IFCO Systems recently announced three new specialized reusable plastic containers for perishable products distribution. Asda IPL has agreed to use one of them, IFCO’s new RPC designed for bananas as its standard pack for banana distribution. The agreement gives Asda IPL exclusive rights in the UK until April 2012 for the packing of bagged bananas at source. IFCO has developed the new crate design for the banana market in close cooperation with the world’s leading banana vendors, in line with its strategies to widen the reusable packaging solutions for fresh products.
“We are pleased to announce the rollout of plastic crates to our Banana category and to work alongside IFCO and the vendors in providing this solution,” commented Darren Surry, Purchasing Manager Asda IPL. “The reduction in cardboard usage across Asda’s 400 plus stores is a significant step forward in removing card waste and will ensure better merchandising across the fixture, improve case fill and drive better product presentation.”
“We are very pleased that Asda has chosen to use our banana crate to optimize its supply chain,” added Karl Pohler, CEO of IFCO. “This encourages us to believe that our new application is perfectly designed to meet the market needs for a cost effective packaging solution to deliver superior quality bananas to the consumer.”
Unlike in the U.S., where bananas are widely distributed in corrugated containers, RPCs are already used for banana distribution in the U.K., marking a step up to an improved design rather than a transformational shift.
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