Double win for Mastronardi Produce at global packaging competition

Two brands from Ontario-based greenhouse grower Mastronardi Produce recently garnered awards for excellence in package design and innovation at the PAC Global Awards.

Mastronardi’s marketing team took home the Best in Class award for its Queen of Greens lettuce brand in the New Brand category, according to a news release. It also won the Specialty category — which includes limited edition and seasonal products — for its Sunset Wild Wonders Harvest Medley.

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Since its first entry to the PAC Global Awards in 2013, Mastronardi Produce has won 12 PAC Global Awards for the unique packaging designs and product branding it releases each year. The 2023 PAC Global Awards marked a record-breaking year of submissions to the competition, according to the release.

“It is an incredible honor to see our team recognized for innovation and excellence in brand marketing,” Paul Mastronardi, president and CEO of Mastronardi Produce, said in the release. “We know that flavor is what our consumers are loyal to, but marketing drives the first purchase, and that is critical to a product’s success. Creating excitement in the produce section not only benefits the industry, but it inspires consumers to eat fresh, flavorful fruits and vegetables.”

Behind the winning brands

Mastronardi Produce officially launched its Queen of Greens brand in retail in 2022, offering premium greenhouse-grown lettuce blends with an extended shelf life. The design features a powerful female icon whom the company thinks of as Mother Nature’s wild sister. The package uses bold and colorful brand design that jumps out in the leafy greens section with a robust, six-SKU lineup, according to the release. Convenient, resealable top seal packaging communicates the benefits of the brand: locally grown, washed and ready to eat without GMOs, pesticides or herbicides.

For its winning Harvest Medley packaging, the design team leveraged the Sunset Wild Wonders brand — the leader in the mixed medley tomato segment — to provide a special fall-themed seasonal offering, the company said. Wild Wonders is a colorful array of gourmet snacking tomatoes from around the world with a discovery and travel theme that reflects the exclusive varieties found inside each package, according to the release. A unique leaf-shaped, top-seal clam highlights the fall design and stands out on the shelf for its original appearance.

Known for its eye-catching branding, Mastronardi Produce has pioneered and innovated its product marketing, beginning in 1995 with Campari, the world’s first branded tomato. The company continues to earn awards for brand and design innovations in its pursuit to inspire healthy living through “wow” flavor experiences.