Linpac Packaging’s innovations director, Alan Davey told FoodProductionDaily.com: “We have launched the new trays in response to consumer demand (from packers, retailers and shoppers) for better presentation featuring recycled materials, and a lighter design which continues to protect fresh produce.”
Retailers report increased sales from packaging with modern, clean lines which improves the way fresh produce is displayed, he continued.
The shallow lightweight trays are much thinner than previous ones but continue to offer a high level of protection to the tomatoes during distribution and the journey from the retail outlet, said the company.
Trayless solutions
“Although the market is moving towards trayless solutions, we find that consumers want produce that is blemish free and trays help to protect tomatoes on the journey home,” said Davey.
The trays are suitable for flow-wrapping and are available in a variety of colours that can be matched to existing product colour-coding,
In response to growing demand, the tomato trays are manufactured in high impact polystyrene (HIPS) with rPET or other recycled content. “The new trays contain a minimum of 50 per cent rPET and can include up to 100 percent,” said Davey. “But the average rPET content is 75 per cent.”
Linpac’s uses only stocks of rPET which complies with the EU food regulation 282-2008 introduced last year, he added.
Strong demand
The company’s European sales manager for fruit and produce, Fabio Zoboli, said: “There is an increasing demand from consumers and retailers for packaging with recycled content, and this new range of trays for tomatoes goes one step further. The lightweight design not only looks good on the shelf, but retains its strength despite using the minimum amount of polymer."
“We have developed the range of tomato trays by working closely with customers to create a product that will appeal to consumers. They are an excellent design – yet are competitively priced – so we are expecting strong demand, particularly for the rPET version.”
The trays are available throughout Europe and are supplied in various colours and material thicknesses to suit the product.
Tray dimensions vary from those suitable for eight small tomatoes (190mm in length, 108mm in width with a depth of 23mm to 215mm in length), to those suitable for eight large tomatoes (108mm in width and a depth of 20mm). A range of sizes is available to accommodate standard, vine, plum and baby plum tomatoes.