Can Ends charts aggressive volume expansion at Respack

Formerly purely focusing on the importing and exporting of aluminium cans and components, Can Ends pivoted to commercial manufacturing last year with the commissioning of its first dedicated fabrication plant.

Located in Kheda, approximately 60-kilometres from Ahmedabad, the newly established facility marks the company’s transition into autonomous production. The plant currently specialises in manufacturing traditional three-piece tin cans, though infrastructure expansions are already underway to accommodate a broader product portfolio.

Abhishek Sarkar, key account manager (processed food) at Can Ends, outlined the company’s current market footprint and operational roadmap. The firm’s present commercial output serves two primary institutional segments within the domestic food sector: traditional Indian sweets and processed agricultural produce. 

According to Sarkar, Can Ends currently supplies major corporate sweet brands, including Bikaji and Haldiram’s, for the packaging of high-volume items such as household favourites rasgulla and gulab jamun. In the processed foods vertical, its packaging is utilised for institutional and retail packs of mushrooms, baby corn, and tomato puree, alongside vital seasonal supply agreements catering to the western Indian mango processing market.

Despite its recent entry into direct production, the business reported significant early volume traction. The company recorded sales of approximately two-crore cans in the last fiscal quarter. 

Can Ends is also preparing to break into beverage categories. Sarkar noted that the manufacturer is on track to enter the carbonated soft drink and beverage sector by the final quarter of the year, with plans to introduce dedicated beverage and aerosol lines designed to supply major consumer brands in India.

However, the transition comes amid broader structural challenges regarding domestic consumer habits. Discussing market dynamics, Sarkar noted that the primary hurdle for the preservation packaging market in India remains a deeply ingrained cultural preference for raw, fresh commodities.

“The challenge is with the retail market,” Sarkar observed, contrasting the domestic ecosystem with Western consumer habits. “Mostly, the Indian market is focusing on the fresh. The household person prefers fresh food and vegetables, whereas in Europe, most people depend on canned food.”

As the company navigates these market preferences, its participation at Respack serves as a step to build brand equity, secure new B2B supply networks, and position its incoming beverage-can capacities ahead of a high-volume commercial rollout scheduled for later this year.