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Packaging materials must consider the various characteristics of each different type of produce to ensure sustainability. For example, the packaging design must remain flexible to provide ventilation for breathing, like with certain types of mold-prone leafy vegetables. Then, there are more sensitive produce items, like berries, that are more fragile and require more shock absorption. Also, consider root vegetables, which require moisture retention supplied by packaging materials that won't trap condensation and moisture, and resist the urge to call upon single use plastics for this purpose. It's smart to use FDA compliant, BPI approved, and FSC certified food-grade paper-based compostable materials, which offer renewability, customizability, and permeability. They also protect each produce variety, which in turn, minimizes food waste by increasing natural shelf-life. Most fresh produce brands fall into the trap of using generic and non-produce-specific eco-materials. This is an oversized design flaw within the design community. Yet, it can be the first step for all parties involved, towards effective sustainable design of packaging.
Structural Design for Freshness Retention
In consideration of the transit and storage of fresh produce, the structural design works in conjunction with the choice of materials used to optimally retain produce freshness and integrity. Structural design optimizations such as micro-perforations for air flow, resilient construction using corrugated paper for air pockets, and paper closures for resealability ease of use, among others, are employed to mitigate the rate of spoilage. We partnered with a regional organic fruit company to implement an innovative design to naturally compostable paper trays and flexible cover berry packaging to reduce operational transit spoilage to 30% and eliminate the use of plastic clamshells. The design also emphasized and expressed the need for tiered stackability on retail shelving and handhold cut areas for the ease of consumer use, offering a balance between sustainability and functionality. Effective structural design provides usable packaging that facilitates user friendliness for the produce, and simplifies the act of packaging for both the retailer and the consumer.
Compliance with International Sustainability Certifications
When it comes to sustainable packaging for fresh produce, its credibility comes from international sustainability and food safety certifications. Certifications such as FSC, BPI, FDA, and ISO have to be accredited for the packaging to be considered truly eco-friendly and safe for food contact as well as safe for food contact to build trust with retailers, consumers, and regulators internationally. Food safety experts have stated that uncertified "eco-packaging" can lead to risks of chemical leaching. Because of this, it is imperative that fresh produce brands have third-party certifications if they wish to sell internationally. For example, BPI compostability certifications are required for all fresh produce packaging by European retailers and FDA food-grade compliance is required by US grocers. Because of this, compliance with these global standards for packaging has demonstrated that these brands are serious about sustainability and not just greenwashing.
Integrating Sustainability into Business Profitability
Eco-friendly fresh produce packaging is not simply an environmental choice; it is a more intelligent business selection that yields more measurable business returns. Market research has shown that modern consumers are willing to pay more for fresh produce, specifically, a 25% increase in willingness to buy from brands with sustainable packaging. Furthermore, brand loyalty is cultivated; customers will return to brands that meet their environmental standards. In addition, sustainable packaging on grocery shelves increases the likelihood that a brand will be chosen. In this regard, fresh produce brands are offered the opportunity to convert a sustainability cost into a business profit—in this case, the business profit is the elimination of plastic waste, an increase in sales, and greater customer retention. Furthermore, eco-friendly packaging can reduce costs in the long-run by eliminating waste of packaging materials, and packaging that will comply with the new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations that will penalize the packaging materials used.
Optimizing supply chain for scalable production
A pivotal aspect in the creation of effective and packaging systems for sustainable fresh produce is the ability to scale, and a packaging partner is key in balancing quality and sustainability. A brand requires an innovative packaging partner who customizes designs for specific produce lines and can offer mass production and global supply chain management solutions to support wide regional distribution. With a decade of experience in sustainable food packaging, Richer Paper provides comprehensive services from design to distribution. With an annual capacity of over 40,000 tons and distribution in over 60 countries, they support the ordering of flexible production quantities — from small, test, or starter lots, to large, established coventured lots — and offer by region and global distribution responsive to the produce packaging tested through real produce. This extensive global network distribution enables unencumbered scaling of fresh produce eco-conscious packaging.