“Vertical Roots, the leading hydroponic container farming company in the U.S. growing fresh, nutritious leafy greens, is pleased to introduce a new innovative packaging design that utilizes 30% less plastic and prolongs freshness for the brand’s line of salad mixes; available in stores this month.
The new packaging also features an elevated brand design and color palate as the company is set to expand its product line later this year.
Vertical Roots lettuces are always sustainably grown, non-GMO and pesticide free, and are on grocery store shelves within one to three days of being harvested. Because of Vertical Roots indoor farm’s extreme food safety standards, produce is clean, contaminant-free and has a 14+ day shelf life.
‘We put meticulous care into our lettuce varieties to ensure they are highly nutritious, fresh and flavorful. We’ve put that same effort into developing packaging that meets our food safety standards, and is easy to use for our consumers,’ said Andrew Hare, co-founder and general manager of Vertical Roots.
The new packaging features a patented micro-perforated film for increased shelf life stability. The film is resealable which provides consumers the same easy-to-use functionality of a clamshell.
‘We tested respiration and condensation with each lettuce variety, and ultimately found that we could extend the freshness and shelf life of our salad mixes even more,’ added Andrew.
The Vertical Roots team spent over a year conducting thorough research and meeting with manufacturers before selecting the next phase of brand packaging.
‘Through this journey we’ve educated ourselves on various materials, recyclables and biodegradable plastics, and the scientific and environmental implications of each potential avenue. Our new packaging drastically reduces our plastic usage over 30%,’ added Hare. ‘We put a large focus on recycling, where we selected plastics that are easier for consumers to recycle while only utilizing materials that have continued life cycles.’”
View the whole story here: https://www.thepacker.com/news/sustainability/vertical-roots-introduces-reduced-plastic-packaging-salads