Kiwifruit company says it will switch all of its kiwifruit to the new, fully home-compostable labels during next 12 months
Fruit labelling specialist Sinclair and kiwifruit marketer Zespri have launched a new fruit label that can be thrown into home compost and will break down completely.
The companies, who unveiled the Sinclair-T55 sticker at Fruit Attraction in Madrid, described it as the “newest and most innovative compostable fruit label”, and a significant step forward in produce packaging and environmental responsibility.
Commenting on the breakthrough, Sinclair CEO Colin Woodward said the company was thrilled to introduce what is the highest-performing compostable fruit sticker to be certified by institutions TÜV Austria, ABA and Din Certco as a ‘finished product’.
“This is a unique achievement, and the industrial and home certification is a testament to our relentless pursuit of innovation and our dedication to supporting the fresh produce industry with environmentally conscious solutions,” he said.
“We believe this compostable label sets a new standard in produce packaging, reducing plastic waste and helping create a more sustainable future.”
Zespri CEO Jason Te Brake, echoed those sentiments. “Our collaboration with Sinclair reflects our commitment to embracing more sustainable practices across our global supply chain,” he commented.
“Exploring more sustainable fruit label options has been an area of considerable focus for Zespri over a number of years with our labels providing an important assurance to consumers that the fruit they are purchasing is authentic, safe and high-quality Zespri kiwifruit. We intend to change all of our fruit to this fully home compostable label with the transition to take place over the next year.”
Plastic reduction
Jiunn Shih, chief marketing, innovation and sustainability officer at Zespri, added: “We know consumers want to see us make progress towards more environmentally friendly labels and this compostable sticker not only meets their expectations but supports our sustainability goals by reducing plastic waste. We’re proud to have worked closely with Sinclair on this innovative development.”
TÜV Austria’s ’finished products’ certification for home and industrial settings, and similar home composting certification from ABA and Din Certco, are understood to guarantee that the fruit sticker is safely compostable, meaning it will break down and biodegrade completely without leaving harmful residues in the environment.
According to Sinclair, the new sticker provides a minimal packaging solution that reduces consumer waste compared with other packaging forms, and can be disposed of in home compost bins along with fruit peels and other organic waste.
