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Get packing: because of packaging's ability to enhance perishables, fresh suppliers are cooking up clever solutions to address the needs of today's consumers and supermarket operators.

Article Excerpt
Marketing gurus will tell you that a lot of times it's the packaging, not the product, that sells. When it comes to perishables in the supermarket, those experts just might be right. In the weeks and months ahead, the power of the package to influence product selection in meat and produce is likely to be more formidable than ever, thanks to a convergence of factors ranging from new technologies to the government's new guidelines on nutrition.

The activity level surrounding perishables packaging has been high enough that the mainstream media has been taking notice. The Wall Street Journal, for example, last month ran a story on the first page of the Marketplace section, focusing on the produce industry's recent strides in packaging. The article characterized the activity as a response to the Agriculture Department's new nutrition guidance system.

Indeed, the casual observer might be led to believe the industry had been slow to adopt emerging technologies in favor of the status quo, until now. Insiders, however, know that packaging has been a top priority for some fresh produce suppliers for the better part of the past decade. Still, the spotlight will be on packaging like never before.

For one thing, product traceability requirements linked to food security concerns will continue to make packaging more of a factor. But another reason for the push on packaging is a new government mandate to double the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, and an attendant need to make that produce as convenient and attractive to consume as a bag of chips.

For some produce players it comes down to climbing into the shell. "When we look at new product development, packaging is definitely a significant focal point in the process, and clamshells continue to be an area of major focus for our company," says Tonya Antle, v.p. of organic sales for San Juan Bautista, Calif.-based Earthbound Farm.

Earthbound realized a growth rate that exceeded 40 percent last year for clamshell salad varieties, notes Antle. "What that's telling us is that consumers and retailers are seeing [clamshell-packed salads] as a way to create new excitement."

Antle says that consumer feedback applauds the clamshells' resealabilty and "upscale 'fresher' appeal." Consumers view them as "a better vehicle to protect and maintain the organic integrity of the product, like the bag," she adds.

The upside for retailers is even better, she continues, since growth of Earthbound Farm's clamshell salads hasn't cannibalized bagged salad sales. "The $1-higher retail price ring adds nicely to the penny profit, so that's another win."

Another hot button is smaller packages. At the FMI/United Show in Chicago earlier this month, Earthbound launched three new single-serve, grab-and-go salad kits in clamshells, designed to satisfy demand for healthy and convenient menu options in...