Interstate Container Helps Growers Shift to Greencoat® Recyclable, Coated, Wax-Free Boxes at PMA Fresh Summit 2016

By working Hand in Hand across the supply chain, Interstate Container makes the transition to Greencoat®, recyclable, coated, and wax-free boxes simple. Offering free trials alongside current packaging, Interstate Container provides growers and packers a chance to effectively test and compare Greencoat®’s strength and performance. These wax-free corrugated boxes are a durable, water resistant, less costly, and 100% recyclable option that meet customer needs. Why use unrecyclable wax boxes, or dry boxes that don’t perform? Greencoat® is the box that gives the farmer and retailer the best of both worlds, and saves both money.

Reasons for Growers to Transition to Greencoat

In addition to meeting customer needs for eco-friendly packaging, Greencoat® presents other key advantages for growers and packers.

Stronger & More Durable

Greencoat® corrugated boxes are a true hybrid offering for the industry as they are coated, strong, and also 100% recyclable. Interstate Container is the only company that can offer a coated, recyclable option that can endure rigors of packing, cooling, and long distance refrigerated trucking to mirror wax corrugated boxes.

Improved Bottom Line

Greencoat® boxes cost less than traditional wax cascaded boxes, offering farmers savings combined with a product that works. Farmers also don’t have the burden of the administration, damage back charges, and supply concerns that accompany reusable plastic crates (RPCs).

Food Safety

Hygiene is critical for packaging that comes in contact with food products, including fresh produce. A study conducted by researchers from the University of California Davis and the University of Guelph demonstrated that reusable plastic crates (RPC) frequently remain contaminated even when reaching produce packers. [2, 3] Greencoat® eliminates the food safety concerns of packing in unhygienic RPCs.

Why Greencoat® is Ideal for Retailers

Produce Freshness & Quality

Without strong packaging and the right shipping conditions, fresh produce will reach retailers bruised and wilted. Greencoat® boxes provide the needed strength and water-resistance to ship vegetables in the right temperatures and conditions and maintain freshness and quality.

Revenue Generation

Grocers, foodservice distributors, supermarkets and restaurant chains no longer need to pay $50-70 / ton to landfill wax boxes. Greencoat enables retailers to generate new revenue of $70-100 / ton from recycling the boxes. This is an enormous benefit to the end user that wax cascaded boxes and RPC’s cannot offer.

Lower Carbon Footprint

Fibre Box Association (FBA) certified, Greencoat® wax-free boxes are 100% recyclable and repulpable. 1,527 million BTUs can be saved by recycling 100 tons of Greencoat boxes, in addition to decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by 312 tons of MTCO2E and 85 tons of MTCE.

About Interstate Container

Interstate Container combines local presence with global experience as a division of Interstate Resources, Inc., employing over 1500 people in the US, and a member of the multinational INDEVCO Group. The company’s reach spans the Eastern and Southern US with 12 manufacturing plants and 7 warehouses located in the New England, Mid-Atlantic, East and South regions.

Reference:

[1] http://www.foodqualityandsafety.com/article/minimizing-microbiological-risks-in-multiple-use-containers/3/