returnable packaging for fruit and vegetables are game changers in the agribusiness supply chain

From Farm to Shelf: Returnable Packaging for Fruit and Vegetables Make the Supply Chain Shorter and Faster

Posted on

Summer is the time of year when everyone is looking for the freshest and juiciest fruit and vegetables in marketplaces and retail stores. It is the season when farms are busy harvesting various crops and sending them as fast as possible to stores. And there is a race against time to get produce on store shelves before they lose their freshness. In this race, returnable packaging for fruit and vegetables is a key player.

Pallet Boxes Are Game Changers in Harvesting and Shipping Fruit and Vegetables

Our first champion is this race is the range of standard footprint pallet boxes. They are the heavy duty players used in harvesting fruit and vegetables and getting them ready for sale.

Plastic pallet boxes for agriculture are available in various models:

  • Rigid or foldable
  • With full walls or perforated walls
  • With feet or skids.

They all feature smooth inner walls that protect fresh produce from denting and marking.

Washing Vegetables Made Simple by Perforated Pallet Boxes

Modern washing systems for fruit and vegetables involve immersing them into a tank with water. This process is made simpler and faster by plastic pallet boxes with perforated sides and bottom.

As Logistic Packaging experts demonstrate to potential clients, the loaded pallet boxes can be safely immersed in the tank. Once they are removed, all the water will drain through the perforations. Thus, there is no risk of water remaining trapped inside and causing mold or fungi growth.

Maximize Trailer Use without Compromising Safety

Many farms are still wary about stacking plastic pallet boxes in the trailer. They remember the times when they were using wooden crates, which would collapse under weight and cause a lot of damage to the fresh produce.

You needn’t worry now. Returnable packaging for fruit and vegetables is made of sturdy HDPE. Some large pallet boxes have a stack load capacity of up to 4,800 kg. Thus, you can create solid stacks, take advantage of every cubic inch inside the trailer and optimize your shipping costs.

Returnable Packaging for Fruit and Vegetables Can Be Used in the Cold Chain

Many varieties of fruit and vegetables must be stored at cool temperatures to extend their shelf life. This makes the choice of packaging challenging, as not all materials withstand low temperatures.

This is no longer an issue if you rely on returnable packaging for fruit and vegetables. Both pallet boxes and foldable crates for fruit and vegetables can be used within a temperature range between -20 and +50 degrees Celsius.

From Farm to Shelf in Just Two Types of Returnable Packaging

Making the supply chain simpler contributes to increased speed in delivery. This is where returnable plastic pallet boxes and foldable crates make their contribution.

Practically, these are the only two types of packaging materials needed in the entire supply chain. Pallet boxes are ideal for:

  • Collecting the harvest
  • Washing the produce
  • Shipping in trailer to retail stores and marketplaces
  • Storing produce in the backroom.

To display fruit and vegetable at the shelf and allow customers to pick them, store employees need to move them from large pallet boxes to small sized foldable crates for fruit and vegetables.

Over time, this simple system also generates other benefits, such as:

  • Less money spent on packaging
  • Significant decrease of the quantity of packaging waste generated by agribusinesses
  • Lower total cost of ownership for packages.

Logistic Packaging experts are ready to help your business optimize and speed up the supply chain for fresh fruit and vegetables. Send us an email and we will find the best packaging solutions for your needs!