Packaging Innovation with Purpose

In today’s pharmaceutical landscape, packaging has evolved beyond a technical necessity—it’s now a strategic driver of growth, compliance and consumer engagement. As market dynamics shift and expectations rise, Jones Healthcare Group is making targeted investments, expanding capacity, and deepening partnerships to help clients stay ahead.

We spoke with Mike Horsfield, Vice President, Business Development at Jones Healthcare Group, about the trends reshaping pharma packaging and how Jones is responding with agility, innovation and purpose.

Contract Pharma: What market shifts are driving packaging innovation right now?

Mike Horsfield: There’s a clear move toward smaller, more flexible formats—particularly in solid dose. Consumers are increasingly purchasing only what they need, favouring two- and four-count packs over bulk formats. This change reflects economic pressures, shelf-life considerations and evolving retail habits.

In Canada, regulatory discussions could soon allow more high-potency drugs to be sold beyond traditional pharmacies. If implemented, this would create new distribution opportunities, aligning Canada more closely with the U.S. model and enabling broader access to everyday health products in non-pharmacy environments.

For packaging providers, the challenge is to deliver solutions that are not only compliant but also adaptable to emerging retail formats and consumer expectations. These shifts are relevant across both consumer healthcare and prescription drug markets.

CP: How is Jones Healthcare responding to these shifts?

MH: We’ve made year-over-year investments to stay ahead of evolving market and client needs—adding new lines and upgrading sites annually since 2020. By next year, these investments will total $40 million. At our Toronto facility, we’ve most recently added a blister line tailored for mid-volume production, meeting the needs of brands that require lower minimum order quantities and greater flexibility. We’ve also approved a new vial line capable of producing both travel-size vials and small bottles, giving clients more format options.

While we may not invest in large-scale infrastructure all at once, our year-over-year approach ensures we’re continuously building capacity in line with client demand, without compromising quality or agility. These moves reflect our readiness to support both consumer healthcare and prescription drug packaging, ensuring clients have the resources and adaptability they need to seize growth opportunities as markets evolve.

CP: What sets Jones apart in a crowded packaging market?

MH: Our fully integrated model combines contract packaging with in-house print and board conversion. We can design board components, apply artwork, and run packaging on our lines—all under one coordinated operation. That means faster timelines, simplified workflows and consistent brand presentation.

Many providers outsource parts of this process. We control it end-to-end, which is rare in our industry. This integration allows us to respond quickly—whether to regulatory changes, new product launches or shifts in consumer demand.

Importantly, we’ve strengthened our team with new hires from leading prescription drug companies, bringing deep Rx experience to our operations. This bench strength supports our ongoing expansion into regulated pharma packaging with full serialization capabilities across multiple packaging formats.

CP: How does Jones approach innovation for pharma clients?

MH: Our innovation is grounded in curiosity, collaboration and real-world insight. We’ve delivered award-winning custom designs—from complex carton geometries to sustainable board-based formats. Our own adherence packaging portfolio, including Qube™ and FlexRx™, reflects our focus on purposeful innovation that improves health outcomes. We’re also preparing to launch the first fully recyclable medication adherence blister pack.

While our contract packaging work is typically client-specified, we continue to explore ways to apply innovations and new solutions in partnership with our contract packaging and print customers. By engaging suppliers, monitoring global trends and fostering cross-team creativity, we ensure innovation remains a continuous process—not an occasional event.

CP: What role does serialization play in your packaging strategy?

MH: Serialization is a critical requirement in regulated pharma packaging, and Jones is equipped to support it. We’ve implemented serialization capabilities that meet global compliance standards, ensuring traceability and product integrity across the supply chain.

While we’re best known for our work in consumer healthcare, serialization reinforces our readiness to serve prescription drug clients. It’s part of our broader commitment to quality, compliance and continuous improvement.

CP: What role does sustainability play in your packaging strategy?

MH: Sustainability is now a core business requirement. Clients want recyclable materials, monolayer films and reduced plastic content. While Europe leads in regulation, North America is quickly following.

We’re sourcing materials and developing designs that meet both environmental and regulatory requirements. For example, we’re investigating monolayer pouching films that simplify recycling and reduce waste. Our approach is pragmatic—sustainable packaging must perform, protect the product and work at scale. We help clients make responsible choices that align with their brand values and consumer expectations.

CP: What should U.S.-based decision-makers know about partnering with a Canadian provider?

MH: Canada’s retail and regulatory landscape is shifting. For U.S. companies, working with Jones offers advantages in navigating bilingual labelling, Health Canada requirements and smaller volume runs. We’ve led in extended content packaging, launching the first high-performance multi-panel folding carton meeting pharmaceutical critical-to-quality parameters when Health Canada’s Plain Language Labelling regulations rolled out. Our solutions add up to 55% more surface area for multi-lingual applications.

We work with the largest U.S. pharmaceutical brands and understand the cross-border nuances. With capacity and deep experience, we can help American teams execute seamlessly in Canada—and keep them informed about the market changes that matter most to their operations.

With proximity to key U.S. markets via the Niagara and Windsor bridges, Jones offers efficient access to Northeast and Midwest distribution hubs. This geographic advantage supports seamless cross-border logistics and faster speed to market.

Closing Thought

Jones Healthcare Group isn’t simply reacting to change—it’s anticipating it. Through strategic investment, integrated capabilities and a deep understanding of regulated markets, Jones demonstrates how packaging can be more than a container—it can be a catalyst for growth, compliance and meaningful connection with consumers. Each investment is guided by market insight and client collaboration, ensuring we’re ready for what’s next—not just reacting to change.