Packaging

The need to reduce plastic waste in packaging for fresh produce has been a topic of discussion at Red Tomato for years – it’s important to us as individuals, as an organization, and to the farmers we work with.
Meanwhile, single-use plastic in the produce world has steadily grown. The reasons are complex: plastic improves shelf-life, limits handling, protects produce from damage, and allows customers to see the product. While more expensive than selling loose produce with no packaging at all, plastic is often significantly less costly than alternatives. Each retail customer has packaging requirements based on their customer and handling needs, and growers must meet those requirements to stay in the game. That means absorbing the time required to assemble and pack each unit, as well as cost of the packaging itself, all of which eats into a farm’s already slim margins. Creating packaging and building marketing programs that work for a diverse network of farmers isn’t cheap.

More and more fresh produce is sold in some type of bag, tray, or other packaging. The information on the package is the only message that stays with the produce all the way from the farm to the consumer’s kitchen. By using packaging to reinforce what Red Tomato stands for, we hope to make the products more valuable (and recognizable) to growers and customers.

As others in the produce industry also move toward sustainable alternatives, options will become more available and affordable. We’re proud to be at the forefront of this important change — for ourselves, for the farmers and for the earth.