Starting Fresh

Shoppers looking for quality, shelf life, convenience and safety all in one package.

The farm-to-table chain is all about freshness. As growers, ranchers, processors, transporters, distributors and retailers do their part in getting products from the point of origin to the point of sale, it's the element of packaging that truly brings the farm to the table, as the bridge between production and consumption.

That's increasingly true today, as fresh foods are packaged earlier in the food chain, versus sold in bulk or packaged at the store level. Cases in point: the availability of case-ready meat and poultry products and pre-packaged vegetables and fruits.

Packaging has been a focus for many food suppliers and retailers, because now, more than ever, shoppers seem to want everything in one package: freshness, quality, extended shelf life, safety and sustainability — and are willing to pay for it. Meanwhile, a new global study, conducted by Ipsos InnoQuest, confirms that consumers are willing to pay more for value-added features that enhance freshness and sustainability.

Retailers also appreciate those product attributes, at a time when they are trying to attract consumers to their stores and must contend with their own labor and merchandising challenges. "Packaging improvements have been great for the industry overall," says Dick DeVries, owner of DeVries Grocery and Market in La Grange, Ill. "Better packaging for fresh foods not only keeps things fresher and prevents them from drying out, it's better from a shelf-life and sanitation standpoint."

While DeVries carries more prepackaged products, such as peppers and salads sold in bags and pouches in his produce section, he also appreciates how fresh meat is sent to his back room. "We still display meat fresh in our meat counter, but we are allowed to have better control over how much we put in there, to give [customers] the freshest product and the feel of a service counter," he says.

Protein Package Breakthroughs

In the meat and poultry section, improvements continue in case-ready packaging and in packages received by butchers in the back room. Many of the advances in packaging materials and design for fresh meat and poultry center on sustainability, ease of use and shelf life.

Duncan, S.C.-based Sealed Air, for example, recently rolled out a convenience-oriented packaging format in its Cryovac line. The new OvenEase package allows consumers to buy raw protein items at retail, store them in their home freezers and then cook them in the oven in the same material in which the items were packaged. "This enables processors to remove the guesswork from home cooking by providing them the opportunity to develop products that can be seasoned or marinated prior to packaging, with simple preparation instructions included on the products' exterior package," says Don Smith, director of marketing for poultry and seafood for Cryovac.

Likewise, getting a product from point A to point B more easily — from supermarket to cooking — was the impetus behind a new cooking bag from U.K.-based packaging company Sirane. Processors can pre-season or pre-marinate the products before they're placed inside the cooking bags, which consumers can put directly on the grill.

In addition to convenience, other improvements in meat packaging reflect a greater interest in sustainability. A new vacuum package called FreshCase from Oshkosh, Wis.-based Curwood, for example, was designed to ensure bright color bloom and extended shelf life, and is an alternative to expanded polystyrene trays with PVC overwrap. According to Curwood, which is owned by the Bemis Co. Inc., the vacuum packaging reduces material by up to 75 percent, compared with other case-ready formats.

Another sustainability-driven package for meat and poultry is a new lightweight product engineered by U.K.-based LINPAC Packaging. The monomaterial, recyclable rPET tray features a sealant on the flanges that creates a secure seal with the lidding film, hence removing extra base film.

Taking a Stand

As with packaging for proteins, the fresh produce department has been getting a makeover with ready-to-use packages designed with sustainability, convenience and shelf life in mind, along with the "musts" of quality and freshness.

Underscoring consumers' growing interest in farm-to-table freshness, modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) for fruits and vegetables is one way to ensure fresh produce for shoppers, and easy merchandising for retailers.

At Anaheim, Calif.-based Peakfresh USA, President and CEO Greg Ganzerla says his company's low-density polyethylene film with a naturally occurring mineral is paying off, in such forms as commercial pallet bags and box liners, and retail packs and bags. "You see tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers coming from growers and shippers in Mexico and going all the way up to Canada. Grocers lose a lot of money every year because of returns, so they are starting to look at modified-atmosphere packaging to prevent that," he explains, adding that the popularity of fresh fruits and vegetables is a trend that's here to say. "People are trying to be healthier and are looking for ways to get extra life out of them. With a modified-atmosphere package, the product will get to the other end the way it left, and consumers are able to buy produce no matter where they are."

Produce departments are also doing a standup job merchandising fresh produce — as in stand-up pouches and bags. Packaging advances continue in that sector, too.

Temkin International, for example, has launched new quad-seal bags, with hermetic side seals for a reinforced upright structure, and for more space for graphics or a window view. "With a laminated structure and four rigid seals, this bag has outstanding barriers and 'stand-upability,'" says Noam Temkin, VP of sales and marketing. As for sustainability, Payson, Utah-based Temkin also touts its recyclable materials and water-based inks.

High-impact graphics are also a benefit of stand-up pouches for produce. Robbie Flexibles in Lenexa, Kan., for example, offers a Fresh N Tasty produce pouch that allows for brightly colored and customizable graphics, in addition to resealability and a slim design for reduced packaging materials. The focus on convenience is also evident in this pouch, which has an easy-carry handle.

More effective and sustainable resealability is reflected in other packaging advances for produce. In addition to zippers and closers, lidding films have been an area of improvement. Elk Grove Village, Ill.-based Clear Lam Packaging Inc. is one supplier that has focused on that package feature, with a new Peel and Re-Seal lidding film. The film replaces pre-formed rigid lids and shrink bands with a consumer-friendly design that's also more lightweight.

In the end, as grocery stores evolve to carry more case-ready products, those packages reflect the people putting them into their carts or baskets. "Packaging is key to selling an item," grocer DeVries concludes. "The nicer and more usable the package is for shoppers, the more likely it is to sell."

"Grocers lose a lot of money every year because of returns, so they are starting to look at modified-atmosphere packaging to prevent that."

—Greg Ganzerla, Peakfresh USA

"Packaging improvements have been great for the industry overall."

—Dick DeVries, DeVries Grocery and Market