As of the second quarter of 2019, mushrooms supplied to supermarkets by The Greenery will be offered in an improved packaging that extends the shelf life of the product. “The current packaging have the problem of condensation in the punnets. We made a proposal to The Greenery to improve the punnet, and we developed it in cooperation with The Greenery,” says Gert Kolkman of Kolkman Verpakkingen Hedel. For the material, they’ve chosen R-Pet, recycled PET, which makes the packaging environmentally friendlier.
The developed mushroom packaging is based on a completely new principle. “Just like we developed a lid for an environmentally friendly packaging, which could even be stacked, in the past, we’ll once again be doing something completely differently this time,” Gert says. “The new punnet lets air through even better, even when stacked. Instead of the usual holes in the lid, the openings can now be found on the bottom of the film in the edge, and an additional advantage is that the mushrooms now no longer come into contact with bits of dirt falling down. Besides, the bottom has been provided with a newly designed relief to separate moisture from the product. This is all to the benefit of shelf life. The punnet is sealable as well, which makes it possible to provide the packaging with a resealable and, if desired, printed film, and this cannot be done with a lid.”
Kolkman Verpakkingen Hedel supplies custom packaging for the fruit and vegetable, meat and horticultural sectors. Over the years, the family company became specialised in packaging for mushrooms, among other things, and in this category they offer a choice of ten product series. They’ve noticed companies choose mushrooms in a top-seal PET packaging more and more often. Because of the desire for more sustainable packaging, R-PET packaging is now also available. “For the new mushroom punnet we chose R-PET material, so that fewer materials are needed. Recycling is the most logical step in making packaging more sustainable: fewer materials and less waste. We’re headed in the direction of a circular economy with an even smaller CO2 footprint than any other packing material. The new packaging is a wonderful addition to our range, and it also allows our buyers to be distinctive in the field of sustainability.”
More information
Gert Kolkman
Kolkman Verpakkingen Hedel
Architronlaan 3
5321 JJ Hedel
Tel: +31 (0) 73 5992255
g.kolkman@kvh.nl
www.kvh.nl