Foodservice packaging needs draw attention

Produce packaging design for foodservice customers is perhaps less demanding than consumer packaging, but both produce shippers and packaging suppliers predict sustainability influences will expand.

Because of the larger pack size and more bulk shipment, less plastic is used in foodservice. What plastic that is used can evolve toward more eco-friendly options, sources said.

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No marketing is needed for foodservice packaging due to the restaurant/institution/retailer doing the heavy lifting on this part of the process, said Jeff Watkin, director of marketing for Sev-Rend, Collinsville, Ill. That, he said, leads to simple or even blank packaging, which typically comes at a cheaper cost.

“From a supplier standpoint, I think that moving to a single poly format (monopolymer) will enable much more plastic to be collected and recycled,” said Steve Greenfield, director of sales and marketing for NNZ Inc., Lawrenceville, Ga. “Since much foodservice packaging may be in vacuum film, this is something to look at instead of laminated material that can’t be recycled.”

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Because most foodservice packaging is not consumer facing, branding and aesthetics are not as important as maximizing package volume and minimizing packaging (corrugate) waste, said

Andrew Hare, co-founder and general manager of Charleston, S.C.-based Vertical Roots, citing trends of re-usable, recyclable and post-consumer corrugate packaging for foodservice packs.

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