new inquiries generated during Autumn Canton Fair 2025 involved OEM and ODM development.
Rather than selecting only standard catalogue products, buyers increasingly wanted packaging designed around specific foods, brands and distribution systems.
Customization discussions included:
- custom sizes;
- different capacities;
- special compartment structures;
- custom molds;
- product color;
- barrier layers;
- lid structures;
- private label packaging;
- carton specifications.
Grizzlies supports customers from initial concept and structural development through mold production, sample testing and large-scale manufacturing.
This allows buyers to develop differentiated molded fiber products for their own markets.
Our Manufacturing Strength Supports Large International Programs
Production capability remained one of the most important factors buyers considered when evaluating long-term suppliers.
Grizzlies Industries has more than 15 years of OEM and ODM experience in disposable food packaging.
Our current manufacturing network includes:
- 11 production bases;
- more than 1,000 employees;
- over 280 automated forming machines;
- monthly production capability of approximately 200 × 40HQ containers.
This scale allows us to support large distributors, restaurant groups, retailers and private label customers with stable production and repeat-order supply.
It also provides greater flexibility when customers require multiple SKUs or customized molded fiber structures within the same sourcing program.
Quality and Compliance Were Part of Every Serious Project
For international buyers, product performance alone is not enough.
Customers increasingly expect manufacturers to support projects with appropriate documentation and quality-control systems.
Depending on the market and product, Grizzlies works with requirements including FDA, LFGB, BPI, OK Compost, OK Compost Home, BRCGS, BSCI, REACH and PFAS-free standards.
Clear documentation can help buyers manage retailer approval, food-contact requirements, environmental claims and import processes more efficiently.
Complete Product Ranges Help Buyers Simplify Sourcing
Distributors and private label customers also continued to show interest in broader molded fiber product portfolios.
In addition to food containers and clamshells, Grizzlies supplies bagasse sugarcane plates for catering, restaurant and event applications.
Our bagasse sugarcane trays can support prepared-food, meal-service and catering programs.
Buyers can also combine bowls, cups, lids and custom molded products within a broader sourcing program.
For B2B customers, sourcing several product categories from one manufacturing partner can simplify quality management, product development and logistics planning.
Existing Customers Discussed Expanded Cooperation
Autumn Canton Fair 2025 also created valuable opportunities to meet existing customers and discuss the next stage of cooperation.
Some customers were looking to expand their current product range, while others were preparing new molded fiber formats for the following year.
Face-to-face communication made it easier to discuss:
- sample feedback;
- new specifications;
- tooling requirements;
- barrier options;
- MOQ;
- production schedules;
- future order planning.
These discussions helped turn exhibition meetings into more concrete product-development opportunities.
New Buyer Connections Opened New Market Opportunities
At the same time, the exhibition introduced Grizzlies to new customers from multiple international markets.
For first-time buyers, the fair provided an opportunity to evaluate our product portfolio, manufacturing capacity and customization capabilities in person.
Many of these conversations moved beyond simple product inquiries and into discussions around samples, molds, compliance and future bulk orders.
This is one of the key benefits of participating in international exhibitions: it allows technical, commercial and sourcing questions to be discussed together.
What Autumn Canton Fair 2025 Told Us About the Market
Autumn Canton Fair 2025 reinforced several important directions in the food packaging industry.
First, buyers continue to value renewable fiber materials such as sugarcane bagasse.
Second, sustainability alone is no longer enough. Buyers increasingly expect strong barrier performance, PFAS-free solutions, clear compliance documentation and reliable manufacturing.
Third, molded fiber packaging is moving into more demanding applications, including prepared meals, chilled products and other food formats that may require advanced coatings or lamination.
Finally, customization is becoming more important as distributors and brands look for differentiated packaging rather than standard commodity products.
Preparing New Bagasse Packaging Programs for 2026
For Grizzlies, Autumn Canton Fair 2025 created new opportunities to strengthen existing partnerships and develop future molded fiber packaging projects.
As customers prepare for 2026, our focus will remain on combining renewable molded fiber materials with stronger technical performance, PFAS-free barrier solutions, customized product development and stable large-volume manufacturing.
We will continue expanding our bagasse food container, clamshell, bowl, plate, tray and laminated molded fiber packaging solutions for global foodservice, retail and distribution customers.
If you are planning a 2026 molded fiber packaging program or looking for custom laminated bagasse packaging, contact Grizzlies to discuss samples, barrier structures, OEM/ODM development, specifications and bulk procurement requirements.