Marketing organic and fair-trade dried fruits. Agro-Sourcing is considering the packaging of its products in order to minimize its ecological footprint. A challenge facing the entire organic sector.
For over 15 years, Agro Sourcing travels the world in search of dried fruits sold under the brand "Direct Producers Fruits Secs" (became a Nugget in October). Its success is based on the construction of exemplary sectors, based on the highest standards in organic farming and fair trade. Selection of the best fruits, researches the most gentle drying methods, and constant support for producers, all in total transparency. It is in this logic that the company is considering the problem of packaging : plastic including the food sector, including organic, fails to happen due to lack of completely satisfactory alternative solutions. Designing greener packaging is not easy. Several constraints must be taken into account. Compliance with food regulations. Optimal preservation of products to preserve their taste and nutritional qualities (the pack must act as a barrier to light and humidity to guarantee good storage). The visibility of the fruits, acclaimed by consumers. Practical packaging to use (that is to say reclosable and which stands up). A design that makes people want and lets consumers know what they are buying (traceability, origin…). And of course a specific effort for the recyclability of packaging. The road to a “100% clean” pack is therefore long and has not been completely achieved to date.. Even if the industrial solutions of packaging professionals and recycling channels are constantly evolving, things are not going as fast as we would like.
Ecological
The bi-material stage
In terms of packaging, AgroSourcing explains where it is, Consequently, in a process of continuous improvement allowing solutions to be advanced combining product integrity and respect for the environment. On this plane, the bi-material constitutes for the company, in 2020, a new step after the transition to doypack in 2018 (with closable zip and visibility window to see the fruits) which reduces the size of the packaging and therefore reduces the amount of plastic used. After also in 2019, commitment to the Collectibio program, a collective of organic brands implementing the recycling of their plastic packaging that is not covered by the current channels Citeo. Nearly 20 tonnes of plastic recovered by TerraCycle were able to be crushed and then transformed into plastic granules to become new everyday objects.. The bi-material combines kraft paper and plastic in the packaging. Benefits: it reduces the quantity of plastic by 63%, and the new bags are now recyclable in the paper sector. Kraft paper is made from wood pulp from French and European forests, sustainably managed and PEFC certified. Polyethylene plastic (ON) remains necessary to meet the constraints of barriers to humidity and oxygen for the good conservation of our fruits. Finally, the glues and inks are of plant origin.
"Manufactured, printed and soon recycled in France, these packs contribute, in the context of a long-term commitment, to reduce our ecological footprint ”
summarizes AgroSourcing.
A new brand name : PEPITE
In a desire for simplicity and modernization, The AgroSourcing company has decided to rename the brand "Direct Producers Dry Fruits" to "Nuggets". A shorter name, easier to remember and more "communicative". At the store, the packaging has gradually come under the “Pépite” brand since October 2020 and the transition will take place until 2021.
