New trays for delicate berries remove need for absorbent pads, reducing weight and making packs fully recyclable at kerbside
Packaging manufacturer Sharpak has collaborated with UK berry grower Chambers to bring its padless SharpTek technology to retail shelves.
The market-first solution cuts packaging weight by 17 per cent and offers a pack – for raspberries and other delicate berries – that is fully recyclable at kerbside.
The launch follows Sharpak’s launch of a padless strawberry punnet, in partnership with Angus Soft Fruits, in 2022. Waddington Europe also got in on the act the following year, launching a padless strawberry punnet with a different design.
Sharpak said SharpTek is the culmination of years of “meticulous development and rigorous testing to achieve a packaging solution for delicate berries that removes the requirement for glued absorbent pads”.
The padless punnets will remove hundreds of tonnes of packaging from the supply chain and recently won two bronze awards at The Grocer New Product & Packaging Awards 2024.
The main technical challenge was crafting a soft base from highly recyclable mono material PET, a typically rigid material, that could replace the need for absorbent pads.
Achieving a consistent, cushioning base that would protect delicate berries, involved “significant innovations” in tooling design and tray manufacturing processes, Sharpak said.
The innovative design also ensures juices are held away from the berries, maintaining product quality and helping to reduce food waste.
Chambers’ commercial manager Ben Norman said the launch “allows us to provide a solution to retailers that reduces packaging weight and offers a fully recyclable product which aligns with both retailers’ and our own goals”.
As with any new product launch, trials were key to ensuring the trays performed to expectations and ran consistently on customer lines without any need for costly modifications and at existing speeds.
Norman said: “As a grower, our production efficiency is key and any downtime or reduced throughput in our packing operations can have a serious impact. This is why it was key to run extensive trials, and we are delighted with the results.
“We understand the importance of reducing our environmental footprint, and SharpTek aligns perfectly with our sustainability goals, without compromising the quality and freshness of our fruit.”
