A group of companies associated to the Innovation in Packaging Cluster will work together with the largest horticultural company in the country, Primaflor, to develop an active packaging to extend the shelf life of produce.
A pack with these features could extend the shelf life of Primaflor's packaged salads. "This would allow us to reach far away markets where we are not present, such as Canada or the Persian Gulf," said David Ortiz, Director of salads at Primaflor.
The company, which achieved a turnover of 158 million euro in 2016, has posed this challenge to the members at the Cluster's XV Breakfast.
The breakfast, which was attended by more than 50 companies, was held at the premises of the Institute of Agricultural Chemistry and Food Technology IATA-CSIC, which researches sustainable food production, quality, safety, food impact on health, and consumer acceptance.
Primaflor has pointed out the need to combine business growth and profitability with respect for the environment. David Ortiz stated that they had to extend the product's life by using sustainable packaging that reduces their carbon footprint and can be recycled.
Microwaveable packages
In this sense, and within its Convenience Packaging, Primaflor has opted for the development of microwaveable containers with an external surface that doesn't transmit heat so consumers won't burn their hands when taking them out of the microwave. In addition, the company wants to create tray-like containers that can withstand different product temperatures, so that consumers can have several products that have been microwaved next to others that haven't and they both preserve their temperatures.
Another pillar of this ideal packaging, according to Primaflor, is creating a salad container with a device that allows consumers to store their salad dressing so they can mix them with the salads when they are going to eat them. Thus, there would be no need for plastic single packet servings.
Primaflor currently produces 15,000 tons of salads a year. Its main markets are Spain (58%), the UK (12%), Germany (5%), Switzerland (3%), and Sweden (3%).
The company has nearly 7,000 hectares of farmland and agricultural production located in 8 different climate and temperature zones to ensure a year-round supply. To achieve this, the company's R&D department studies the variety that is best suited to the climatic conditions of each place.
Future trends
During the Cluster's XV Breakfast, Primaflor's director of salads said that the future trends in the food and packaging sectors included adapting their products to other scenarios, such as the electronic channel.
"We will have to give our customers what they demand but through channels that are currently not common and we will have to adapt quickly to these requirements," he said.
The Cluster's XV Breakfast was sponsored by the DS Smith Tecnicarton company, which is dedicated to the design of multi-material packaging for any industrial product. Tecnicarton belongs to the DS Smith group, a leading provider of corrugated cardboard packaging in Europe and a specialist in plastic packaging worldwide. It currently operates in 34 countries and employs around 25,400 people.
Source: elperiodicodeaqui.com