Funken has moved to help extend the shelf life of its fresh-cut salads by adopting an innovative packaging system developed by Israeli group Hefestus.
Using 'Shelf-Life Booster' (SLB) technology, the move to an automated packaging system will enable Funken to maintain produce texture and freshness as well as cut down on packaging time, the group said.
'We looked for the ultimate solution for managing our supply chain efficiently and economically and after examining several alternatives, we decided to choose Hefestus's advanced packaging system that is based on SLB technology,' said group owner George Funken. 'As a result of implementing SLB technology in our plant, we succeeded in doubling the shelf-life of our fresh-cut salads while significantly improving the entire supply chain due to fewer returns or discards, lower costs and satisfied consumers.'
Funken said in a statement that the move to the Hefestus packaging system would also allow them to reduce packaging material costs and would improve the group's environmental profile through the use of greener packaging.
'Research specifically indicates that consumers want an 'all in one solution'. Due to today's busy lifestyle, they want to eat healthy fresh foods with the convenience of ready-to-use packages, but they prefer those with less or no preservatives', notes Oded Shtemer, CEO of Hefestus.
