Colombia Food Packaging Market Overview
Colombia's food container packaging segment is growing within the country's USD 3.5-4.2 billion food packaging market. The rapid expansion of food delivery services, particularly Rappi (Colombia-founded unicorn), has transformed packaging demand since 2018. Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, and Barranquilla collectively host over 150,000 restaurants and food service establishments, each requiring disposable food containers. Major packaging converters include Darnel Group (Colombia-headquartered, Latin America's largest food packaging manufacturer), Plásticos Truher, Inversiones Richter, and numerous SMEs. Darnel alone operates 8 production plants across Latin America. The food delivery segment demands containers with microwave compatibility, grease resistance, and leak-proof closures. PP is the preferred material due to its temperature resistance (-20 to 120 degrees Celsius) and cost-effectiveness. Colombia's domestic PP supply includes Ecopetrol/Essentia production supplemented by imports from the US (ExxonMobil, LyondellBasell) and Brazil (Braskem) at approximately $1,100-1,350/MT through Buenaventura and Cartagena ports.
Thin-wall food containers — 500ml to 1500ml range
Key Opportunities: Food Container Sector
Colombian food container formats include 500 ml round or rectangular (individual meal, 10-14 g, wall 0.5 mm), 750 ml rectangular (almuerzo corriente/lunch containers, 15-20 g, wall 0.55 mm), 1000 ml round (family size, 18-24 g, wall 0.6 mm), and 1500 ml rectangular (catering, 24-30 g, wall 0.65 mm). The 750 ml rectangular format is the highest-volume segment, driven by Colombia's almuerzo corriente (daily lunch set meal) culture. A 4-cavity 750 ml mold on the HMD 480M8-SPV produces 2,057-2,880 containers per hour at 5-7 second cycles. A 4-cavity 500 ml mold on the HMD 400M8-SPV achieves similar output at slightly faster 5-6 second cycles. Colombia's Andean Community (CAN) membership opens export markets in Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, where similar food delivery trends drive container demand. IML for branded food containers is growing, particularly for supermarket private-label meal prep lines (Éxito, Jumbo).
Import Regulations and Certification Requirements
Import conditions match yogurt cup machinery: HS code 8477.10.00 with 5% duty and 19% IVA. RETIE electrical compliance is required. INVIMA food contact compliance follows Resolution 834 of 2013. For food containers specifically, Colombian regulations address hot-fill applications (above 70 degrees Celsius) and microwave use with additional migration testing at elevated temperatures per NTC 5023 (Colombian technical standard). Container-specific testing includes top-load compression resistance and seal integrity for containers with snap-fit lids. DIAN customs registration and import documentation follow standard procedures. Colombia's recent regulatory alignment with Pacific Alliance standards facilitates cross-border trade with Mexico, Peru, and Chile. HWAMDA provides complete documentation for INVIMA and RETIE compliance, and can supply food contact test reports from accredited Colombian or international laboratories.
Key Specs
- •Import conditions match yogurt cup machinery: HS code 8477.10.00 with 5% duty and 19% IVA.
Stack mold technology doubles output per cycle
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HWAMDA Equipment Configuration for Colombia
For Colombia's food container market, HWAMDA recommends the HMD 400M8-SPV (4,000 kN) for 2-4 cavity molds producing 500-750 ml containers, and the HMD 480M8-SPV (4,800 kN) or HMD 530M8-SPV (5,300 kN) for higher cavity counts or larger 1000-1500 ml containers. All models are configured for 220V/60Hz matching Colombia's electrical standard. The HMD 480M8-SPV delivers 385-422 mm/s injection speed, 763-839 cm3 injection volume, and 1,190 x 1,140 mm platen. For the high-volume 750 ml almuerzo container, a 4-cavity mold achieves 5.5-6.5 second cycles. Molds use 2344 (H13) steel with YUDO valve gate hot runners. The INOVA controller provides Spanish-language interface with multi-stage injection profiling optimized for rectangular container fills. Cooling packages are specified for Colombian tropical conditions (Bogotá at 2,640 m altitude needs standard cooling; coastal Barranquilla and Cartagena at 32-35 degrees Celsius need enhanced tropical packages). Voltage stabilizers are recommended for locations outside major industrial zones.
Logistics and After-Sales Support for Colombia
Shipping follows yogurt cup machinery routes: Buenaventura (22-28 days) for Pacific coast entry serving Bogotá, Cali, and Medellín, or Cartagena (30-38 days) for Caribbean coast access. Ocean freight costs $3,500-6,000 per 40ft container. The HMD 480M8-SPV (8.2 x 2.1 x 2.5 m) and HMD 530M8-SPV (8.6 x 2.2 x 2.5 m) each fit in a 40ft open-top container. Food container molds (2,000-3,000 kg) ship alongside the machine or in a separate 20ft container. Installation takes 7-10 days for food container lines, including mold commissioning and container quality validation (wall thickness uniformity, top-load testing at 50N minimum per ASTM D2659, and leak testing). Spanish-language training covers 5-7 days. After-sales support includes 24-month warranty, WhatsApp diagnostics in Spanish, and spare parts from Ningbo (20-28 days) or air freight for urgencies (5-7 days to Bogotá).
Valve gate system for gate vestige-free containers
Getting Started: Investment and ROI for Colombia
A complete 4-cavity 750 ml food container line for Colombia: HMD 480M8-SPV ($85,000-110,000), 4-cavity rectangular container mold ($18,000-28,000), SWITEK take-out robot ($12,000-18,000), chiller and auxiliaries ($6,000-10,000), and shipping plus customs ($5,500-9,000). Total: $126,500-175,000. Operating at 4 cavities, 6-second cycles, and 85% OEE, annual output reaches approximately 16 million containers. Material cost at 18 g per container and $1,200/MT PP is $0.0216 per container. With Colombian industrial electricity at $0.10-0.14/kWh and labor at COP 1,300,000-2,000,000/month, total production cost is approximately $0.030-0.040 per container. Wholesale prices for 750 ml PP food containers in Colombia range from COP 200-400 ($0.048-0.096), yielding gross margins of 40-60%. The CAN export opportunity to Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia adds 15-25% potential demand. Payback period is estimated at 16-24 months, with faster returns for converters supplying food delivery platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
The 750 ml rectangular almuerzo container (approximately 18 g, 0.55 mm wall) requires 4,000-4,800 kN clamping in a 4-cavity configuration. The HWAMDA HMD 480M8-SPV (4,800 kN) is the recommended choice, providing 1,190 x 1,140 mm platen space for the rectangular mold layout and 763-839 cm3 injection volume for the 72 g total shot weight. Cycle times of 5.5-6.5 seconds yield approximately 2,215-2,618 containers per hour.
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