150 projects and counting: Smurfit Westrock’s Design2Market sets the standard for packaging innovation

First-of-its-kind packaging design sprint meets major milestone and is building momentum globally

Leading sustainable packaging manufacturer Smurfit Westrock has recently completed its 150th Design2Market project.

Created in 2022, Design2Market is Smurfit Westrock’s pioneering accelerated development process, dedicated to speeding up the journey from product design to availability in-market. In just two weeks, a team of sustainable packaging experts collaborates with a brand to transform ideas into packaging prototypes, providing updates around the clock.

Central to this is Smurfit Westrock’s data-driven approach. By using insights from millions of data points to benchmark a project’s market position in costs, sustainability, and consumer impact, the Design2Market team can prioritise, manage risks, and refine the best idea into a bespoke value proposition for each individual project.

“Design2Market is the first approach of its kind in our industry, so we are immensely proud of completing 150 projects. Design2Market is already inspiring others, but our unrivalled experience continues to set the benchmark, helping to elevate standards across the industry”, said Arco Berkenbosch, Chief Innovation Officer at Smurfit Westrock. “From beverage to confectionery, product displays to transport boxes, brands have benefitted from the Design2Market process across countless sectors. It is a truly revolutionary approach to sustainable packaging design.”

70 per cent of the projects to date have been deemed successful, and 40 per cent have been implemented and made available in over 60 different markets

“In Design2Market, success does not necessarily mean a product makes it to the shelves,” explained Berkenbosch. “Sometimes an idea is great in theory but isn’t feasible in the real world. The Design2Market process allows us to fail fast; to recognise if something isn’t going to work extremely quickly, and to change approach. That is just as important as getting something right first time and is why customers come back to us to repeat the process.”

Design2Market has been particularly well-received across Europe, and Smurfit Westrock is perfectly positioned to accelerate its implementation in other regions.

“With over 2,000 dedicated innovators across Smurfit Westrock, we have a strong Design2Market capability in every region in which we operate,” said Berkenbosch. “We created Design2Market because we knew there was desire for a laser-focused approach to packaging creation, and that has only got stronger. We’re excited to harness this to deliver for new and existing partners in all corners of the world.”