Produce packaging plays a critical role in protecting fresh fruits and vegetables from damage during transport, storage and display. As the entire packaging industry transitions toward more sustainable solutions, produce packaging is no exception. Suppliers are finding new ways to reduce the environmental impact of their packaging, while also offering the same protection that is crucial for making sure produce is fresh at the time of purchase.

As an example, Xact Prepack and Frutmac recently partnered to develop sustainable trays and punnets to hold fresh produce in UK markets. The new packaging showcases the determined sustainability efforts of both companies.

Additionally, StePacPPC launched new modified atmosphere/modified humidity packaging for fresh produce products. The new packaging is set to reduce food waste by making sure products are kept in an ideal state during transport.

Finally, Sainsbury’s transitioned to plastic-free packaging for its avocado brand earlier this year. The new packaging is fully recyclable and will eventually save 20.2 million pieces of plastic a year upon full rollout.

Learn more about these innovations below.

Xact Prepack and Frutmac Partner to Provide Sustainable Packaging

Xact Prepack, a leading provider of packaging solutions for the UK food industry, has announced a significant new collaboration with Frutmac, an esteemed Italian manufacturer renowned for its innovative and 100% recyclable cardboard packaging and automated packaging machinery.

This partnership marks a further step in Xact’s commitment to offering forward-thinking, environmentally conscious packaging solutions to the UK market.

The collaboration introduces a comprehensive range of high-quality cardboard packaging, including a range of Frutmac trays and punnets, designed to meet the diverse needs of the UK’s fresh produce and food sectors. This versatile packaging range offer an optimal packaging solution for a wide array of products, from fresh fruits and vegetables to baked goods and beyond. Crafted from materials such as conventional corrugated board and sustainable grass paper, these cardboard options can be tailored to specific requirements, including the application of stretch or flowpack films, and are available with features like PET-coating, lids, and various presentation options. Furthermore, Frutmac offers bespoke printing capabilities, allowing businesses to enhance their brand presence on their packaging.

Beyond the packaging itself, this collaboration provides UK businesses with access to Frutmac’s cutting-edge automated packaging machinery. This integrated approach offers a complete, efficient solution, streamlining the entire packaging process from product filling to final presentation, all while utilizing sustainable materials.

This partnership between Xact Prepack and Frutmac brings together Xact’s deep understanding of the UK market and its dedication to sustainable practices with Frutmac’s expertise in developing and manufacturing advanced, fully recyclable cardboard packaging and automated technology.

Commenting on the partnership, Paul Bennion, Director at Xact Prepack, stated: “We are thrilled to announce this partnership with Frutmac. This collaboration underscores our ongoing dedication to providing packaging solutions that not only meet the practical needs of our customers but also align with a more sustainable future. With increasing pressure on businesses to adopt environmentally sound practices and the ongoing focus on reducing plastic waste, the demand for high-quality, recyclable alternatives is clear. Frutmac’s innovative range, including their adaptable trays and punnets, aligned with their advanced machinery perfectly complements our existing portfolio, enabling us to offer a truly comprehensive and sustainable packaging proposition to the UK food industry.”

Matthias Alber, Head of Sales at Frutmac, said: “Partnering with Xact Prepack represents an exciting opportunity for Frutmac to introduce our cutting-edge sustainable packaging solutions to the UK market. Our range of Frutmac trays, with their adaptability and customization options, coupled with our automated machinery, provides a compelling, eco-friendly choice for a wide variety of food products. Xact Prepack’s strong foothold and understanding of the local market make them an ideal partner to bring our comprehensive offering to businesses seeking high-performance, environmentally responsible packaging solutions. We are confident that this collaboration will deliver significant value to the UK food sector.”

StePacPPC’s Packaging Helps Foodservice Operations Minimize Waste

StePacPPC’s advanced modified atmosphere/modified humidity (MA/MH) packaging solutions are transforming the U.S. foodservice sector with proven success in reducing waste and improving operational efficiency. 

The visionary food packaging developer, together with its partner Windham Packaging Ltd. Inc., USA, is serving the demand for impactful solutions to the widespread issue of food waste in the sector. 

The European Food Information Council estimates that some 1.05 billion tons of food waste is generated globally, out of which 60% comes from households and almost 30% — or a distressing 290 million tons — emanates from the foodservice industry.

The foodservice industry is often forced to discard large volumes due to the perishable nature of fresh produce, supply chain temperature fluctuations, spoilage, and kitchen waste, creating a costly cycle and ethical dilemmas that persist despite improved inventory management measures and donation efforts.

To address these challenges, StePacPPC and its partner Windham Packaging have developed a range of its bulk modified-atmosphere packaging to extend the shelf life of fresh produce headed to foodservice outlets — predominantly restaurants, hotels, and canteens. These films are already gaining momentum among fresh produce packagers in the U.S., specifically for the delivery of ready-to-use sliced mushrooms, green beans, brussels sprouts and broccoli, with demonstrated success in improving operational efficiency and reducing waste.

“We’ve been using StePacPPC’s films to pack five-pound bundles of fresh green beans and brussels sprouts for foodservice operations,” reports Miguel Ibarra, Operations Manager of PEA King Produce, Inc. “As soon as we switched to this film, we experienced a 5% reduction in scrap rate compared to the previous material. Additionally, its enhanced sealing properties require shorter sealing times, increasing bagger speeds and improving operational efficiency. The real standout benefit is the film’s ability to better dissipate humidity from the bag and provide an optimal modified atmosphere, effectively increasing shelf-life by 10% and thus boosting customer satisfaction.”

The lean, resealable MA/MH packaging designed by StePacPPC is inbuilt with water vapor transmission rates (WVTR) to help eliminate excess moisture buildup. This preserves the quality and appearance of the fresh produce, helping it weather long-haul shipments, extend storage time, and reduce food waste. Optimized for both horizontal and vertical form-fill-seal (HFFS and VFFS) operations, these lean films minimize plastic consumption with proven improvements in packaging process efficiency. The films are also available with chemically recycled content with accreditation from RedCert2.

StePacPPC’s portfolio of films and packaging formats include its popular branded Xtend^® bags and Xflow™ films. They incorporate a patented high-performance sealing layer that seamlessly adapts to both manual and automated packing across a range of produce items, enhancing operational efficiency and potentially reducing labor costs.

“We have received a lot of rave reviews from our customers commending the superior quality of the fresh vegetables such as green beans and sliced mushrooms,” says Gary Ward, Ph.D., CTO for StePacPPC. “They report their products are arriving with better quality and less waste at hotels, restaurants, caterers, and other foodservice destinations across the U.S. The innovative design not only ensures peak freshness upon arrival but extends shelf life even after opening. If resealed, the packaging will continue to preserve the quality of partially used produce under refrigeration, providing flexibility for future use and significantly reducing food waste. We are now focusing efforts on replicating the success in UK and Europe and adapt the packaging to accommodate a broader range of fresh produce for the foodservice sector.”

StePacPPC’s formats have also been instrumental in eliminating the need for ice. For example, when shipping broccoli from Salinas Valley to a major restaurant chain across the U.S., the iceless packaging enabled the transport of 66% more broccoli per container, resulting in the need for fewer deliveries and reducing the carbon footprint.

StePacPPC formats have been customized to pack vegetables in varying volumes, and according to the needs of the foodservice operations, taking into account each product’s unique needs. The design considers key factors such as respiration rates, moisture sensitivity, dehydration risk, and required atmospheric conditions, as well as post-harvest handling and supply chain requirements. This results in packaging that provides optimal moisture control and modified atmosphere conditions for each specific produce type, preserving quality, extending shelf life and reducing waste.

Sainsbury's Switches to Paper Packaging for Own-Brand Avocados

Sainsbury’s has switched its own-brand twin pack avocado packaging from plastic to paper in a move which will eventually save 20.2 million pieces of plastic a year upon full rollout.

Starting with a trial across 77 Sainsbury’s supermarkets, customers can purchase by Sainsbury’s Ripe & Ready Avocados twin pack in paper packaging in selected superstores now. Following successful completion of the trial, a wider rollout is anticipated to start later this year in-store and online. The plastic-free avocado packaging consists of paper with bamboo netting, a solution that is fully recyclable at curbside.

Claire Hughes, Director of Product and Innovation said: “Switching to paper packaging across our Ripe & Ready Avocados twin pack is one of the many steps we are taking to fulfill our commitment towards a greener future. The initiative reflects our continuous efforts to help develop more sustainable and innovative packaging solutions and we’re excited for our customers to try out the new packaging in-store.”

As part of its broader strategy to cut down on plastic usage, Sainsbury’s has implemented various initiatives. Last year, Sainsbury’s made the move from plastic to cardboard punnets across a range of its Taste the Difference berries and cherries. The change will help the retailer save over 160 tonnes of plastic per year. Furthermore, the switch to cardboard mushroom punnets has saved around 775 tonnes of plastic each year, and transitioning all kitchen and toilet roll packaging from plastic to paper reduced over 485 tonnes annually.

Sainsbury’s recently launched its ‘Good to Know’ logo to help customers identify products with improved packaging or components such as those with reduced plastic packaging. The new logo is aimed to raise awareness and make it easier for customers to understand Sainsbury’s work to support sustainability, animal welfare and communities.