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Produce Show Daily Oct. 17 2013 (PMA)

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Thursday, October 17, 2013 Produce Show Daily CORRUGATED PACKAGING ALLOWS FOR OPTIMIZED DISTRIBUTION NETWORK As growers, packers and retailers continue looking for new ways to drive optimization throughout their fresh produce supply chain, they are increasingly aware of how downstream costs associated with their packaging ultimately affect their success. Their goal is clear: provide the market with the freshest produce, in a safe, efficient and cost effective manner. Recently, KapStone Container and H.R. Spinner, a produce packaging supplier in eastern Washington state, were approached by a packer-shipper distributing fresh onions into a national big box grocery retailer. The packershipper understood the importance of maintaining compliance with the retailer's sustainability goals and retail requirements, while also seeking to drive cost out of their nationwide dis- tribution network. Frustrated by recurring, downstream costs and occasional cleanliness issues associated with reusable plastic containers (RPC), they resolved to explore alternative packaging options. They sought to eliminate costs associated with the lifecycle of a RPC, ensure that their produce was consistently delivered in a clean carton, and address the lack of supply during peak harvest seasons. With both sets of needs in mind, the packer-shipper utilized KapStone's extensive expertise and strategic partnership with H.R. Spinner in the fresh produce market to develop a corrugated solution. The advantages of corrugated packaging were clear: retail ready trays were developed which drove optimization throughout the sup- ECO-FRIENDLY BERRYBREEZE CURES SICK REFRIGERATOR SYNDROME WITH NATURAL APPROACH By Russ Karlen, CEO, BerryBreeze When it comes to food, smart shoppers go the extra mile, buy organic, and are willing to pay a premium for free-range, artificial hormone-free foods. Unfortunately, most of us then take this healthy food home and place it into refrigerators that are teeming with bacteria, mold and germs. These bacteria can not only make our families ill, but they make even the freshest, healthiest food break down long before its time. "We developed the eco-friendly BerryBreeze to destroy the mold, bacteria and ethylene gas that causes food to break down so quickly," says Kevin Brooks, COO of BerryBreeze™. "Americans have been brainwashed into thinking that foods like strawberries, and other berries and produce only last a couple of days before getting moldy. When you use BerryBreeze in your refrigerator, you will find that good strawberries will stay fresh and flavorful for a week, maybe two, before they even start to lose that robust healthy flavor. It also works on produce, meat and fish." Americans waste 33 million tons of produce every year. With BerryBreeze, consumers would throw away almost nothing, and reduce the amount of ethylene gas produced in landfills through food waste. According to government INNOVATION AND EXCELLENCE AT ROCKET FARMS By Jason Kamimoto, Vice President, Marketing, Rocket Farms Innovation and excellence are hallmarks of the Rocket Farms brand. As one of the largest growers of indoor and outdoor blooming plants, potted edibles and herbs in the nation, we are commit- ted to bringing innovative thinking and best in class products to the marketplace. As a market leader with 70 years of experience, we are committed to customer satisfaction, success and creating a positive consumer experience with our products. Our presence is nationwide, offering CAPE MAY PRODUCE THE KEY TO PLUM SPECIALTIES OFFERED TO CUSTOMERS Cape May Beach Plums are small plums that until recently only grew in the scrub bushes on the sand dunes of the northeastern U.S. Now cultivated at Cape May, these juicy berries are producing delicious jams, jellies and vinaigrette. Beach Plum Specialties offers up the Cape May Beach Plum Vinaigrette, produced locally from the company's own beach plum orchard and other local growers. The vinaigrette is tart yet sweet, with flavors reminiscent of cherry, plum, and cinnamon. This condiment is the perfect top to any salad, and pairs excep- 27 ply chain, provided consistent and predictable costs, and remained aesthetically compatible with RPCs. The final packaging solution was a success for both the packer and retailer. For the packer-shipper, the corrugated packaging provided a solution that drove efficiencies through the distribution process, including receiving and handling of incoming material, storage of same, and packaging setup. The one-time-use nature of the corrugated packaging ensured a clean container every time, and granted the packer-shipper full of upfront costs. disclosure Downstream costs associated with renting, storing and washing the empty RPCs were removed from the system, and the packer-shipper achieved the required consistency of supply. The retailer was equally pleased. The newly redesigned corrugated packaging blended in with other produce packaged in RPCs, while adher- ing to the corrugated common footprint standards. At the conclusion of the packaging's lifecycle, the retailer was then able to avoid labor costs associated with palletizing and returning bulky RPCs. Corrugated packaging's recyclability allowed them to tap into an additional revenue stream meeting both business and sustainability goals. Overall the results were clear: the packer-shipper gained consistency and predictability of cost, reduced handling and storage costs, and reduced risk associated with reusing packaging. As leading suppliers of corrugated containers to the fresh produce industry, KapStone Container and H.R. Spinner are committed to assisting growers, packers and retailers as they navigate packaging optimization. estimates, Americans toss 40 percent of edible fresh food because of spoilage. Reducing that by 15 percent would save enough food to feed 25 million Americans. One of the most remarkable things about BerryBreeze is that it almost instantly eliminates all food odors. It doesn't mask smell, but eliminates the cause. The BerryBreeze unit is about the size of a grapefruit. It runs on 4 regular "D" size batteries that last about six months. There are no filters or other parts to replace. The unit sits on the top shelf of your refrigerator and generates activated oxygen, the same naturally occurring form of oxygen that is generated in a thunderstorm, to kill off harmful bacteria and other food-destroying elements. Bacteria doubles every 20 to 30 minutes, which means that in as little as eight hours, one bacterium can generate nearly 17 million duplicate bacteria. From a test of 30 salad drawers, scientists found an average of 7,850 bacteria per square centimeter. Brooks points out that some of these strains of bacteria are so powerful they require as few as 10 microbes to cause sickness. "If you are tired of feeding your family an average of a quarter million bacteria along with that otherwise healthy salad, it's time to think BerryBreeze. We all want our food to be clean. With BerryBreeze, we can finally reach that healthy goal of cleaner, fresher food." To do more to help stop fresh food waste, join the BerryBreeze revolution at www.berrybreeze.com. full scale products and services to customers across retail and food service channels. Our base operations in northern and southern California offer optimum growing conditions to grow and distribute our world class products. dous pride in the hallmarks of our brand, innovation and excellence, and look forward to leading the industry for many more decades. Our Vision Our products enhance the quality of life. Beautiful, unique, fresh and healthy products complement today's consumer's lifestyle in the home, kitchen and garden. We take trementionally well with bitter greens, fruit and nuts. "The products, which are all made from hand-picked, local wild and cultivated beach plums, have been very well received, as they are delicious and maintain the Jersey Shore tradition," says Michael Craig, Owner and Founder of Beach Plum Specialties. "Beach Plum products have not been available in such a great package or in this quality and quantity before. It is a For more information, visit booth 1200 during Fresh Summit, go to www .kapstonepaper.com, call 877-734-9321 or email marketing@kapstonepaper.com. During Fresh Summit, visit BerryBreeze at booth 5561. For more information, visit www.berrybreeze.com, call 702-3635343 or email russ@berrybreeze.com. Visit Rocket Farms during Fresh Summit at booth 829, and Rocket Farms Herbs at booth 1111. Check out featured products in the New Products Showcase. Online, find Rocket Farms at www.rocketfarms.com, w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / ro c k e t f a r m s , www.twitter.com/rocketfarms, and www.pinterest.com/rocketfarms. great time to feature something different." Cape May Beach Plum Vinaigrette is available to wholesalers in cases of 12 12-ounce jars for $48 per case. The suggested retail price is $7.95. For more information on how you can bring this New England specialty to your customers, contact Christine Cassidy, Director of Sales and Marketing, at 609.846.6480 or beachplumspecialties@gmail.com.

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