Emerald Packaging’s newly appointed president talks inflation, sustainability

Emerald Packaging, a produce flexible plastic packaging company, has promoted Pallavi Joyappa to president.

Joyappa has been a “critical member” of the Emerald Packaging team for 17 years and an integral part of its growth, says the Union City, Calif.-based company. She has served the company in multiple capacities including, process control engineer, director of operations and, most recently, chief operating officer.

As COO, Joyappa focused on Emerald’s strategic initiatives including new product development as well as optimizing its manufacturing processes. More recently she helped oversee finance, marketing and sustainability.

To learn more about Joyappa’s vision as president of the independent flexible packaging manufacturer, The Packer recently connected with her via phone.

What does she see as the most pressing challenge facing the produce packaging industry?

“Inflation is top of mind. Everyone is suffering under high inflation,” Joyappa said. Emerald Packaging is located in the Bay Area, where cost of living is particularly high, and companies are competing with Tesla and Meta for talent, she added.

“High inflation is a bit of an issue — not just for us but also for our customers,” she said. “At the same time, to ensure the continued growth of our company, we need to retain our workforce. We need to ensure that wage increases match inflation.

“We’ve done a lot to tackle inflation,” Joyappa continued. From identifying easier-to-source materials to trying alternatives to finding local suppliers, Emerald Packaging has looked to protect its customers from rising costs.

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Joyappa has helped to successfully steer Emerald Packaging during these tricky times.

“Pallavi has stepped up as a leader, spearheading efforts that have allowed Emerald to navigate successfully through challenging economic times and has ultimately helped the company achieve profitability,” Emerald Packaging CEO Kevin Kelly said in a news release. “Thanks to Pallavi, we have successfully fended off price increases, streamlined the business and gained rebates from suppliers, which helped our bottom line. She has played a critical role in our success, and her appointment as president is a natural extension of the work she has performed for the last couple of years. It’s acknowledging a fact.”

Joyappa, a native of Bangalore, India, and an industrial engineer by training, has excelled in every role she has held at Emerald, the company said. Upon joining the company, she created its first quality program and introduced lean manufacturing. As director of operations she pushed increases in productivity and revolutionized the company’s safety program, cutting injuries to less than a handful annually. She also drove initiatives that led Emerald to win California Green Business certification.

“We’re very engaged in sustainability,” said Joyappa, pointing to the work Emerald has done with legislators, lobbying for responsible packaging methods. She adds that Emerald is an advocate for extended producer responsibility, a strategy that estimates all of the environmental costs associated with a product throughout the product’s lifecycle.

Among Joyappa’s goals as president will be to help the company “take a more active role in shaping legislation around recycling” and “pushing the boundaries of sustainability,” she said.

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During her tenure as COO, her responsibilities increased, especially as the company coped with rising demand, COVID-19 limitations and inflation. “We wouldn’t have managed this period without her,” Kelly said. 

Joyappa thinks the company and the industry have emerged the stronger for it.

“It’s been a difficult time for the last few years with the pandemic, but it’s made us all strong. The produce and packaging industries can handle what’s coming. We’ll get through it,” she said.

As president, Joyappa says she’s also excited to explore automation and robotics.

“We still have issues with labor shortages,” she said. “I’m interested in bringing automation and robotics to our industry — not to replace labor, but to enhance our efficiency. I’d love to tackle that.”

Emerald Packaging specializes in packaging for fresh produce and bagged salads for companies including Taylor Farms, Fresh Express, Organic Girl, Dole Fresh, Snow Crest, American Licorice Company, and Vegetable Growers Supply.

“I’m blessed to work for a company that has recognized my efforts,” said Joyappa of her 17-year career trajectory with Emerald Packaging. “Emerald works to identify talent from within. It’s a diverse and inclusive environment, and I’m lucky to be a part of it.”