Kaufman Kourier: Q1 2026

As we kick off 2026, Kaufman Container is already off to a strong start, filled with industry events, meaningful partnerships, and exciting team growth. From trade show season to internal recognition and new faces on our team, the first quarter set the tone for another year of connection, collaboration, and continued momentum.

Here’s a look back at everything that made Q1 2026 a great start to the year.

Industry Engagement & Events

Vendor Fair 2026 

We wrapped up our 2026 Annual Sales Meeting the best way we know how, with our in-house Vendor Fair. This event brought together key supplier partners for a day of connection, collaboration, and conversation around innovation, current projects, and what’s ahead.

From packaging materials to decorating capabilities, our team had the opportunity to engage directly with partners and strengthen the relationships that help drive our business forward.

A huge thank-you to our incredible vendor partners who joined us for our in-house Vendor Fair!

From blow molding to glass and closures, our team got to connect with:
🔹 PGP Glass 
🔹 Polytainer
🔹 Amcor
🔹 MRP Solutions
🔹 Jafe Decorating
🔹 The Shelby Company

Trade Show Season

Q1 was packed with industry events, giving our team the opportunity to stay connected, explore new ideas, and keep a pulse on evolving market trends. 

We kicked things off at Cosmoprof North America in Miami, where three full days of meetings and conversations with global brands and innovators made for an energizing start to the year. From there, we headed to Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, where we explored the latest in natural and organic products while connecting with brands and partners across the space.

We closed out the quarter at the PDM Annual Meeting at Sunseeker Resort, continuing valuable conversations within the packaging industry and strengthening relationships across our network. Events like these continue to play a key role in keeping Kaufman Container at the forefront of innovation and connection within the industry.

Partnerships & Recognition

Supplier of the Year 2025

Strong partnerships are at the core of what we do, and this quarter we were proud to recognize PGP Glass as Kaufman Container’s 2025 Supplier of the Year.

This award highlights a partner who consistently delivers on quality, reliability, innovation, and collaboration. PGP Glass continues to go above and beyond through proactive support, strong communication, and technical expertise, helping us better serve our customers and grow together.

We’re grateful for their partnership and look forward to continued success ahead.

One More Thing Award Winners

At Kaufman Container, our “One More Thing” philosophy is about going above and beyond, not because it’s expected, but because it’s who we are.

This year, for the first time, that commitment was recognized through two outstanding supplier partners: JAFE Decorating Inc. and The Shelby Company. Both teams demonstrated exceptional responsiveness, quality, and collaboration, helping us move quickly, solve challenges, and deliver for our customers.

We’re proud to recognize them as our 2025 One More Thing Award recipients and appreciate the role they play in our continued success.

Partnerships of Excellence Awards

We also had the opportunity to recognize two exceptional partners with our 2025 Partnerships of Excellence Awards: AHOLA and USI Insurance Services.

Both partners have consistently demonstrated strong alignment with our values through responsiveness, support, and collaboration behind the scenes. Whether it’s supporting day-to-day operations or contributing to long-term growth, their partnership plays an important role in our success.

We’re grateful to have both teams as trusted partners and look forward to another year of continued collaboration.

Team Highlights & Internal Recognition

Core Value Program Winners

Every quarter, Kaufman employees are nominated by their peers for demonstrating our company’s core values. Here are the 1st quarter 2026 winners:

• Nick Kimber – Core Value: Service/Continuous Improvement

• Jenny Smith– Core Value: Service

Congratulations to our core value champions for moving our culture forward!

Employee Spotlights

Each month, we shine a light on a few of our incredible team members. In Q1, we featured:

• January:  Bryan Smith – Sr. Maintenance technician, 31 years of service

• February:  Jenny Smith – Sr. Sales Support Coordinator, 12 years of service

• March:  Nick Stach – Set up support, 8 months of service

We’re so grateful for their dedication, talent, and impact across our organization.

Welcome to the Team!

We were excited to welcome two new teammates this quarter:

• Chris Weth, Quality Technician
  

• Stephanie Russo, Credit & Collections Specialist
  
  

We’re thrilled to have both of them on board and can’t wait to see the great work they’ll do.

Coffee with Kaufman: Meet Tracey Kuchar

We kicked off 2026 with a new episode of Coffee with Kaufman, featuring Account Manager Tracey Kuchar.

Based in Bloomfield, Michigan, Tracey shares her journey into the packaging industry and how she found her way to Kaufman Container. From sourcing a wide range of packaging solutions to managing diverse customer relationships, she highlights what she enjoys most about her role and why no two days are ever the same.

Episodes like this continue to give a behind-the-scenes look at the people who help bring our customers’ packaging to life.