Australia Food Cans Market Size, Share and Forecast Trends - Growth Analysis and Outlook Report (2026-2035)

Market Overview

The Australia food cans market is a mature, replacement-led segment of metal packaging. Volumes follow canned fruit, tomato, vegetable, soup, seafood, pet food and powder output, while a small group of domestic can makers and importers supply cans and ends to a concentrated set of processors.

Three forces shape demand: cost-of-living pressure that keeps shoppers buying shelf-stable pantry lines and retailer own-brand ranges; processor restructuring and balance sheet repair that reward reliable local supply; and packaging policy that favours recyclable, high-recycled-content formats such as steel and aluminium.

In April 2025 Visy launched a locally made aluminium can with 83% recycled content, in December 2025 national packaging targets reported 86% of packaging as reusable, recyclable or compostable, in May 2026 SPC Global raised AUD 100 million, and in September 2026 the federal government ruled out a new national packaging scheme this term.

Key Market Trends and Insights

• Domestic can output: Visy states on its October 2026 food cans page that it makes over 400 million food cans a year, more than 90% of Australian-made food and nutritional powder cans.
• Can ends capacity: The Coburg upgrade described on Visy's October 2026 page adds capacity for 100 million extra food can ends a year, supporting easy-open formats.
• Customer earnings recovery: SPC Global reported normalised EBITDA of AUD 38.5 million on 28 August 2026, up 27%, after using its May 2026 raise to cut net debt to AUD 85.8 million.
• Recyclability baseline: A December 2025 national targets update reported 86% of packaging as reusable, recyclable or compostable, a baseline that favours steel and aluminium cans in reform debates.

Australia Food Cans Market Size and Forecast

The market is set to grow modestly as processors protect shelf-stable ranges, retailers push own-brand lines and packers favour formats that recycle widely. Three-piece steel cans remain the largest segment because tomatoes, fruit and vegetables dominate Australian canning, while can ends and closures advance fastest as easy-open formats and added ends capacity win share. Fruit, vegetables and tomatoes lead applications, dairy and nutritional powders grow quickest, and branded processors remain the largest customers while private-label producers gain pace. Victoria stays the largest base because the Goulburn Valley and Melbourne can making sit together, and Queensland grows quickest from its pineapple and juice cannery base. Supply certainty, recycled content and reform timing, rather than volume spikes, shape a steady outlook.

Key Takeaways: Australia Food Cans Market

Replacement Demand Sustains Steady Growth

Revenue is set to rise from AUD 280.00 million in 2025 to AUD 406.57 million in 2035 at a 3.8% CAGR, as canneries, private-label ranges and powder packers keep metal packs in steady use.

Ends and Powders Lead Segment Growth

Three-piece steel cans remain the largest segment, but can ends and closures grow at an estimated 4.6% CAGR and dairy and nutritional powders at 5.2% through 2035, helped by easy-open formats and added ends capacity.

Reform Timing Shapes Supplier Choices

National packaging reform stalled in 2026, so buyers rely on voluntary targets and state rules while weighing recyclability, recycled content and supply security.

• No new federal packaging scheme this term
• Draft intergovernmental agreement still pending
• Steel and aluminium keep a recyclability advantage

Australia Food Cans Market Report Summary

Key Insight

Steady, replacement-led demand from Australian canneries, retailer private-label ranges and nutritional powder packers keeps spending stable, while recyclability policy and cannery restructuring shape supplier choices.

Key Trends in the Australia Food Cans Market

The Australia food cans market is being shaped by stalled national packaging reform, processor balance sheet repair, retailer ranging decisions and tomato and fruit canning consolidation in Victoria.

September 2026 - Government Rules Out New National Packaging Scheme

• On 2 September 2026 the federal environment department told stakeholders that a new Commonwealth packaging scheme will not be introduced in this term of government.
• It will instead work with states and territories on nearer-term improvements, and environment ministers were due to discuss packaging regulation at a mid-September meeting.
• The department is still considering an updated kerbside recyclability grading framework, with no decision yet on how it would be applied.

August 2026 - SPC Global Reports Higher Earnings on Lower Debt

• SPC Global reported on 28 August 2026 normalised EBITDA of AUD 38.5 million for the year to 30 June 2026, up 27% and ahead of guidance.
• Net debt fell to AUD 85.8 million from AUD 123.7 million after the AUD 100 million equity raise, with net leverage near 2x.
• Net sales revenue eased to AUD 331.8 million as the company shifted towards higher-margin branded lines over lower-return volume.

July 2026 - Ardmona Becomes Exclusive Branded Canned Tomato at Woolworths

• SPC Global said on 8 July 2026 that the Ardmona range became the exclusive Australian branded canned tomato offering at Woolworths.
• Tomato net sales rose 3.5% in the June quarter, while baked beans and spaghetti rose 4% and beverages 11.7%.
• Restructuring at Shepparton began in the quarter, with consultation under way, and a Mill Park closure is due to move juice shots production there.

March 2026 - Environment Ministers Defer Packaging Design Decisions

• At their 27 March 2026 meeting environment ministers discussed packaging reform but agreed no national design rules or regulatory model.
• Officials were asked to prepare a draft intergovernmental agreement on packaging reform for ministers to consider later in 2026.
• Existing state and territory obligations continue to apply, so packers face no immediate compliance change but ongoing fragmentation risk.

Key Insight

Governments are debating packaging rules without settled national design standards, while processors rebuild balance sheets and consolidate sites, so buyers favour can suppliers offering supply certainty and recyclable formats.

Recent Market Developments in the Australia Food Cans Market

Recent developments, presented from the most recent, show the Australia food cans market moving from recycled-content can launches and national targets into processor recapitalisation and grower contract resets.

September 2026 - Simplot Tasmanian Growers Sign Contracts at Lower Prices

• Reported on 18 September 2026, most Tasmanian growers supplying Simplot signed new contracts by the 15 September deadline.
• The deals cut the average price paid to growers by 2.5%, and at least one grower declined to sign and will stop supplying.
• Contracted volumes from growers who left are moved to others, keeping vegetable processing volumes broadly intact.

May 2026 - SPC Global Launches AUD 100 Million Capital Raise

• On 18 May 2026 SPC Global announced a fully underwritten AUD 100 million raise, with an entitlement offer running from 22 May to 2 June 2026.
• New shares were priced at AUD 0.10, a 71% discount to the last traded price, mainly to reduce net debt.
• Pro forma net leverage was expected to fall from 3.9x to 1.11x, and annual bank interest from about AUD 15 million to under AUD 5 million.

December 2025 - National Packaging Targets Report Recyclability Progress

• A 15 December 2025 review of Australia's national packaging targets reported about 86% of packaging as reusable, recyclable or compostable.
• Plastic recycling lagged at 19%, which keeps pressure on brand owners to consider metal and other widely recycled formats.
• Packaging Covenant fee modulation was described as a way to charge more for high-impact packaging and less for low-impact designs.

April 2025 - Visy Launches 83% Recycled Content Aluminium Can

• On 15 April 2025 Visy launched a locally made aluminium can averaging 83% recycled content, produced at its Yatala site in Queensland.
• The Re-In-Can-Ation pilot, with Lion, Stone & Wood, Novelis and Rio Tinto, ran for 18 months and cut associated emissions by 59%.
• The result shows domestic can lines can combine recycled and low-carbon metal, an option food packers watching aluminium formats may study.

Key Insight

Recent events show processors recapitalising, growers renegotiating contracts and governments delaying a national packaging scheme, leaving can demand steady but exposed to retailer pricing and rule changes.

Australia Food Cans Industry Segmentation

The Expert Market Research’s report on the Australia Food Cans Market offers a detailed analysis of the market based on the following segments.

Market Breakup by Can Type

• Three-Piece Steel Cans
• Two-Piece Steel Cans
• Aluminium Food Cans
• Can Ends and Closures
• Others

Three-Piece Steel Cans lead because tomatoes, fruit, vegetables and soups are packed in welded tinplate bodies, and Visy's food cans page in October 2026 cites over 400 million food cans a year. Can Ends and Closures grow fastest at an estimated 4.6% CAGR, as the Coburg upgrade adds capacity for 100 million extra ends and easy-open ring-pull ends gain share. Two-Piece Steel Cans serve seafood and pet food in smaller volumes. Aluminium Food Cans are the smallest group, though Visy's April 2025 recycled-content aluminium can shows local lines can handle high recycled input.

Market Breakup by Food Application

• Fruit, Vegetables and Tomatoes
• Soups, Meals and Baked Beans
• Meat, Fish and Pet Food
• Dairy and Nutritional Powders
• Others

Fruit, Vegetables and Tomatoes lead because Shepparton hosts Australia's largest fruit processor and tinned tomato processing, and SPC Global reported tomato sales up 3.5% in July 2026. Dairy and Nutritional Powders grow fastest at an estimated 5.2% CAGR, since Visy lists infant formula and powdered beverage cans among its products in October 2026. Soups, Meals and Baked Beans follow steadily, with baked beans and spaghetti sales up 4% in the June 2026 quarter. Meat, Fish and Pet Food rely largely on imported filled cans and domestic pet food lines, so growth is the slowest.

Market Breakup by Customer Type

• Branded Food Processors
• Private-Label Producers
• Nutritional and Dairy Powder Packers
• Export-Oriented Processors
• Others

Branded Food Processors lead because SPC Global, Golden Circle and similar owners buy the bulk of local cans for established shelf-stable brands. Private-Label Producers grow fastest at an estimated 4.7% CAGR, as Woolworths made Ardmona its exclusive branded canned tomato range in July 2026 and retailers continue to expand own-brand lines. Nutritional and Dairy Powder Packers expand steadily with Visy's powder can range. Export-Oriented Processors grow slowest, since SPC Global's international sales eased to AUD 45.9 million in the year to June 2026, though margins improved sharply.

Market Breakup by Region

• Victoria
• Queensland
• New South Wales
• Tasmania
• Others

Victoria dominates, as the Committee for Greater Shepparton said in May 2026 that its region holds Australia's largest fruit processor and only tinned tomato processors, and Visy's Coburg plant sits in Melbourne; it grows at an estimated 3.4% from a large base. Queensland is fastest at an estimated 4.4%, led by the Golden Circle cannery at Northgate. Tasmania grows at 4.1%, as Simplot's growers signed new contracts in September 2026. New South Wales grows at 3.9% as a buyer and Riverina supplier. Others, grouping South Australia, Western Australia, the ACT and the Northern Territory, grows at 3.6%.

Purchase the Regional Overview for USD 1099

If you choose to purchase the full report at a later stage, the amount already paid will be adjusted, and you will only need to pay the remaining balance.

Purchase the Regional Overview for USD 1099

If you choose to purchase the full report at a later stage, the amount already paid will be adjusted, and you will only need to pay the remaining balance.

Competitive Landscape in the Australia Food Cans Market

Competition combines a dominant domestic can maker, importers of empty cans and ends, and large food processors that set specifications and negotiate on price. Entry barriers include tinplate sourcing, seaming and coating know-how, food safety approvals and the capital needed for can lines.

Visy

Visy is a privately owned packaging and recycling group headquartered in Melbourne that makes steel food cans and ends at Coburg in Victoria. Its food cans page, viewed in October 2026, claims over 90% of Australian-made food and nutritional powder cans, over 400 million cans a year and a Coburg upgrade adding capacity for 100 million ends. In April 2025 it launched an aluminium can with 83% recycled content at Yatala, Queensland.

SPC Global

SPC Global is headquartered in Shepparton, Victoria, and is listed on the ASX. It cans fruit, tomatoes, baked beans and spaghetti under the SPC and Ardmona brands, and also owns Nature One and The Original Beverage Co. In May 2026 it raised AUD 100 million to cut debt, in July 2026 Ardmona became Woolworths' exclusive branded canned tomato range, and in August 2026 it reported normalised EBITDA of AUD 38.5 million.

Kraft Heinz Australia (Golden Circle)

Kraft Heinz Australia operates the Golden Circle brand, whose cannery at Northgate in Brisbane produces over 150,000 tonnes a year of canned pineapple, juices and cordials according to the brand's website, viewed in October 2026. Kraft Heinz, its owner, is headquartered in Chicago and Pittsburgh. As an anchor food can buyer in Queensland, the cannery ties Queensland demand to pineapple fruit supply and brand ranging decisions.

Simplot Australia

Simplot Australia is the local arm of J.R. Simplot of Boise, Idaho, and processes vegetables, potatoes and prepared foods under brands including Edgell, Leggo's and Birds Eye. In September 2026, most Tasmanian growers supplying Simplot signed new contracts with an average price cut of 2.5%. Its canned and processed vegetable ranges depend on steady supplies of cans and closures from domestic makers and importers.

Other players operating in the Australia food cans market include Kagome Australia, Riviana Foods, John West Australia, Campbell Soup Australia, and Safcol Australia, alongside tinplate importers, closure suppliers, private-label packers and co-packers supporting food processors across Australia.

Key Insight

Competition is concentrated: one domestic can maker dominates local supply, so processors weigh import options, lightweighting and recycled content, and compete mainly on service reliability, price and sustainability credentials.