Expansion of the quick service restaurant industry has fueled increasing demands for specialty papers in the food service sector. As this trend continues, it is expected that global growth for food service papers will increase at an approximate rate of 1.4% per year through 2016. These and other key findings were released in a new study by RISI (risi.com), the leading information provider for the global forest products industry.

"Despite lacking certain inherent properties such as grease or moisture resistance, paper has become an increasingly attractive option for food service use. Many applications used for "take-out" packaging are disposable products such as bags, wraps, bakery sheets, cups, etc, making paper a more sustainable option compared to other competitive materials," says William Studstill, director of graphic paper at RISI.

"Because this is a growing market, opportunities may exist for commodity graphic paper and packaging producers to convert their equipment to make these specialty food service grades," continues Studstill.

RISI's recently published study, Specialty Food Service Papers, provides a detailed analysis of the growing food service paper sector. It focuses on barriers and opportunities facing potential entrants to the sector. The study examines global usage of this sector's key specialty grades and identifies the key companies producing in this market. Details include information on product lines, capabilities, and papers used.

Analysis included in Specialty Food Service Papers Study:

• Market size and trends
• Cost benchmarking data for 60 mills
• Regional and global converters and distributors
• Barriers for potential market entrants
• Specific end-use product applications
• New raw material developments
• Global trade trends

For more information on this study, download the prospectus or visit RISI’s website.

Companies analyzed in this study include:

 Ahlstrom, Asia Pulp & Paper, Expera, Gascogne, Sappi