Our Story | Universal Flexible Packaging Ltd
Founded 1993 · Leicester

Built on the belief that personal service changes everything.

"From day one, my goal was to supply products with a personalised service that meets every customer's needs."

, Tinku Durrani, Founder & CEO
30+
Years in flexible packaging
£5.15M
Facility investment
90/100
CEO approval (Owler)
Portrait photo coming from client
Tinku Durrani Founder & CEO, Universal Flexible Packaging Ltd.
Diversity Award Winner
The beginning

Where it all started.

In 1993, I started Universal Flexible Packaging with a simple conviction: that the big players in this industry were leaving a gap. They were good at scale. But scale had made them impersonal , long lead times, generic responses, salespeople who didn't know your product. I knew there was a better way.

I began in Leicester, serving local food manufacturers who needed a packaging partner that actually understood their business , not just their SKUs. The focus was always relationships first, capability second. Get the relationship right and the capability would follow.

Thirty years later, that founding conviction hasn't changed. What's changed is everything around it , the facility, the technology, the team, the certifications. But every customer still gets the same thing I promised in 1993: a partner who picks up the phone, knows your name, and takes accountability for your packaging the way you do.

Founded
1993 · Leicester, England
Entirely organic growth, zero external funding
Investment
£5.15M reinvested into the Leicester facility
50,000 sq ft production, 20+ lines
Experience
30+ years in flexible packaging
BCMPA member since 2000
Recognition
90/100 CEO approval rating (Owler)
30+ years in flexible packaging
The journey

Thirty years of building something worth keeping.

Every milestone in UFP's story was earned through customers who trusted us enough to grow with us. Here's how that journey unfolded.

1993
UFP is founded in Leicester
Tinku Durrani establishes Universal Flexible Packaging Ltd with a founding philosophy centred on personal service. The first customers are local food and beverage manufacturers who need a responsive, accountable packaging partner.
2000
BCMPA membership confirmed
UFP joins the British Contract Manufacturers & Packers Association, signalling a commitment to industry-standard excellence in contract packing and co-manufacturing. A marker of professional credibility that remains in place today.
2010s
Capability investment accelerates
UFP invests in 10-colour flexographic and rotogravure print capability, HD Flexo plates, and digital printing partnerships , building the technical portfolio to serve premium and regulated categories including healthcare and personal care.
Leicester Facility
£5.15M facility investment complete
A transformational reinvestment in the Leicester site produces a 50,000 sq ft production facility with 20+ lines , one of the most comprehensive flexible packaging operations in the Midlands. Entirely self-funded from organic growth.
Sunningdale
Purpose-built solar storage facility opens
The Sunningdale facility launches with 2,500 pallet spaces (expandable to 3,500), solar power, and a bespoke WMS. Designed specifically for brand owners importing from the Far East who need bonded, managed storage between production and market.
Today
A complete end-to-end packaging partner
UFP now operates across the full packaging value chain , Design, Print, Pack, Store, Deliver , with 7 certifications, digital printing partnerships, and customers across Food, Pet Food, Healthcare, Personal Care and Construction sectors.
BCMPA Campden Food & Drink OPRL SEDEX Kosher — Manchester Beth Din Soil Association
What we believe

Three principles we never compromise on.

These aren't values we wrote for the website. They're the operating system we've run this business on since 1993. Every decision, every investment, every hire, every customer conversation, goes through these three filters.

01
People over process
Processes are tools. People are the point. We have always invested more in getting the right people in the room, people who take ownership, rather than in systems designed to replace that ownership.
"A good system run by the wrong person fails. A good person in an imperfect system finds a way."
02
Quality is non-negotiable
In packaging, quality isn't a differentiator. It's the entry price. But our definition of quality goes beyond specification. It includes how we communicate, how we handle problems, and how we behave when things go wrong.
"Our customers' brands are on our packaging. That's a responsibility we take personally."
03
Long-term over short-term
UFP has grown entirely organically because we have never chased the next deal at the cost of the existing relationship. The £5.15M invested in Leicester came from retained earnings, from customers who stayed because they trusted us.
"Short-term thinking is the fastest way to become a commodity. We never wanted to be a commodity."
Our values

How values built a business.

Everything we do at UFP is shaped by four core values. They guide how we work with our clients, how we manage our team, and how we think about our role in the wider world.

01
Integrity
We maintain our honesty, directness and consistent nature as well as adhering to our strengths in morale and ethical principles. Our commitment to third-party audit standards indicates our solid commitment to correct ways of working and maintaining food safety at all points of the packaging process.
02
Trust
Our clients admire our honesty and clarity when it comes to developing strong relationships. Our process of trust does not end with the final packing of their product. We continue to support and develop with our clients further so that they gain the very best experience and growth with their products.
03
Sustainability
In an ever challenging world combating human impacts on the environment, our business strives to reduce our carbon footprint, develop recyclable packaging innovations and to support our local community in our commitment to a positive environmental impact. We strive to reduce our waste generation on a month to month basis and to deliver training for all of our employees in how each individual can do their part in helping our fight with climate change.
04
Diversity
We are proud and committed to employ a diverse range of individuals that are dedicated to their roles and in the success of our business. The company shall never discriminate against ethnic background, religion, sexual orientation or gender. We protect and encourage our employees throughout the business and always welcome unique individuals with their own stories and experiences to offer.
Ready to talk?

Talk to Tinku's team.

Whether you need OPRL labelling, compostable films or a verified supply chain for ESG reporting, we can help you find the right solution for your product and your commitments.

Leicester: +44 116 276 9992  ·  Email: [email protected]

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