Finalists for the 2026 round of the annual Australasian Packaging Innovation & Design (PIDA) Awards have been announced with a significant number of unique designs being recognised across multiple categories.
Coordinated by the Australasian Institute of Packaging (AIP), the PIDA awards are designed to recognise companies and individuals who are making a significant difference in their field across Australia and New Zealand.
The 2026 Finalists come from the following PIDA categories:
- Food Packaging Design
- Beverage Packaging Design
- Health, Beauty & Wellness Packaging
- Domestic & Household Packaging
- Labelling & Decoration
- Outside of the Box
- Marketing
- Save Food Packaging
- Sustainable Packaging Design
- Young Packaging Professional of the Year
- Industry Packaging Professional of the Year
- Packaging Technologist of the Year
- 2026 ABA Scholarship Program – Diploma in Packaging Technology & Certificate in Packaging
- AIP President Scholarship
The PIDA Awards are also the exclusive feeder program for Australia and New Zealand for the prestigious WorldStar Packaging Awards run by the World Packaging Organisation (WPO). All 2025 PIDA winners will be automatically eligible for entry into the 2026 WorldStar Packaging Awards competition.
2026 Food Packaging Design
The Food Packaging Design award recognises organisations that have designed innovative packaging and/or materials, within food packaging and processing including fresh, frozen or other. This is a WorldStar Packaging General award category.
The 2026 Food Packaging Design finalists are Primo Sliced Meats Peel & Reseal Pack: Primo Foods and Amcor Flexibles, Arctic Shield EPS Replacement: Opal ANZ, RePlay: Bonson Packaging, Everest Ice Cream Cup: BioPak, Honey Squeeze Pack: Caps & Closures, Heinz Taste Tap Dispenser: Kraft Heinz Australia, Mango Multipack: Opal ANZ & Perfection Fresh and Auto Punnet for Tomatoes: Detpak.
2026 Beverage Packaging Design
The Beverage Packaging Design award recognises organisations that have designed innovative packaging and/or materials, within packaging and processing for liquid or dry tea, coffee, water and soft drinks including wine, beer and spirits. This is a WorldStar Packaging General award category.
The 2026 Beverage Packaging Design finalists are Asahi Carlton Dry 6x330ml Bottle Shrink Replacement Wrap: Graphic Packaging International & Asahi Beverages, 600ml Spring Water: Woolworths, capR: Interpack, Remedy Sodaly: MCC Label Australia (Asia Pacific) and Asahi Beverages 6x330ml Bottle Basket to OTC Wrap: Graphic Packaging International.
2026 Health, Beauty & Wellness Packaging Design
The Health, Beauty & Wellness Packaging Design award recognises organisations that have designed innovative packaging and/or materials, within cosmetics, toiletries, personal hygiene, supplements, vitamins, perfumes, hair body and oral care. This award also covers packaging of all medicines including over the counter medicines, medical equipment packaging. This is a WorldStar Packaging General award category.
The 2026 Health, Beauty & Wellness finalists are Mono material HDPE tube & cap range: Impact International, Libra Range Outer Packaging with 50% PCR LDPE: ProAmpac New Zealand, Esmi Cleanser Butter Balm, rioa Rio Amazonas Face Wash: Bluestar Group New Zealand, Elucent Age defying Bright + Balanced range: Ego Pharmaceuticals and Coles Antibacterial Handwash 250ml: TrendPac & Coles.
2026 Domestic & Household Packaging Design
The Domestic & Household Packaging Design award recognises organisations that have designed innovative packaging and/or materials, packaging within domestic and household items, toys, stationary, gifts, clothing, garden equipment, decorating. This is a WorldStar Packaging General award category.
The 2026 Domestic & Household Packaging Design finalists are Click & Grow Garden Care System: Yates Group, Tahwalhi Towable Bodyboard: Rebel Sports Australia, Libra Range Outer Packaging with 50% PCR LDPE: ProAmpac New Zealand and Smart Circular Satchel: Australia Post, iQRenew, RollsPack & Signet.
2026 Labelling & Decoration Design
The Labelling & Decoration Design award is designed to recognise the addition of content to a pack which creates a unique or innovative appearance, function or communication. This may include labels, sleeves, tags, coding/markings, etching, directly applied inks or by any other similar process. This is a WorldStar Packaging General award category.
The 2026 Labelling & Decoration Design finalists are RePlay: Bonson Packaging, Material Free Decoration: Costa Group, Result Group & The Packaging Hippie, EL TORO Tequila Blanco Vok Beverages, Bickfords Australia: MCC Label Australia (Asia Pacific), Elucent Age defying Bright + Balanced range: Ego Pharmaceuticals and Zeus St Greek Take Away Packaging: BioPak.
2026 Outside of the Box Design
The Outside of the Box Design Award has been established for miscellaneous packs and materials that are not included in any other category. This is a WorldStar Packaging General award category.
The 2026 Outside of the Box Design finalists are Milk Bottle Recycling System: Popit Recycling, Martogg & Procal Dairies, Nally Folding MegaBin: Viscount, Scaling Traceability: Result Group & Australian Table Grapes Association, ReCree8 PCR Pallet Wrap Range: thinkpac, Libra Range Outer Packaging with 50% PCR LDPE: ProAmpac New Zealand and Smart Circular Satchel: Australia Post, iQRenew, RollsPack & Signet.
2026 Marketing Design
Packaging can elicit emotional responses in consumers and should be seen as your best form of marketing. The right packaging design and eye-catching aesthetics can create emotional stimuli that ensures a brand is purchased. This can incorporate the functionality of the pack, the aesthetic design and the outstanding visual appearance that makes the pack stand out on shelf, the premium and gifting style design, and/ or unique and interactive communication tools on the pack. This is a WorldStar Packaging Award category.
2026 Marketing Design award finalists are RePlay: Bonson Packaging, Where the Fruit becomes the Campaign: Costa Group – Result Group – The Packaging Hippie, G’day Honey Anti Dust spray Propolis & Kakadu Plum: Pure Australia, JC’s Quality Foods snack nut range: CTL Packaging and The Tasty Turkey Bangin’ Burgers raised by Ingham’s: We Are Sprout & Ingham’s Australia.
2026 Save Food Packaging Design
The Save Food Packaging Design special award is designed to recognise companies that are working to minimise or prevent food waste from paddock to plate using innovative and intuitive design features that can contain & protect, preserve and extend shelf life; all the while meeting global sustainable packaging targets. This is a WorldStar Packaging Award category.
The 2026 Save Food Packaging Design finalists are Birds Eye Frozen Single Vegetables 825g Range: Simplot, Austlon SG Self Sealing Shrink Bag: IPE Pack and Technology, Heinz Taste Tap Dispenser: Kraft Heinz Australia and Paper Food Tub and Lid System: Pinnacle Packaging.
2026 Sustainable Packaging Design
The Sustainable Packaging Design special award is designed to recognise companies that have developed innovative packaging or processing solutions that incorporates sustainability considerations. Elements include Social, Material, Source Reduction, Energy and Recovery. This is a WorldStar Packaging Special Award category.
The 2026 Sustainable Packaging Design finalists are Smart Circular Satchel: Australia Post, iQRenew, RollsPack & Signet, When the Product Becomes the Package: Costa Group, Result Group & The Packaging Hippie, Milk Bottle Recycling System: Popit Recycling, Martogg & Procal Dairies, RePlay: Bonson Packaging, Nally Folding MegaBin: Viscount, ReCree8 PCR Pallet Wrap Range: thinkpac, Coles Antibacterial Handwash 250ml: TrendPac & Coles, Honey Squeeze Pack: Caps & Closures, CRYOVAC® Recycled Content Retail Meat Trays – Sealed Air Australia, Hot Fill Bag-in-Box (BIB) Pouch: Mondelez International & CTL Packaging, Mono material HDPE tube and cap range: Impact International, Cocktail Truss Tomatoes: Costa Group, Opal & Woolworths, 600ml Spring Water: Woolworths and SCA Engine Lubricants: Supercheap Auto.
2026 Young Packaging Professional of the Year
The purpose of the Young Packaging Professional of the Year Award is to provide incentive and recognition to young professionals who are both currently working in and wish to continue their career path within the Packaging industry in both Australia and New Zealand. This can be within any industries such as Food, Beverage, Health, Beauty & Wellness, Domestic & Household. This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase young professionals within our great industry. Under 35 years of age.
The 2026 Young Packaging Professional of the Year award finalists are Pooja Ganesh Nayak, Packaging Engineer, Coles, Storm Menzies. Owner, Storm Beauty, Curtis Wakeley, Technical Packaging Specialist, Bluestar Group New Zealand and Kelsey Smith, Managing Director, Birunji.
2026 Industry Packaging Professional of the Year award
The Industry Packaging Professional of the Year Award is designed to recognise and acknowledge the outstanding achievements and contribution by an individual currently working within the Packaging in both Australia and New Zealand. The judges will be looking for individuals who have demonstrated vision and leadership, shows innovation and not afraid to take risks. For significant and continued contribution of an Individual to the packaging industry over a minimum period of 20 years.
The 2026 Industry Packaging Professional of the Year award finalists are David Kilpatrick MAIP, R&D, Quality & Innovation Director, Zipform Packaging and Prof. Gil Garnier, Director & Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering. Monash University.
2026 Packaging Technologist of the Year
The Packaging Technologist of the Year Award is designed to recognise and acknowledge the outstanding achievements and contribution by an individual currently working within the Packaging industry across Australia, New Zealand & Asia. The judges will be looking for packaging technologists, engineers, specialists, designers who have demonstrated advanced technical packaging skills and competencies through projects, initiatives and unique packaging designs.
The 2026 Packaging Technologist of the Year finalists are Christopher Cester Dip.Pkg.Tech. MAIP, Senior Packaging Technologist, Flavour Makers, Marian O’Leary Dip.Pkg.Tech. MAIP, Senior Packaging Technologist, Fonterra Australia and Nicole Roy Dip.Pkg.Tech. MAIP, Regional BDM Cold Chain ANZ, EMBALL’ISO ANZ.
2026 ABA Scholarships
The Australasian Bioplastics Association (ABA), in partnership with the Australasian Institute of Packaging (AIP), is pleased to offer an annual Scholarship program for Australia and New Zealand. The Scholarship program will enable one eligible candidate the opportunity to undertake a Diploma in Packaging Technology and a second person the opportunity to undertake a Certificate in Packaging.
The 2026 ABA Scholarship finalists are Andrew Rennie AAIP, Sales Representative, Oji Fibre Solutions NZ, Marta de Sousa Felix AAIP, Junior Packaging Technologist, Lactalis Australia, Nancy Jackson AAIP, Owner, NJD Creative, Fatemeh Arefian, Packaging Development & Sourcing Analyst, Caspak Products NZ, Mary Clare (Macey) Mapanao AAIP, Packaging Technologist, Suntory Oceania, Maisha Maliha, Packaging Scientist, DuluxGroup, Ola Wicik AAIP, Packaging Engineer, Opal Fibre Packaging Australia.
2026 AIP President Scholarship
The AIP President Scholarship has been designed to work in collaboration with the ABA program to help one additional person undertake either a Certificate in Packaging or a Diploma in Packaging Technology, should the judges deem an additional scholarship is deserved due to the quality of submissions. This scholarship is open to AIP Members that reside outside of Australia and New Zealand.
The 2026 AIP President Scholarship finalists are Wilsen Kannan AAIP, CPP, Assistant Packaging Manager, Vinda Malaysia and Dheeraj Kumar MAIP, CPP, Senior QC Manager, Lagata Group (Boden).
Winners will be announced at the gala Australasian Packaging Innovation & Design (PIDA) awards ceremony that will be held alongside of FoodPro on Tuesday the 28th of July, at the Aviary, Crown Complex, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. https://aipack.com.au/event-registration/?ee=494
