Welcome to iGrow News, Your Source for the World of Indoor Vertical Farming
Introducing Our Earthbag - Biodegradable and Compostable!
It’s what eco-conscious consumers want
Bottom of Fresh Herbs Bag Becomes Growing Pot
Bottom of Fresh Herbs Bag Becomes Growing Pot
Danish Company Launches New Package Solution
Danish-based growing company Grow Up FARM is launching a new product, named Eat-Grow-Repeat: Small pea plants that grow in hemp in a bag. Refrigerated and bagged, the pea sprouts keep fresh for a week. "Rip off the upper section of the bag, and the bottom of the bag is now the pot," they explain. "Place the bottom of the bag with pea plants on your windowsill and care for it with light, water, and a little love. The growth will continue, and after a few days you can cut completely fresh pea sprouts for your salad bowl."
"Usually, bean sprouts are packed in a tray and then flow wrapped, so the consumer would have to repack any sprouts that may be leftover. But now this is history," they explain.
The corner stone of the Greenow family business was laid back in 1966, when the first generation pioneered the professional cultivation of bean sprouts. It turned into a success and still is - who does not regularly add the crisp and healthy bean sprouts to the shopping cart? Sales of organic bean sprouts are growing steadily, and this has led Greenow to seek a more efficient packaging solution, also since their pea sprouts dependance Grow Up FARM is growing as well.
Fresh produce
Initially, the Schur®Star Packaging Machine they use for this new packaging was only planned for packing bean sprouts fully automatically into reclosable bags. "Often, one does not eat all the sprouts at once; but in a reclosable bag, the sprouts do not desiccate in the refrigerator, but will retain their crispness for up to eight days. Hereby, the consumer can make his contribution to reducing problematic food waste, which is today an issue in both the retail outlet and the home," they say.
Capacity for new project
With its large capacity, the Schur®Star Packaging Machine has given Greenow & Grow Up FARM the opportunity to realize the Eat-Grow-Repeat project. The pea plants are initially grown in an entirely new, vertical greenhouse – on five floors, in a 100% controlled climate, with recirculated water, under artificial light and completely without soil. And to match the 100% compostable contents, the bag is produced of PE, a single-layer material that does not require separation to be processed in a recycling system.
Convenient packing
”Bean sprouts are our core product, for which we chose the Schur®Star Concept,” says Lasse Vilmar, CEO and third generation in the company. ”But because of the versatility of the packaging machine and its high capacity, we decided to speed up the new Eat-Grow-Repeat project. When starting up a new project, flexibility is of the utmost importance, as you must be able to quickly adapt to market reactions”.
Lasse Vilmar continues: ”Now we can change from a fully automatic to a manual packing process in a few minutes – e.g. if we want to pack meal salads with different elements. Also in terms of bag constructions we are not at all limited to the two bag types that we started up with. We are excited about the new flexibility and the many options, and we feel convinced that the market will welcome our novelties: Healthy and tasty produce in convenient packaging.”
With its rectangular fill opening in the entire width of the bag, the Schur®Star Packaging Machine is ideal for filling of light and unevenly shaped products, such as a portion of bean sprouts or small pea plants. With more than 500 companies around the world, the concept packs all types of products – including a broad range of fresh produce, into a comprehensive range of bag constructions.
For more information:
Schur Star Systems GmbH
Tel:+49 (0) 461 99 750
Email: sfg@schur.com
www.schur.com/en/
11 Jan 2021
Grower To Flexible Packaging
Forward Greens' vertically farmed edible plants packaging was changed twice before finding the best metrics-based sustainable option, an OPP pillow pack
Forward Greens' vertically farmed edible plants packaging was changed twice before finding the best metrics-based sustainable option, an OPP pillow pack.
January 04, 2021
Sometimes the best of intentions doesn’t turn out as expected, which is why the phrase “if at first, you don’t succeed, try, try again” was crafted for those whose persistency pays off.
Taking that to heart was Forward Greens, an indoor “vertical farm” brand in Vancouver, WA, that went from PET clamshell packaging to tetrahedral-shaped oriented polypropylene bags to OPP pillow-pack bags. The final iteration was part of a major rebrand this year that centered on using the most sustainable packaging. Ken Kaneko, the company’s founder, and CEO provides answers regarding the packaging and decision-making process.
How did your sustainable journey begin?
Kaneko: Forward Greens’ process for developing a sustainable packaging solution for our greens started with researching waste stream management with local municipalities to understand how we could integrate with the existing infrastructure. Along with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Portland Metro, we ran a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to understand the impact of production, logistics, and disposal for available packaging options. From this, we learned that material mass was the largest driver in carbon emissions and that most plastics, even compostable ones, are not accepted by the municipalities. After synthesizing all the information, we concluded that flexible plastic packaging demonstrated the lowest material mass and thus the lowest carbon emissions.
Forward Greens
It would be helpful to know more about your products and customers.
Kaneko: Forward Greens currently has 9 products across baby greens and microgreens, all delivered from farm to market within 48 hours of harvest. We’re unique in that it takes about 19 days from seed to market shelf for our baby greens and about 9 days from seed to market shelf for our microgreens.
Our target customer is anyone who is interested in locally grown, healthy greens — to use for salads, as ingredients, or toppings. We hope we attract those who are especially conscious of their impact on the environment, knowing that with our products, customers are not extraneously stressing the planet. That of course includes our packaging, but also in how we grow the plants themselves. Our sustainable indoor farming practices use 95% less water and 99% less land than outdoor agriculture. We skip the use of herbicides, pesticides and fungicides, and use only non-GMO seeds.
Why was the polymer choice made?
Kaneko: When we rebranded to Forward Greens this summer, we shifted from PET clamshell packaging to OPP flexible packaging to better reflect our mission. The OPP film uses 92% less plastic than traditional clamshells, 12 times less plastic, and produces eight times fewer carbon dioxide emissions compared to, for example, a recycled polypropylene tub.
Forward Greens
Comment on the tetrahedral design (seen above).
Kaneko: Forward Greens initially decided to adopt a tetrahedral shape for our packaging to help the product stand out, but also for two primary logistical reasons. First, the tetrahedral shape allows for more volumetric space for the greens with the same amount of plastic material. Second, the tetrahedral shape uniquely helps our greens stay safe and avoid getting crushed throughout the distribution process from farm customer’s plates.
Why didn’t that work and what was behind the change to the pillow pack?
Kaneko: There are a few reasons why Forward Greens decided to switch from the tetrahedral shape to the pillow pack. The primary reason is that retailers merchandise based on existing shelving units, which are often paid for by incumbent or slotted brands. Trying something new in that environment is very difficult, both for new brands and the retailers. Even though Forward Greens did receive initial buy-in from our retailers and staff, when it came time for the new packaging to rollout, it was more complicated to accommodate the new shape on the shelf than expected, so we adopted the pillow pack to streamline that process for everyone involved.
Forward Greens
Also, we used to be known as West Village Farms, but changed our brand to Forward Greens this summer to better reflect our dedication to sustainable practices and our hope to move the entire industry forward. The packaging change from our clamshells to the tetrahedral packaging shape was part of that brand launch. The most-recent package change from the tetrahedral shape to the pillow pack uses the same look that debuted this summer, but in the pillow-pack shape.
As an indoor farm, Forward Greens is constantly trying to improve yields and reduce production costs. Our recent switch from the tetrahedral packaging design to the pillow pack shape increased our content volume and net weight by 33%.
Talk about the timeframe for these changes.
Kaneko: The process for developing both our new packaging and rebrand as Forward Greens from West Village Farms was a huge undertaking. We began the initial planning and development for the new brand in late 2019. The new packaging and brand officially launched the summer of 2020 in the midst of the pandemic.
Switching from the tetrahedral shape to the pillow pack took about four months.
Can you credit the other companies involved?
Kaneko: We worked with Grady Britton, a Portland, OR-based marketing agency, to develop our new brand and packaging design. We wanted the new look to bring to life what we stand for, so the packaging reflects a love of community, food, and the planet while sparking joy. The new-look is vibrantly colorful, and part of that is because bagged greens is a crowded market. The new brand design stretches accepted notions of produce packaging design while ensuring the product still looks appetizing. The bag also offers a windowed look inside so customers can see how fresh the greens are.
What feedback have you received?
Kaneko: Forward Greens’ customers and retailers appreciated the effort and unique look of the new packaging shape. We may have just been a little bit ahead of the curve for the greens industry with the tetrahedral packaging shape.
What lessons did you learn in the past months?
Kaneko: Brands need to be selective about trying new things at retailer sites. There is a certain speed at which retailers move and it’s very different from the speed at which a company, like Forward Greens, moves. Regardless of the change back to the original pillow pack packaging shape, our fundamental goal is that our packaging has one of the lowest environmental impacts available, all while helping retailers merchandise our greens to the customers who want to buy our products.
TAGS: SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES SUSTAINABILITY EXTRUSION: FILM & SHEET
VIDEO: Pete's Introduces Hydroponically Greenhouse Grown Packaged Salad Varieties
Available in four varieties — Benevolent Butter, Hydro Spring Mix, Indoor Romaine and Nice & Crunchy — Pete’s Greenhouse Fresh offers environmentally-conscious consumers a range of fresh and sustainable packaged salad varieties that use 90 percent less land and water compared to field grown product
December 17, 2020
Pete’s, the California-based produce company specializing in hydroponically grown living lettuce and cress varieties in addition to butter lettuce wrap kits, will debut an innovative and sustainable new line of packaged salad varieties, Greenhouse Fresh, in retail locations in and around the West Coast in early January.
Available in four varieties — Benevolent Butter, Hydro Spring Mix, Indoor Romaine and Nice & Crunchy — Pete’s Greenhouse Fresh offers environmentally-conscious consumers a range of fresh and sustainable packaged salad varieties that use 90 percent less land and water compared to field grown product.
These indoor-grown lettuce varieties are also protected from outside elements and do not use triple washing post-harvest the same way many traditionally grown greens do, resulting in less water used during the harvesting process.
In addition, Greenhouse Fresh packaging containers are made from 100-percent post-consumer recycled material, are 100-percent recyclable, and their flexible, resealable closures use less plastic and emit less CO2 than rigid plastic closures.
Pete’s is also partnering with 1 percent For The Planet, pledging 1 percent of Greenhouse Fresh sales to The Recycling Partnership in an effort to help improve the recycling system.
“We are honored Pete’s chose to expand its dedication to sustainability by joining The Recycling Partnership, and by nominating The Partnership to receive funds through its 1 percent For the Planet commitment, ” said Beth Schmitt, senior vice president of corporate engagement at The Recycling Partnership. “Pete’s investment helps us further our goals of assisting every household to recycle more, recycle better, and to catalyze a circular economy.”
Pete’s is an employee-owned and operated company, and all team members play a key role in the company’s short and long-term sustainability efforts.
“All of us at Pete’s are thrilled to introduce a line of packaged salad varieties, that as we like to say, are as green as greens can get,” said Brian Cook, chief executive officer of Pete’s. “At Pete’s, we work as a team and everything we do, we do for the greater good of people, of the planet and of course our leafy greens. Greenhouse Fresh is a perfect example of how our new products ladder back to our broader company mission, vision and values.”
Pete’s Greenhouse Fresh will be available at West Coast area retailers beginning in January and can be found in the Produce Department.
ONLINE SUMMIT: JASA Packaging Solutions Attends Virtual PMA Fresh Summit Expo
From October 13 to 15, the annual PMA Fresh Summit takes place - this year online - and JASA is attending! Presenting from a virtual booth, JASA will showcase their sustainable packaging solutions, complete packaging lines, revolutionary JASA Sleever, and the innovative Bag-2-Paper™
From October 13 to 15, the annual PMA Fresh Summit takes place - this year online - and JASA is attending! Presenting from a virtual booth, JASA will showcase their sustainable packaging solutions, complete packaging lines, revolutionary JASA Sleever, and the innovative Bag-2-Paper™. As icing on the cake: JASA participates in the fresh ideas showcase, where JASA exhibits their innovative sleeve packaging for tomatoes.
The U.S. produce industry meets
The Fresh Summit is the event where all the players from the American produce industry come together. This year, the fair takes place as a virtual event, which has the advantage that it is thus accessible to a large audience. After all, it is cheaper to register someone for a virtual event than to have them fly over for an event. Moreover, it saves time, given that it only takes a few hours to tour the virtual stands, as opposed to strolling around a fair for two full days.
JASA presents innovative and sustainable packaging solutions
With over 35 years of experience, JASA became a market leader in packaging for the produce industry. And that's what the company will show at the fair. From its booth, JASA will showcase its revolutionary packaging solutions, including our state-of-the-art Sleever and award-winning Bag-2-Paper™. These innovative packaging solutions are prime solutions for plastic-free packaging, and ideal for high-speed packaging of tomatoes, avocados, apples, kiwis, citrus, and more.
Your reliable partner for complete packaging lines
JASA will also provide information about complete packaging lines at its stand. Whether you are looking for a horizontal packaging line or a vertical packaging line, JASA can handle your complete packaging solution. JASA's packaging lines are flexible: you can easily switch between different sizes, packaging, and packaging materials. Also, JASA's packaging machines have a hygienic design, making them easy and quick to clean. The machines are also easy to use and maintain. And as a system integrator, JASA takes full ownership of your entire weighing and packaging process!
JASA goes live
JASA is a family business with a personal and open approach. This will also be reflected in our virtual booth. JASA will give live demonstrations of the equipment and show many photos and videos of the packaging machines and JASA's packaging solutions. Visitors to the stand will discover all there is to know about weighing and packaging equipment for leafy greens, tomatoes, fresh-cut fruits, and vegetables. Through the live chat feature, visitors can ask questions or have a chat. You can also admire JASA's Sleeve packaging for tomatoes at the fresh ideas showcase.
JASA looks forward to welcoming
all PMA attendees to her virtual booth.
Are you not registered yet? Click here!
Complete Packaging Solutions For Leafy Greens
JASA has been in the automatic packaging market for sliced vegetables for 35 years; consequently, they gained all the knowledge and expertise to pack mixed lettuce varieties in various ways
JASA has been in the automatic packaging market for sliced vegetables for 35 years; consequently, they gained all the knowledge and expertise to pack mixed lettuce varieties in various ways.
Bags filled with leafy greens on a vertical packaging machine.
Packed in trays with a lid or top seal.
Salad bowls with various extra components such as proteins and dressings.
A sleeve around the packaging ensures the leafy greens will stand out on the shelf.
As a packager of leafy greens, JASA can put together a complete packaging solution to pack mixed lettuce at high speed. And as a system integrator, the company takes full accountability of the weighing and packaging process.
"To make the packaging process as easy as possible for the customer, we are a partner throughout the entire process," says Sandra Somford. "We listen to the customer's wishes during the building phase and contribute ideas to arrive at the best packaging solution." This total solution also looks at the best options for the production line in combination with the packaging and packaging materials; printed or clear film, labels, or action stickers. "Our complete packaging lines make it all possible."
The company uses highly accurate weighers, ideal for leafy greens. With distribution rights for weighers from various brands, JASA develops and produces multiple machines, such as vertical packaging machines, under its own brand and management. In addition, the complete packaging lines are both maintenance and user friendly. The production lines have a hygienic design and are made from stainless steel, ensuring they meet the highest hygienic and quality standards.
For more information:
Sandra Somford
JASA Packaging Solutions, Inc.
Tel: +1 (804) 290-3683
Email: sandra.somford@jasapackaging.com
www.jasa.nl
Publication date: Mon 28 Sep 2020
Nature Fresh Farms Releases NEW 100% Home Compostable Cucumber Wrap
An alternative to traditional polyethylene plastic, this film is an environmentally friendly compostable wrap that breaks down in a household compost without leaving behind microplastics
Leamington, ON (September 8, 2020) – Nature Fresh Farms continue their sustainable initiatives by releasing a new, 100% home compostable wrap for their Long English Cucumbers, a first in the North American market.
An alternative to traditional polyethylene plastic, this film is an environmentally friendly compostable wrap that breaks down in a household compost without leaving behind microplastics. The compostable film will prolong the shelf life of the product; however, it will do so without adding to long term landfill waste. Made from a starch-based PLA that is derived from plant-based resources including non-GMO corn starch, it is 100% compostable, breaking down naturally into CO2 and water.
Each cucumber wrap contains 0.00436 lbs of plastic; this translates to the equivalent of 23-million plastic straws saved from landfills for every 5-million Cucumbers wrapped in the compostable film. Cucumbers are packed in shrink wrap to significantly extend their life by minimizing evaporation. Through the compostable film, Nature Fresh Farms has found a packaging solution that can maintain the shelf life of the Cucumber, while meeting the demands of more sustainable packaging alternatives.
“The launch of the compostable wrap is a demonstration of our commitment to our consumer’s wants of reducing plastic usage. We are excited to be first to market with this initiative in North American and are hopeful this will start a trend with the industry while we continue to lead in sustainable packaging solutions.”
--Matt Quiring, Director of Sales
In addition, the wrap includes a PLU pre-printed on the film in compostable ink. This feature allows the entire wrap to be thrown in with backyard compost or in landfills without harming the environment. PLU stickers are commonly made of vinyl and plastic. This new wrap eliminates the need for the additional application.
“After two years of research & development and a lot of trial & error, it’s so exciting to see this film launch in the market. We are confident in this product’s ability to make a true difference
(in reducing harmful plastic waste)”
---Luci Faas, Product Development Specialist
At Nature Fresh Farms we are driven to accelerate innovation via evidence-informed sustainable packaging solutions that provide a better experience for our customers, while also helping to preserve the vitality of our planet.
-30-
About Nature Fresh Farms -
Continuously expanding, Nature Fresh Farms has become one of the largest independent, vertically integrated greenhouse vegetable farms in North America. As a year-round grower with farms in Leamington ON, Delta OH, and Mexico, Nature Fresh Farms prides itself on consistently delivering exceptional flavor and quality to key retailers throughout North America, while continuing to innovate and introduce more viable and sustainable growing and packaging solutions.
SOURCE: Nature Fresh Farms | info@naturefresh.ca T: 519 326 1111 | www.naturefresh.ca