Interview with Clayton Gons, Packaging Engineer - Mondelez International

I graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Packaging Engineering from the Rutgers School of Engineering and gained experience across pharmaceuticals, food, and structural design through internships at Pfizer, Mondelēz International, and Hatteras. I now work full-time at Mondelēz International as an Associate Packaging Engineer, where I lead development of primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging for beloved brands such as Teddy Grahams and Barnum’s Animal Crackers, while also supporting packaging initiatives across the broader biscuit portfolio including Nilla Wafers, Ritz, and Honey Maid Graham Crackers. Alongside my corporate role, I run a freelance packaging design and prototyping business, supporting structural and visual packaging development projects. I am currently pursuing a Master of Science in Packaging Science through Michigan State University to further deepen my technical and leadership expertise in the field.

One of the biggest challenges in my work today is driving meaningful packaging innovation while still staying aligned with existing product portfolios and manufacturing systems. New formats or materials need to advance sustainability and performance, but also remain within cost and margin targets, maintain structural integrity, and integrate cleanly from primary packaging all the way through secondary, tertiary, and unit load configurations. Balancing all of these factors across high-volume, well-loved brands requires thoughtful optimization and strong cross-functional collaboration.

 I think the industry is moving toward more holistic, system-level packaging design ; looking at the entire packaging chain rather than isolated components ; while continuing to scale truly viable sustainable materials and the infrastructure needed to support them. As development timelines continue to accelerate, there’s also a growing need for smarter, more connected packaging development tools that can streamline specification work, guide material selection based on product needs, and keep dimensions aligned across packaging levels. Ideally, more parametric design approaches could allow changes in primary packaging to automatically cascade through secondary, tertiary, and pallet configurations, improving speed, consistency, and overall space efficiency across the system.

I see Mondelēz playing a major role in shaping the packaging industry over the next five years, particularly as regulations like EPR expand and place greater accountability on producers. As one of the world’s largest snack companies, we rely heavily on flexible packaging formats, which creates both real challenges and meaningful opportunities. Evolving these materials to meet recyclability, recovery, and cost requirements at our global scale is complex, but it also positions us to help drive practical, scalable solutions that the broader industry can learn from and adopt.

Because of our scale and brand reach, even incremental improvements in material structures, packaging reduction, and system optimization can have outsized impact. I believe Mondelēz is well positioned to help accelerate infrastructure-ready flexible packaging, advance circular material pathways, and demonstrate how large CPG portfolios can transition responsibly without compromising product protection, efficiency, or accessibility. In doing so, we can help set realistic benchmarks and inspire broader industry progress.

I’m especially excited by the continued advancement of sustainable flexible packaging ; particularly bioplastics that can perform technically, remain cost-competitive, and scale to the massive volumes required by global food companies. Alongside material innovation, the growth and accessibility of industrial composting infrastructure will be critical to making compostable packaging a truly viable pathway rather than a niche solution.

I’m also very encouraged by progress in recyclable mono-material films, which offer a more immediate route to circularity within existing recycling systems. The combination of scalable bio-based materials, improved end-of-life infrastructure, and high-performance recyclable film structures has the potential to fundamentally reshape how flexible packaging is designed and recovered over the next decade ; and that’s an area I’m very motivated to contribute to in my career.

When I begin a new packaging project, I typically anchor on three guiding principles. First is a reality check against the existing brand portfolio ; understanding current pack formats and determining whether there’s an opportunity to harmonize for efficiency and consistency, or where true innovation would add value. Second is the consumer perspective ; considering how the product is used and which packaging features will best support product protection, usability, and overall brand experience. Third is system-level feasibility ; evaluating how the concept can be executed from primary through tertiary packaging within the constraints of existing manufacturing lines, supply chains, and operational realities.

The most successful suppliers combine speed, technical depth, and reliability; they can move quickly from concept to validated specs without compromising quality. Data readiness is becoming a real differentiator: strong specification control, material databases, and digital workflows that make collaboration easier for brand owners. Finally, suppliers who bring proactive innovation; sustainable material options, design-for-manufacture thinking, and realistic cost/lead-time guidance; become true partners rather than just vendors.

Brand owners are constantly balancing sustainability goals, margin constraints, and performance requirements; especially in food where shelf-life and protection are non-negotiable. It’s also hard to innovate without disrupting an existing portfolio or manufacturing lines, so changes must be scalable and operationally feasible. On top of that, the regulatory landscape (EPR, recyclability claims, reporting requirements) keeps evolving, which adds complexity to material decisions and timelines.

On the design side, the rise of generative AI tools for creating images, concepts, and even early 3D forms has significantly improved how ideas are communicated between brand owners and suppliers. Clients can now quickly visualize and share packaging concepts; even without CAD or rendering expertise; which reduces interpretation gaps and speeds alignment on design intent. This has streamlined early-stage collaboration and reduced the back-and-forth that traditionally occurred when translating ideas into executable packaging designs.

On the manufacturing side, continued advances in automation and intelligent systems are making packaging lines faster, safer, and more consistent. Technologies such as AI-based defect detection and rejection, automated case sizing and packing, and integrated palletizing are enabling high-speed operations with greater precision and reduced labor intensity. These systems are helping manufacturers improve efficiency and quality while supporting the scale and reliability required in modern packaging production.

Over the next five years, I see the packaging industry evolving toward more connected, system-level design and development. Technologically, packaging will become increasingly data-driven, with more digital and parametric design tools that link primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging so changes can be evaluated and optimized across the full system more quickly. Automation and AI will continue advancing manufacturing through smarter inspection, adaptive equipment, and more integrated packaging lines.
Environmentally, the focus will remain on designing packaging that aligns with real recovery pathways; particularly recyclable mono-material structures and scalable bio-based materials; alongside growing regulatory pressure from policies like EPR. Companies will be pushed to balance sustainability with cost, performance, and manufacturability at scale, driving more practical, infrastructure-ready solutions.
Socially, there will be greater expectation for transparency and credibility in packaging claims, with consumers and regulators demanding clearer information about recyclability, materials, and environmental impact. Packaging will increasingly need to demonstrate not just intent, but measurable outcomes across the full lifecycle.

Continue surveying individuals across every angle of packaging; Food, pharma, cosmetics, tech, sustainability, graphic designers, structural designers, people from various continents, junior level, executive level, etc. as everyone has their own unique experience to provide.

AI will speed up early-stage packaging development by improving concept visualization, rapid iteration, and communication between brand owners and suppliers. In production, AI will increasingly power inspection, predictive maintenance, and process optimization; reducing defects and downtime on high-speed lines. In supply chains, AI will help forecast demand, optimize inventory and logistics, and support smarter material and supplier decisions based on performance, cost, and sustainability requirements.

Data-enabled packaging can improve customer experience through better freshness, authentication, traceability, and clearer usage guidance; especially when paired with QR codes or smart features. Operationally, IoT and analytics can provide real-time visibility into line performance, defect trends, and transport conditions, enabling faster root-cause analysis and fewer quality losses. Over time, it creates a feedback loop where packaging can be continuously refined based on measurable performance in the real world.

Automation and robotics will continue making operations faster, safer, and more consistent; particularly in repetitive, high-speed, and ergonomically challenging tasks. We’ll see more robotic case packing, palletizing, and warehouse handling, along with in-line systems that automatically detect issues and respond in real time. The biggest shift will be more adaptive systems that can change formats quickly and support efficiency even as SKU complexity increases.

At a high level, my organization is focused on advancing packaging that reduces environmental impact while remaining viable at scale; through lightweighting, increasing recyclability, improving material choices, and optimizing packaging systems across the supply chain. There is also growing emphasis on designing packaging that aligns with real end-of-life pathways and evolving regulations, like EPR. The challenge is doing this without compromising product protection, operational reliability, or affordability; so the best solutions are practical, scalable, and measurable.

Packaging will increasingly act as a “connected” touchpoint through digital experiences; QR codes, limited editions, interactive content, and personalized messaging tied to campaigns or consumer preferences. At the same time, structural design will play a larger role in storytelling through experience: how the package opens, how it dispenses, how it stores, and how it communicates quality and trust. The future is packaging that’s not just protective, but expressive and interactive; while still being sustainable and functional.

The next wave will be driven by partnerships between CPG companies, material science innovators, recyclers, and waste management stakeholders to ensure new materials actually have viable recovery pathways. We’ll also see deeper collaboration with AI and automation providers to create more connected development workflows and smarter production lines. Finally, e-commerce and logistics partnerships will be key; because packaging performance increasingly depends on how it survives distribution and how efficiently it moves through the system.

Build a strong foundation in packaging fundamentals; materials, manufacturing, and systems thinking; then learn how to use AI and automation as tools to move faster and make better decisions. Focus on solving real constraints: cost, line compatibility, performance, and end-of-life realities. For startups especially, the best opportunities come from making solutions scalable and easy to adopt; because in packaging, the winning innovation is the one that works reliably at production volume.

I’ve been especially influenced by mentors across both Rutgers and industry who emphasized that great packaging lives at the intersection of engineering, manufacturing reality, and consumer experience. Professors in the Rutgers packaging program helped instill strong fundamentals in materials, design, and systems thinking, while managers and senior engineers I’ve worked with in industry showed me how to translate those principles into solutions that run reliably at scale. Their guidance shaped how I approach packaging today; grounding creativity in real-world constraints and focusing on solutions that are not just innovative, but manufacturable and practical.

I like to start my day by identifying the one or two highest-impact tasks that will move projects forward, whether that’s resolving a packaging issue, advancing a spec, or aligning with stakeholders. I also tend to break complex packaging challenges into smaller, actionable steps; design, feasibility, testing, and system fit; which keeps momentum steady. Staying organized with clear notes and visuals helps me quickly re-engage with multiple projects throughout the day.

One principle I rely on is grounding ideas in real constraints early; manufacturing capability, cost, materials, and system fit; so time is spent developing viable solutions rather than theoretical ones. I also try to communicate visually whenever possible, since packaging is inherently spatial and structural. Finally, I focus on steady iteration: progressing concepts through small refinements rather than waiting for a perfect solution in one step.

I’m motivated by the challenge of turning complex requirements into elegant, functional packaging that works at scale. There’s something deeply satisfying about seeing a concept move from idea to physical product in the real world. A mindset I come back to is that the best packaging solutions are those that balance creativity with practicality; innovation that people can actually manufacture, use, and recover responsibly.