Hillary Femal, Global Vice President of Marketing for IFCO, the leading global provider of reusable packaging solutions for fresh products and a Brambles Group company, told a group of fresh food supply chain executives at PACK EXPO that the continued double-digit growth in the use of Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs) has been made possible because RPCs are more efficient, cost-effective, food safe and more sustainable than single-use packaging.
“All points along the fresh food supply chain are seeking to become more efficient and reduce costs and their environmental footprint,” said Ms. Femal. “RPCs are an ideal platform for achieving these goals because they are operated under a shared and reusable model that helps move the fresh food supply chain toward its goal of a circular, zero waste supply chain.”
Ms. Femal, who is nearly at the end of her term as Chairperson of the Reusable Packaging Association, participated in a panel discussion of fresh food packaging experts at PACK EXPO, entitled, Reusable Packaging Innovations for Retail Supermarkets. During the session, speakers outlined the economic and environmental benefits of RPCs and predicted continued growth in grower and retailer use of RPCs to package, transport and display fresh food at retail locations.
Data shows RPCs are the preferred fresh produce packaging of consumers by a wide margin, are easier to handle than one-way packaging and require less energy and water than single-use cardboard containers.
“The benefits of RPCs helped IFCO achieve a 16% growth rate last fiscal year. That is because forward-thinking growers and retailers are turning to RPCs as their fresh food packaging of choice. Simply stated, RPCs represent the future of the fresh food supply chain,” concluded Femal.
For more information:
Hillary Femal
VP - Global Marketing
IFCO
T: +1 813 463 4124