Alex Xavier
Packaging Strategy & Sustainability | Packaging Engineering Leader | CPG Commercialization
- Role
- Associate Staff Packaging Engineer at The Hershey Company
- Location
- Hershey, PA, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About Alex Xavier
Results-driven Packaging Engineer with 10+ years of experience leading packaging development for global brands including The Hershey Company, Coca-Cola, and PDI Healthcare. Proven expertise in material science, manufacturing processes, and supply chain optimization — delivering packaging solutions that balance product performance, manufacturing efficiency, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness.Skilled at analyzing complex product requirements and transforming them into commercially scalable packaging strategies. Experienced in working across diverse packaging formats and materials to drive innovation, enable sustainability initiatives, and unlock cost savings — all while navigating complex supply chains and manufacturing environments.Passionate about applying my packaging expertise in dynamic, technology-driven industries — where materials science, advanced manufacturing, and supply chain strategy intersect to accelerate innovation and enable competitive product roadmaps.Outside of work, I enjoy graphic design and have created marketing materials to support non-profit initiatives and community causes.
Experience
Associate Staff Packaging Engineer
Nov 2022 — Present · Hershey, PA, US
Led strategic concept-to-commercialization packaging projects driving $250M+ in sales, improving shelf visibility, pallet density, and reducing transportation/storage costs- Built and deployed a parametric sizing and case-optimization model used across multiple teams, cutting analysis time 50%+ and increasing accuracy for pallet density, case counts, and material usage- Championed innovation across Hershey bar sizes, ensuring brand consistency, consumer appeal, and operational feasibility- Served as packaging lead for Hershey’s new plant startup—resolving equipment-packaging issues, optimizing automated systems, and training plant teams on specifications- Collaborated with R&D, engineering, procurement, planning, and marketing to deliver launches and portfolio updates on tight timelines- Introduced volume-based design methods that cut development time 50% and improved production alignment- Drove sustainability initiatives including material reduction, recyclable structures, and density optimization—reducing carbon footprint and delivering $3M+ in savings- Led plant trials and first production runs, creating standard protocols and partnering closely with engineering and quality- Developed six new ISTA-based test methods for package/product integrity- Produced high-fidelity prototypes to support consumer testing and innovation alignment- Acted as SME for marketing and production, ensuring design intent, manufacturability, and issue resolution across commercialization- Participated in consumer insight studies and customer projects to optimize packaging attributes- Ensured regulatory and quality compliance across all packaging initiatives- Experienced in Stage-Gate processes, managing timelines, risks, and deliverables across internal and external partners.
Education
Loyola College
Bachelor of Science - BS, Chemistry
2009 — 2012
INDIAN INSTITUTE OF PACKAGING - IIP
Master's Degree, Packaging
2012 — 2014
Mount St. Mary's
High School
1996 — 2009
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