With over two decades of experience across sales, operations and supply chains, Rupali Shah emphasizes that sustainable packaging must deliver commercial and operational performance.
In this interview with Packaging MEA, she discusses scalability, procurement scrutiny, and industry accountability.
Sustainability in packaging is often framed as innovation or intent. For Rupali Shah, it is about execution.
With more than 20 years in packaging and manufacturing, she has worked across sales, operations and supply chain functions, building experience that bridges commercial discipline with environmental responsibility
Her entry into the industry began with paper — a material she saw as simple in origin yet remarkably versatile across applications. That early exposure helped her see packaging as much more than just a protective layer.
In her view, packaging reflects how a company approaches cost management, operational efficiency and accountability. Long before sustainability became a boardroom agenda, she recognised that environmental awareness would influence purchasing decisions and that paper based alternatives would move from optional to essential.
During nine years leading sales at Pinnacle Packing Industries, Shah gained direct insight into how closely packaging decisions affect customer margins. Understanding procurement cycles, production timelines and cost pressures, she argues, is fundamental to delivering value. Reliability, she maintains, builds long-term contracts more effectively than aggressive pricing — a principle that continues to inform her leadership approach
Today, as Managing Partner and Director at Absolute Nature Industries and DCGPac.com, Rupali focuses on closing what she describes as the gap between sustainability claims and solutions that work in practice.
For her, materials such as sugarcane bagasse and agricultural residues must meet operational and commercial benchmarks to scale successfully. As regulatory scrutiny increases and procurement teams demand greater transparency, Rupali believes accountability will define the industry’s next phase. In packaging, she maintains, sustainability must function on the factory floor as effectively as it does in strategy discussions.
In this interview with Usha Benjamin, Managing Editor, Packaging MEA, Rupali discusses commercial discipline, the realities of scaling sustainable materials, the evolving expectations of procurement teams, and why reliability and preparation remain central to long-term growth in the packaging sector.
Usha Benjamin: What first brought you into packaging?
Rupali Shah: It was paper, actually. I was struck by how versatile it was — simple in origin, but adaptable across industries. The more I understood it, the more I realised packaging isn’t just about wrapping a product. It reflects how a business thinks — about cost, efficiency, responsibility. Even early on, it was clear that environmental awareness would influence purchasing decisions. Paper-based alternatives weren’t a trend. They were going to become necessary. That’s what kept me interested. And it still does.
Usha Benjamin: What did your nine years leading sales at Pinnacle Packing Industries teach you?
Rupali Shah: That packaging is tied directly to a customer’s margins. If you don’t understand their cost pressures, procurement cycles and operational timelines, you’re just quoting numbers. You’re not solving anything.
I also learned that reliability outperforms aggressive pricing in the long run. In this industry, consistency wins contracts. Late deliveries and fluctuating quality cost far more than a few cents on price. And growth without margin control? That doesn’t last.
Usha Benjamin: What gap are you addressing with Absolute Nature Industries?
Rupali Shah: The gap between sustainability claims and sustainability that actually works. There are many “eco” products in the market. But businesses still struggle with cost, performance and supply consistency. If a product fails in any one of those areas, it won’t scale.
We focus on materials like sugarcane bagasse, rice leftovers and coconut shells — but functionality comes first. If it doesn’t perform operationally, it won’t survive commercially. We also spend time educating clients. Transitioning away from plastic isn’t just about swapping materials. It affects sourcing, compliance and long-term planning. That process needs guidance.
Usha Benjamin: Which market is moving fastest right now?
Rupali Shah: The UAE and the wider GCC. Regulation, procurement standards and consumer awareness are moving together. Sustainability here is quickly becoming a requirement, not a marketing angle. Europe has been ahead for years, but its pace is steady and structured. Africa has strong long-term potential, though infrastructure plays a role in how fast change happens. In the GCC, adoption is quicker — especially in food service and hospitality. Decisions are being made faster.
Usha Benjamin: Why do some packaging companies grow while others stall?
Rupali Shah: Mindset. Some treat packaging as a commodity business and compete only on price. That’s a race to the bottom. The companies that grow invest in systems — supply chain strength, quality control, structured sales processes. They anticipate regulatory change instead of reacting to it late. And they position themselves inside their customers’ value chain, not outside it. Reliability builds long-term revenue. Discounts don’t.
Usha Benjamin: What has changed most in customer expectations?
Rupali Shah: Transparency. Customers now ask detailed questions: Where is the material sourced? Is it certified? What happens at end-of-life? Does it meet regulatory standards? Price still matters, but it’s no longer the only filter. Procurement teams are evaluating packaging through compliance, ESG alignment and brand risk. Packaging has become visible at leadership level.
Usha Benjamin: Where are companies still getting sustainability wrong?
Rupali Shah: Surface-level adjustments. Replacing one plastic component while ignoring the rest of the structure isn’t meaningful. Promoting compostable materials in markets without composting infrastructure doesn’t solve anything either. Without certification and traceability, claims fall apart quickly. And if the product fails operationally or commercially, it won’t scale. “If sustainability cannot perform commercially and operationally, it cannot create lasting change.” It has to work on the factory floor and in the balance sheet — not just in a presentation.
Usha Benjamin: What major development will influence the industry in the next five years?
Rupali Shah: Mandatory accountability. Extended Producer Responsibility frameworks, carbon reporting requirements and stricter compliance standards will influence packaging decisions from day one. Design choices will matter more — material efficiency, mono-structures, traceability. Sustainability will be embedded into procurement and finance, not handled separately. The companies preparing now will have an advantage. Others will be forced to adjust quickly.
Usha Benjamin: As a woman in a traditionally male-dominated sector, what helped you establish credibility?
Rupali Shah: Preparation. I made sure I understood the technical side — GSM, costing, logistics, production constraints. When you speak with clarity on those topics, the conversation shifts to capability. Consistency also matters. Delivering results repeatedly builds respect. Leadership doesn’t require imitation. It requires competence.
Usha Benjamin: What should young professionals focus on today?
Rupali Shah: Three things. Technical depth. Commercial understanding. Environmental literacy. Packaging is still a science, but it’s also margin-driven and compliance-driven. You need to understand all three. Digital familiarity helps too — data tracking, forecasting tools, traceability systems. And communication. This industry runs on relationships.
Conclusion
Rupali Shah’s career reflects how packaging has moved into sharper focus within modern business. What began as an interest in paper has developed into a clear position: sustainability must stand up to operational realities.
As regulation tightens and scrutiny increases, the industry will reward those who combine discipline with responsibility. In packaging, practicality always wins.