The inaugural Label Summit Africa has been hailed a success after 303 senior delegates including converters, brand owners and label designers attended. Held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) March 19-20, the Summit’s program brought new ideas on how to do business across the wider continent to the forefront.

Organized by the Labelexpo Global Series team, the keynote address was given by Jay Gouliard of Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials. Highlighting the importance of innovation, Gouliard looked at the opportunities and benefits offered by eco labels and innovation packaging, whilst outlining that increasing sustainability can maximize profitability. Other presentations included Adrian Steele of Mercian Labels Group who gave a case study on how online marketing transformed a short run label printing business model. HP Indigo’s Christian Menegon with Grant Watson from Rotolabel outlined the benefits of digital printing and other digital technologies with case studies on Coca Cola, Sprite and Wing Man.

Designed to look at fresh and radical ways of doing business, the Summit’s content led to detailed and well attended panel discussions. The printer panel discussion addressed the challenges and opportunities facing label converters and examined the requirements of export markets for global competitiveness. The retailer panel discussion, which included panellists from Woolworths, Clicks and Shoprite, tackled private labels versus premium brands and also considered the importance of personalization with the growing demand for short run promotions. The beverage panel discussion comprised of wine producers including Boland Cellar, Boer & Brit and Haskell Vineyards and label designer Fanakalo, looked at brand enhancement and engaging consumers through product promotion.

Supporting the conference, the Summit also featured a tabletop exhibition and social program.  Over 200 delegates attended a private dinner and beach party at Grand Café & Beach in Granger Bay on the opening evening, while over 150 enjoyed wine tasting and a blending, bottling and labeling session at the Zevenwacht wine estate, part of the Stellenbosch Wine Route.

Roger Pellow, Labelexpo managing director, said: “Label Summit Africa 2012 has been an enormous success – far exceeding our original expectations. Delegate and exhibitor feedback has been hugely positive particularly about the Summit’s content and choice of venue. The event brought the whole supply chain and label industry together with around 15% delegates being brand designers or owners like SAB Miller, KWV and Appletiser.”

He continues: “It is very clear that the program of speakers gave the audience an inspiring and fresh insight into ways of doing business and opening up new opportunities. We’re confident that the mix of technology presentations, discussion panels and customer case studies ensured delegates gained new ideas and techniques on how they can successfully further their business across the African continent. We will be returning in 2014.”