WENATCHEE, WA - Keeping an ever-watchful eye on the newswires' industry updates, two subjects keep popping up: sustainability and inflation. As the United States battles the rising cost of food and consumers turn their focus toward more environmentally friendly offerings, suppliers and retailers are pivoting their strategies. Finding a way to take on both concepts, Stemilt is showcasing its new Stemilt Artisan Organics™ random-weight recyclable pouch bags for its peaches and nectarines, reducing shrink for its customers and providing a sustainable option for shoppers.

“Cashiers or self-check-out users will have the option to ring up the bag with the PLU label listed on the front of the bag or a barcode that syncs to that PLU number,” explained Brianna Shales, Marketing Director. “The organic category can take a hit when organic fruit is accidentally rung up as conventional, and this pouch bag can help reduce that.”

The newly launched random-weight pouch bags are How2Recycle approved for recycling at store drop-off locations, according to a release. The How2Recycle standardized labeling system communicates recycling instructions to consumers and carefully analyzes packaging components before assigning a label.

“As we look at how we can take pouch bags into recyclable formats, we’ve leaned into How2Recycle and their expertise that analyzes every component of the packaging,” said Shales. “It’s important that as we evolve packaging, we do so with third-party approved claims that get packaging into the right recycling or waste stream.”

Each bag holds approximately 2 lbs of fruit packed in various sizes, including jumbo, LG, and XLG. Retailers can then sell bulk products by the pound and limit the potential error at checkout with user-friendly labeling and stickers. The grab-and-go format of the packaging also makes them a convenient option for shoppers looking for an easy, quick way to add stonefruit to their baskets.

Stemilt currently has recyclable pouch bags for yellow peaches and yellow nectarines that won’t be limited to smaller fruit. Their unique format is a great merchandising tactic to call attention to the organic category.

“Shoppers who are organic-conscious are often also environmentally-conscious,” added Shales. “This bag gives them an opportunity to buy a quality organic fruit while being able to recycle the package it came in.”

All of Stemilt's peaches, nectarines, and apricots are grown 100 percent organically by the Douglas Family in the Columbia basin in Pasco, Washington.

For more packaging updates from suppliers across the fresh produce landscape, keep reading AndNowUKnow.

Stemilt