Earthcycle packaging now on retail shelves with paper sleeves

CKF, Inc.’s Earthcycle brand of home compostable and recyclable packaging has expanded its range of sustainable options for its customers to encase their fresh produce by commercializing paper sleeves.

 CKF designed, tested and trialed paper sleeves for a variety of fresh produce items including apples, kiwis, anocados and berries.  The results have been met with strong support from Earthcycle’s international customer base and new programs have now been commissioned and will be appearing on retail shelves as early as July 2021.  

An Earthcycle tray or punnet with a paper sleeve is designed to respond to the growing consumer sentiment for reduced single use plastic packaging.  Using a paper sleeve offers consumers a 100% plastic free package that is still certified home compostable and recyclable.  With expanded “real estate” for high impact branding and product messaging, the Earthcycle sleeved solution checks all the boxes.  Sleeved solutions are also uniquely well suited for home delivery and e-commerce solutions, markets that have gained momentum due to the pandemic.  

“It really is as simple as listening to our customer base”, says Brad Dennis, Vice President Sales and Marketing (Global).  “We are hearing, especially in the European markets, that consumers want to reduce the amount of plastic used in packaging, so a paper sleeve is an ideal solution”.     

CKF sought input from JASA Packaging Solutions, a leader in automated sleeving solutions.  “We are intimately aware of the need for highly automated packaging systems in the fresh produce industry and our sleeving solutions meet our customers’ high standards for performance and speed” says Sandra Somford, President, JASA Packaging Solutions Inc.  “CKF is grateful to the initial support of JASA in designing for purpose and concept testing” adds Dennis.  

PackCo S.L, a packaging design and consultancy firm in Valencia, Spain is actively engaged in developing sleeved solutions. “Many of our clients, such as Ballberry, are looking to differentiate their produce at retail while maintaining an environmentally conscious footprint” says PackCo Art Director, Michael Stephen.  “The product range and depth of the Earthcycle punnets makes the packaging uniquely suited to protect and display soft fruit while offering an authentic canvas to promote our client’s brand”.