Bangladesh Food Packaging Market Overview
Bangladesh has 173 million consumers with GDP per capita of approximately USD 2,700 and sustained GDP growth of 6-7%, driving rapid modernization of food and beverage packaging. The food packaging market is valued at approximately USD 850 million, with disposable cup and container segments growing at 10-12% annually. Annual plastic packaging consumption exceeds 350,000 tonnes supported by approximately 200 injection molding companies. Tea is Bangladesh's national beverage, consumed by an estimated 90% of the population daily. The traditional roadside tea stall (cha stall) culture is evolving toward branded milk tea outlets, with chains like Teazon, ChaiKing, Kaarwan, and Chillox Tea expanding across Dhaka, Chittagong, and Sylhet. This transition from ceramic cups to disposable branded PP cups is creating massive new demand. International brands like Tiger Sugar and Gong Cha are also entering the market. RFL Group, Bengal Plastics, and Partex Plastics are major domestic packaging suppliers, but dedicated milk tea cup production capacity remains limited, with most branded cups imported from China.
Key Specs
- •Bangladesh has 173 million consumers with GDP per capita of approximately USD 2,700 and sustained GDP growth of 6-7%, driving rapid modernization of food and beverage packaging.
- •The food packaging market is valued at approximately USD 850 million, with disposable cup and container segments growing at 10-12% annually.
- •Annual plastic packaging consumption exceeds 350,000 tonnes supported by approximately 200 injection molding companies.
12-cavity milk tea cup mold with IML capability
Key Opportunities: Milk Tea Cup Sector
Bangladesh's milk tea cup market presents three growth opportunities. First, the branded tea chain explosion is creating demand for custom-printed disposable cups. Dhaka alone has seen 200+ new branded milk tea shops open in the past two years, each using 500-2,000 cups daily. Second, the broader takeaway beverage market including yogurt drinks (lassi, borhani) and juice cups requires similar packaging formats. Third, export potential to neighboring Myanmar and Northeast India provides additional demand. Currently, most branded milk tea cups are imported from China at USD 0.02-0.03 per cup plus duty and shipping. Local production on HWAMDA equipment can reduce cup costs by 40-50% while enabling faster customization. A 4-cavity mold on the SPV5-320 producing 350ml milk tea cups at 4.5-second cycle times delivers 3,200 cups per hour. With 8 cavities, output doubles to 6,400 cups per hour, sufficient for a significant share of Dhaka's branded tea cup demand.
Import Regulations and Certification Requirements
Bangladesh classifies injection molding machinery under HS code 8477.10 with standard import duty of 3-5% plus 15% VAT and 5% AIT. BIDA-approved projects may qualify for duty exemption. Food-contact beverage cups must comply with BSTI standards referencing Codex Alimentarius food safety guidelines. BSTI certification is required for cups sold in the domestic market. For export-oriented operations in EPZs (Dhaka EPZ, Chittagong EPZ), machinery imports are duty-free. Electrical supply is 400V/50Hz three-phase. Power quality variability requires voltage stabilization equipment. Import documentation requires commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, LC from Bangladeshi bank, and insurance certificate. HWAMDA provides CE certificates, food-grade compliance documentation, and technical specifications. For the milk tea segment specifically, cups must withstand temperatures of 80-95 degrees Celsius without deformation, requiring food-grade PP resin with appropriate heat deflection temperature.
Key Specs
- •Bangladesh classifies injection molding machinery under HS code 8477.10 with standard import duty of 3-5% plus 15% VAT and 5% AIT.
SPV5 high-speed machine for milk tea cup production
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HWAMDA Equipment for This Market
For Bangladesh's milk tea cup market, HWAMDA recommends the HMD 320M8-SPV (3,200 kN) as the entry-level platform or the HMD 380M8-SPV (3,800 kN) for higher-volume operations. The HMD 380M8-SPV delivers injection speed sufficient for filling 0.45mm wall cups across 4-8 cavities with injection pressure of 164-165 MPa and platen size of 1,080 x 1,060 mm. The recommended starting configuration is a 4-cavity 350ml milk tea cup mold in 2344 steel with valve gate hot runner, producing 10g cups at 4.5-5 second cycle times, upgradeable to 8 cavities. The complete line includes the SPV5 machine, milk tea cup mold, SWITEK take-out robot, XC-LF10A industrial chiller, vacuum hopper loader, conveyor, and voltage stabilizer. For branded cups with printed labels, the system integrates with offset-printed IML labels or post-molding pad printing stations. Energy consumption of 1.0-1.2 kWh/kg is efficient for Bangladesh's electricity costs. HWAMDA recommends a 30-45 kVA backup generator for production continuity.
Logistics and After-Sales Support
HWAMDA ships to Bangladesh from Ningbo Port to Chittagong Port in 14-18 days via direct ocean freight. The milk tea cup production line ships in one 40-foot container. Installation and commissioning requires 7-10 days with HWAMDA's South Asia service team. Training covers 3-5 days including machine operation, cup quality control (wall thickness, weight consistency, heat resistance testing), and maintenance procedures. Spare parts delivery from Ningbo reaches Chittagong in 7-12 days by sea or 3-5 days by air freight. HWAMDA recommends maintaining a local spare parts inventory. HWAMDA provides 24-month machine warranty and 12-month mold warranty. Technical support via WhatsApp at +86-159-5888-5672 ensures responsive communication. HWAMDA has experience serving Bangladeshi plastic manufacturers and understands local production conditions including power supply management and humidity considerations for PP processing.
Automatic packing and stacking system
Getting Started: Investment and ROI
Total investment for a complete HWAMDA milk tea cup line for Bangladesh ranges from USD 155,000 to USD 230,000, including the HMD 380M8-SPV machine (USD 78,000-100,000), 4-cavity milk tea cup mold (USD 10,000-15,000), SWITEK robot (USD 10,000-15,000), chiller, loader, voltage stabilizer, generator, and auxiliaries. At 4-cavity running 4.5-second cycles with 80% OEE, output reaches 2,560 cups per hour or approximately 18.5 million annually. Production cost per 350ml cup: PP resin USD 0.010-0.013 (at 10g per cup), energy USD 0.001, labor USD 0.001, mold amortization USD 0.001, totaling approximately USD 0.013-0.016. Bangladeshi market prices for branded milk tea cups range from BDT 2-4 (USD 0.016-0.033), yielding gross margins of 20-52%. With 8-cavity upgrade, output doubles to 37 million cups and margins improve through higher OEE. Equipment payback is typically 18-24 months. Contact sales@hwamdaglobal.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The HWAMDA SPV5 produces cups from food-grade PP resin with a heat deflection temperature of 100-110 degrees Celsius, suitable for hot beverages at 80-95 degrees. Key factors are using appropriate PP grade (homopolymer PP with MFI 35-45 g/10min), maintaining consistent 0.45mm wall thickness for structural integrity, and ensuring proper mold cooling for dimensional stability. HWAMDA recommends PP resins from Borealis, SABIC, or Thai PP brands with verified HDT ratings.
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