Convenience increasingly driving produce packaging

Convenience increasingly driving produce packaging

The consumer desire for convenience has manifested in produce packaging in a number of ways, said Sam Monte, director of operations at Monte Packaging, Riverside, Mich.

"Probably one of the biggest trends that we're trying to implement and trying to provide for all of our customers are consumer packages that are convenient for the retail buyer," Monte said. "So whether that's a pouch bag with a resealable zipper and a handle, or it's a certain type of plastic container that has a top seal that is resealable - anything that is easy to grab off the shelf and put in the cart and then take from the cart back home and put in the fridge - that's a big part of what we're seeing right now."

Minimizing shopping time

A shift in packaging in the apple sector is likely connected to that trend, said Steve Lutz, vice president of marketing at Columbia Marketing International, Wenatchee, Wash.

Three-pound and five-pound bags of apples have been the norm for years, but the volumes sold of those are decreasing, and the volume sold of the 2-pound bag has increased 60% over the last year, Lutz said.

The newer apple varieties are put into those bags, which is certainly key to the growth in the 2-pound category, but Lutz believes convenience plays a role as well.

Look around the produce department, he said, and handled pouch bags are everywhere.

"There's an entire segment of the population that is convenience-oriented, and they're looking to minimize total trip time in the grocery store. Those consumers don't want to stand in front of an apple display and pick out their fruit," Lutz said, "so they can go by, they can grab a 2-pound bag. They know it's a small enough quantity - two pounds - that they're not being asked to make a huge purchase. But they also know that they can grab that bag and it's not like they're taking a risk by buying five pounds of fruit that either might be bad or they might not like."

Meals on the go

Jennifer Evans, marketing manager at Sambrailo Packaging, Watsonville, Calif., said customer desire for healthy snacks has led to an increasing amount of produce packaged with mobility in mind.

"Health-conscious consumers are looking for quick and easy ways to get their daily dose of fruits and vegetables," Evans said in an e-mail. "The desire for healthy snacks on the go has increased the demand for single-serve packs with easy-open lids. They are also looking for these items in more places, like convenience or small local grocery stores."

Roman Forowycz, chief marketing officer at Clear Lam Packaging, Elk Grove Village, Ill, has noticed the same trend.

"What we're seeing now is a real movement towards more snacking and grazing. The grazing phenomenon (is) definitely taking hold in the U.S.," Forowycz said. "This is driven by the demand of the millennials and Generation Z. What we're seeing is a lot of this grab-and-go, a lot of protein kits, a lot of formats that are kind of replacements for traditional meals.

"We've seen this movement towards smaller serving sizes, toward serving sizes and packaging formats that are more mobile, and it's really because the traditional breakfast, lunch and dinner concept is morphing into more like five or six smaller meals throughout the day, and many of those are done while a person is working or at school or in the car. So it's becoming more natural for people to not wait for a particular time to sit down with coworkers or family members to eat," Forowycz said. "When we all grew up, that phenomenon of sitting down with the family and having lunch or dinner, it's just not the case anymore."

Clear Lam does focus groups and consumer research to try and determine where demand is headed and prepare packaging that meets those needs before they fully develop.

"We're always trying to be one step ahead in understanding the changes in our society and changes in consumer trending, so we're trying to work with our customer base, the processor and the retailer and act as their consultants and really try to show them where these trends are happening and then actively developing packaging to address those trends," Forowycz said. "We're trying to be very proactive in moving with the trends in the market."

Two-pound bags for apples are one of the emerging trends to which companies are adjusting, Lutz said. Most machines traditionally used for bagging apples are set up for 3- to 5-pound poly bags, so many of the apples that end up in 2-pound pouch bags are being packed by hand.

"It makes it a more expensive package to produce, so it puts a bit of a premium in terms of actually creating a product," Lutz said. "The other cost factor is the packaging material itself is much higher quality, and that has a cost associated with it, so we know from a per-unit basis just in terms of the labor inputs and the packaging cost inputs that we're selling a higher-cost package to consumers, but so far they seem to be okay with it."

Lutz said that another aspect of a smaller package the size is more amenable to a large group of consumers who are shopping just for themselves or for themselves plus one other person.

"People forget that one-quarter of the households in the United States are one-person households, and over 50% of the households are two-people households, so you can sell 5- or 10-pound bags, but you're not going to sell a 5-pound bag to a one- or two-person household," Lutz said. "Convenience takes many forms, and one aspect of convenience is being able to make a purchase that's quick, that's high-quality, but also doesn't lead to a lot of waste at home, and I think that's part of what's driving that convenience packaging as well."

Minimizing meal prep

Ocean Mist Farms, Castroville, Calif., has a product line called Season & Steam that allows customers to open a bag containing either brussels sprouts, artichokes or kalettes, season the contents of the bag, and cook the vegetables in the bag in a microwave.

"As far as what consumers are looking for, they're looking for convenience and a value-add to it, whether you can add a seasoning to it, or you can add something else to it, or it has other ingredients in it, so you can get closer to your final meal preparation," said Diana McClean, director of marketing at Ocean Mist.

The latest research McClean had available showed dollars sold of value-added brussels sprouts had grown 31% while the bulk product had 10% growth. She said value-added has been trending up for a while, so the company is working to meet what clearly is a need of many customers.

"You wash it, you cut it, you add additional ingredients, you make it simple to be cooked, whether it's our Season & Steam bag in the microwave, or somebody else's package that's cooked a different way," McClean said. "That's kind of indicative of our shopper demographic."

While some people will still buy the bulk product and prepare it, more and more people are wanting to eat healthy but do it quickly, McClean explained.

Destiny Packaging, Monterey, Calif., is also investing in simplifying the meal-making process. Along with its many produce packaging options, Destiny offers Steamfast bags - a Grab & Steam line for retail and a Close & Steam line for foodservice. Microwaving a fruit or vegetable in the bag will do the same work in much less time than conventional cooking.

"Look at society today - you've got mothers that are working, fathers that are working. People that are watching the children are watching numerous children. Nobody has time, and so convenience is one of the biggest factors, I think, in packaging," said Albena Leon, general manager at Destiny. "Our big push - and has been the past year and it's really going into a big push in the next few years - is the ready meals. Fresh-ready meals are a big trend. People want to eat healthy. They want to be able to grab something and go very fast."

Tags

 

Latest News

How new research could prevent frost damage in orchards
How new research could prevent frost damage in orchards

In this podcast episode, Advanced Agriscience's Collin Juurakko shares interesting discoveries he's made about how frost crystals form and how that lead to a potential solution for tree-fruit growers across the globe.

Cool Creations previews new products at AWG show
Cool Creations previews new products at AWG show

North Kansas City, Mo.-based Cool Creations LLC had two new products to show off at the Associated Wholesale Grocers' seventh annual Innovation Showcase, March 25-26.

Dole, Fresh Express nix sale of fresh vegetables division
Dole, Fresh Express nix sale of fresh vegetables division

Following Department of Justice concerns about competition in the packaged salad market, the companies have abandoned the proposed $308 million deal.

Fresh Del Monte named to most trusted companies list
Fresh Del Monte named to most trusted companies list

Fresh Del Monte is among the honorees on the Most Trustworthy Companies in America 2024 list, recognized for a commitment to quality, sustainability and innovation in fresh produce.

Improved conditions for West Mexico produce may arrive with spring
Improved conditions for West Mexico produce may arrive with spring

West Mexico growers faced a tough fall/winter season, but distributors believe things are looking up for spring with increased supplies and more reasonable prices.

What’s next for retail foodservice: Retailers dish up insights in free webinar
What’s next for retail foodservice: Retailers dish up insights in free webinar

"Impact Retail Foodservice 2024" will gather industry experts to discuss opportunities and challenges, as well as share insights for driving growth in the year ahead in one of the hottest departments in grocery.