Page 28 - January_2019

standards usually refer to rigid plastic pack- aging as “clams” or “clamshells.”
“ is includes hinged containers, two-piece plastic trays with a rigid top and bottom, as well as a tray with lm,” he says. “ ere are some standardized sizes for various types of vegetables and fruits. Within those standard footprints, there is customization of appearance and performance. For example, tomatoes and berries have standard sizes to t shipping containers. Lettuce is similar with 5-ounce, 10-ounce and 1-pound sizes.”
Sam Monte of Monte Package Company, based in Riverside, MI, notes that clamshells are usually represented by a RPET/PET, one-piece containers with a hinged lid that closes either via friction or button locks.
“It opens and closes like a seafood clam, hence the name,” he says, adding that the standard sizes include 1-pint, 1-pound and 18-ounce packages, but that technology and availability are advancing, which is leading to more options and custom- shaped clamshells.
GETTING IN SHAPE
When it comes to shapes of clamshell packages, Forowycz says rectangles and squares are the most popular options because they provide e ciency in terms of shipping and merchandising.
Aside from shape, he says key attributes that a ect the quality of clamshells are transparency, protection from distribution abuse, shelf-life extension, re-sealability, and sustainability.
“Buyers should specify size, level of protection required — will there be automa- tion required? — rigidity, transparency, ease of opening and number of recloses expected, recyclability needs and target cost,” says Forowycz.
Monte notes other factors buyers should look for in clamshell packaging.
“Packers putting commodities in a clam should have an understanding of air- ow requirements, moisture levels and marketing requirements,” he says.
According to Inline’s Korwek, there are ve key components that determine the appropriate clamshell packaging. e rst is the product itself, meaning which produce is going into the package.
Second is volume — how much of that produce will be t into the container.
Other factors are dimensions, the produce weight, and clamshells that are tamper-evident, tamper-resistant and leak-resistant.
“ ese, along with many other inputs, are important speci cations buyers need to provide to determine the correct clamshell packaging for their needs,” says Korwek.
CLAMSHELL APPEAL
Korwek says consumers are drawn to clam- shells because of the protection they o er, their 100-percent recyclability, and because they’re virtually crystal-clear.
“You have multiple features that will drive consumers to make that choice,” she says. “With these features, you provide con dence your food is safe from tampering and won’t leak on the ride home from the grocery store.”
Also, she says clamshell packaging o ers value-adds to produce.
“It o ers both greater protection of the contents, leak-resistant properties — imperative when shipping produce — as well as increases the merchandising opportunities for retailers,” says Korwek. “Our customers have found that impulse sales increase with the attractive and convenient packaging a clamshell o ers.”
Furthermore, she notes, clamshells o er an added layer of protection for fruits and vege- tables that are prone to bruising, so they keep
28 / JANUARY 2019 / PRODUCE BUSINESS