Why the right packaging is so important…
There’s an old culinary proverb that says, “You eat first with your eyes.” This means that before you even taste a dish, your opinion on a certain product is mostly shaped by how it looks. In the case of food, the more delicious and appetizing the packaging, the more likeable when consumed.
Packaging is defined as the art, science and technology of bringing goods from its source to place of consumption at the lowest cost possible. It creates a link between producers and target consumers with quality display.
Exchange rate volatility, rising energy, transport and labour costs, unseasonal weather and diseases are just some of the risks beyond the control of South Africa’s fruit exporters, putting a premium on doing a good job on packaging – one key decision they can control that could be the difference between success and failure.
The consequence of poor packaging is particularly manifested in less developed countries where, according to the Packaging Council of South Africa (PACSA), up to 40% of all post-harvest produce is lost.
Good quality corrugated boxes are of utmost importance to South Africa’s fruit exporters. Packaging failures are difficult and sometimes impossible to correct, resulting in a huge cost to the farmer personally and possibly damaging a key sector of the economy.
Well-packaged and presented fruit will always command a premium price.
Given the complexities of the global fruit supply chain, packaging has had to evolve from a time when simple wooden boxes were used to transport fruits. Packaging companies today need to supply fruit farmers with high-quality products that can be customised for individual needs and support growing branding opportunities, as well as provide packaging that can withstand the rigours of the export process.
Packaging needs to have vertical strength when stacked for export to withstand up to 1500 kilograms on the bottom layer. The corrugated-based packaging also needs to be able to withstand up to six weeks under refrigeration for the export market.
We also have to take into account the different types of fruit packed. Some fruit gives off moisture which affects the properties of the packaging.
Not only is turnaround time important, but fruit can vary in size by up to 20% and farmers can also have up to five or six export ranges which require different carton sizes and brands.
Individual customisation is also important as fruit farmers need to be able to trust not only the quality of material used but would also be designed specifically for his or her fruit variation and market.
Finally, packaging has become an integral part of brand building, not merely an interim transport mechanism.
The trend today in Europe is that the carton not only acts as a means of transport but must also be a point of sale display for consumers to eat with their eyes and then purchase the fruit.
Source – Mpact
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