StePacPPC, a leader in innovative food and drink packaging, has developed a sustainable packaging solution that operates at a full-pallet level to safeguard fresh produce from farm to retail. The company’s advanced pallet shrouds ensure that fresh berries and other products arrive at their destination in optimal condition, while effectively minimizing plastic use.
For over three decades, StePacPPC has addressed the urgent need for environmentally friendly packaging that extends the shelf life of fresh produce during long freight journeys. The Xtend® Pallet Shrouds were designed specifically to meet situations where traditional Xtend® bulk carton liners may not be suitable.
These cutting-edge protective covers maintain the quality of select fresh produce stacked on pallets during shipment, even at near-freezing temperatures. Delicate berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries, greatly benefit from StePacPPC’s shrouds. These products exemplify scenarios where conventional Xtend products, despite offering enhanced performance, can be impractical. In North America, berries are usually field-packed, requiring partial cooling before being placed in Xtend bulk bags—a logistical challenge that complicates their use in field-packed scenarios.
The pallet shroud is expertly crafted to preserve produce freshness right up to arrival, where it is simply removed. Equipped with advanced modified atmosphere (MA) and modified humidity (MH) technology, these shrouds control both atmosphere and moisture, creating the ideal conditions for retaining freshness and quality during extended storage and transit. Notably, the plastic usage per unit weight of produce is minimized.
“We can tailor the pallet shrouds to meet the unique preservation needs of a variety of fruits and vegetables,” asserts Gary Ward, Ph.D., CTO for StePacPPC. “For produce items that do not benefit from modified atmospheres, we offer a variant that utilizes only modified humidity to reduce weight loss. It is essential to understand the risks associated with using pallet shrouds, such as potential ethylene accumulation and temperature fluctuations. Our extensive knowledge in fresh produce and cold-chain logistics enables us to provide customers with the most effective packaging solutions tailored to their specific requirements.”
Constructed from advanced polyamide-based films with moderate to high water vapor transmission rates (WVTR), Xtend Pallet Shrouds tackle a critical challenge in pallet-level packaging: moisture accumulation. Due to their small surface area relative to volume, pallet shrouds can trap excess moisture, particularly under fluctuating temperature conditions. This increases the risks of microbial decay and carton collapse, issues that Xtend Pallet Shrouds effectively mitigate through superior moisture control.
Packers and shippers in Mexico are benefiting from StePacPPC’s solutions to maintain the quality of berries during extended shipments across Central and North America. This approach has proven effective in slowing ripening, minimizing microbial decay, and reducing dehydration. “Blueberries are extremely delicate fruits and highly sensitive to handling, temperature changes, and moisture, typically having a very short shelf life,” notes Felipe Martinez C., CEO of Cima Berries Mexico. “The MAP properties of Xtend pallet shrouds have helped us reduce weight loss and maintain the quality of our organic blueberries shipped from Mexico to Guatemala. Upon removal of the shroud, the berries remain firm and retain their vibrant blue color for display.”
In Peru, Xtend pallet shrouds ensure blueberry quality during shipping to the U.S., even while subjected to cold sterilization treatments. If sterilization fails, the shroud can easily be removed for fumigation once the blueberries arrive in the U.S.
Additionally, Xtend pallet shrouds are replacing controlled atmosphere (CA) containers for shipping blueberries from South Africa when CA is unavailable. The cost difference between CA containers and standard reefer containers has become significant, allowing the use of Xtend pallet shrouds to yield financial advantages as well.
Beyond transportation, Xtend pallet shrouds serve as practical solutions for inventory management, helping to maintain product quality during short to medium-term storage and balancing supply peaks and troughs. In Poland, growers and packers report that this packaging allows for up to four weeks of blueberry storage, improving stock management and seasonality. Similarly, Argentinian blueberries are protected during an extended three-week cold storage period following airfreight to the Middle East, minimizing weight loss and substantially reducing microbial decay.
“Our pallet shrouds are proving to be essential in optimizing inventory management and ensuring a consistent market supply of high-quality berries over extended periods. They enhance customer experiences by providing near-harvest freshness while also reducing waste and plastic use,” concludes Ward.
StePacPPC will showcase its innovations at the upcoming Asia Fruit Logistica in Hong Kong, September 3-5, Hall 3, Booth #3K59.
