When innovation and sustainability come together, interesting proposals emerge on the market. Just like the Nature Punnet: The new packaging developed by SanLucar, the brand for premium quality fruit and vegetables.
This is a significant step forward in the company's search for new environmentally friendly packaging solutions. The objective: To reduce the use of plastic in packaging and to opt for alternative materials that are more sustainable, while guaranteeing optimal product preservation in terms of quality and freshness.
As a result, the Nature Punnet consists to 94% out of paper, which is FSC-certified and originates from sustainable sources. Moreover, it is particularly resistant to humidity. This characteristic is crucial for products such as berries, which are available in the refrigerated areas of the supermarkets.
The 125-gram packaging carries a perforated film which enables the perfect ventilation of the fruit. This film can be recycled without any problems as it can be easily separated from the paper. Hence, the new concept not only extends the storage life of sensitive fruits, such as raspberries or blueberries, but also helps to reduce food waste.
In addition, by using paper, the berry punnet can be decorated with the distinctive premium brand design, which characterizes SanLucar at the point of sale.
"It has been a challenge to work with such a complex product like berries and find the right formula to offer both, our customers and the final consumer, a packaging which is committed to nature, but also to the high quality expected from a brand like ours", remarks Maria Plasencia, Packaging Manager at SanLucar.
"The test phase, which we have carried out on the German and Austrian markets, will end in a few days. However, the results already show that the Nature Punnet is a milestone in the packaging of fresh fruit," adds Plasencia.
SanLucar's commitment
SanLucar is working for years on a packaging strategy that is especially focused on sustainability. This has resulted in the development of new solutions for its more than 100 product references.
The company's business philosophy "Taste in harmony with people and nature" guides its research work and all its activities, from field to fork.
The firm has a committee of experts exclusively dedicated to innovation and development of eco-friendly packaging with proposals such as the Natur bag for grapes and stone fruit, which is already well established on the market. It is made of paper and and can be completely recycled. Another example is the cardboard tray in which the company offers its tomatoes. By introducing these two packages, SanLucar has been able to save up to 600 tons of plastic in the last five years.
