Effective immediately, Kassel-based 
fruit wholesaler T. Meissner is offering a plastic-free packaging line for fruit and vegetables. The baskets, trays and banding rolls - made from sustainable natural cardboard of the Johannes label- are sourced via Dutch packaging specialist AGF-Holland, says Tom Meissner, managing director of the family-owned company of the same name.
Lively interest from food retailers and wholesalers
Over the years, the T. Meissner company has been able to assert itself as a leading supplier of fresh produce in the greater North Hesse area and surrounding regions, serving a wide range of clientele with all kinds of fruit and vegetables. "We had been looking for alternatives to conventional packaging for several years. For us, the visual appearance and the attractive product presentation were decisive factors. In addition, Johannes has already established itself as a great and competitive packaging with several major players in the Netherlands and neighboring countries. We were looking for a packaging supplier that not only conveys an image but also actually stands by its values," says Meissner, explaining the process.
Responsibility in terms of sustainability
The all-natural cardboard is sourced from sustainable logging. It fully preserves the quality of fruits and vegetables. The material is 100 percent natural and can be recycled up to seven times via waste paper collecting. According to Meissner, this makes it an interesting alternative to conventional solutions, including in the cash & carry market. "We find that packaging transports a positive image to the retailer. The time is simply ripe for sustainable packaging, even in classic wholesale," Meissner told FreshPlaza.de.
"On the one hand, it is particularly important to us that the goods reach the customer without any transport damage or pressure marks. On the other hand, we fruit wholesalers also have a responsibility in terms of sustainability: because we want to live up to our own claim by working as climate-neutrally as possible and reducing our carbon footprint. In this respect, the choice of packaging is a logical step in our uniform sustainability strategy," Meissner continues.
From both the retailer's and the clientele's point of view, he says, the interim conclusion is particularly positive. "Instead of 6kg crates - for tomatoes, for example - the customer now also has access to goods in 1-2kg units. The customer appreciates the attractive design for the most part, but it is all the more important that the new packaging results in few quality problems," Meissner continues.
As an innovative family business, T. Meissner is always ready to test new solutions at an early stage and to go its own way. "On the part of fruit logistics, enormous problems arise in times of Corona. We, on the other hand, have long had our own logistics instead of independent forwarders, which is why this problem affects us rather less."
For more information:
T. Meissner Frucht-Handels-Gesellschaft mbH
Tom Meissner
Falderbaumstraße 5
34123 Kassel
Tel (0561) 78 176-0
Fax (0561) 78 176-30
info@meissner-fruchthandel.de
www.meissner-fruchthandel.de