IFCO’s RPCs, specially developed for the transport of baked goods, offer bakeries and retailers numerous advantages in terms of costs, logistics, and sustainability
Munich, March 17, 2020 – IFCO, the world’s leading supplier of reusable containers (RPCs) for fresh food, is celebrating the five-year anniversary of its innovative Brown Lift Lock for baked goods. Since the market launch in March 2015, the use of the RPC has increased significantly. At that time there was no reusable container specially developed for the transport of baked goods. IFCO has demonstrated innovative strength and a strong pioneering spirit for many years and recognized the need for a reusable container tailored to the transport of baked goods. Such an RPC had to meet several requirements: it had to enable cost savings, increase the efficiency of the supply chain and enable bakeries and retailers to transport their goods sustainably. In order to meet the needs of its customers in the bakery industry and to offer them a solution perfectly tailored to their needs, IFCO has developed the Brown Lift Lock for baked goods. It is also suitable for frozen products.
Retail advantage: Compatible with all IFCO RPCs and suitable for frozen foods
IFCO has been providing solutions for the bakery industry since 2012. Based on this expertise, IFCO recognized the lack of reusable containers specially designed for the transport of baked goods. The existing containers did not fully meet the requirements of the market. That’s why IFCO developed the Brown Lift Lock, an ideal container for goods that are pre-baked in a factory, then frozen and baked at a retailer. Baked goods can be stored in the RPC at temperatures down to -23 ° C. To ensure stability even at such low temperatures, IFCO uses a different mix of materials than it normally uses for its RPCs. The IFCO Brown Lift Lock is compatible with all other IFCO RPCs, making it easy to store and stack when not in use.
Shortly after the market launch in March 2015, IFCO customers quickly accepted the Brown Lift Lock. Larger retailers in particular, who have been using IFCO fruit and vegetable solutions for decades, were thrilled with the new RPC because it offers them additional benefits.
Advantages compared to conventional reusable containers for baked goods
With the Brown Lift Lock for bread, IFCO is also applying its SmartCycleTM, which is based on the principle of the circular economy, to the bakery industry. The Brown Lift Locks are pooled and rented out. As part of the SmartCycleTM, IFCO delivers hygienically perfect RPCs to its customers and collects the used reusable containers. To ensure food safety, IFCO thoroughly checks the RPCs and cleans them according to the highest hygiene standards. Only then does IFCO put the reusable containers back into circulation. By taking over the cleaning process, IFCO saves customers time and human resources. Only if an RPC is irreparably damaged does IFCO granulate it and use the granulate for the production of new reusable containers. This reuses RPCs up to 120 times before they are fully recycled. If the IFCO Brown Lift Locks are not used, they can be folded up. As a result, they only need a fraction of the space of conventional, non-foldable reusable containers for baked goods when stacked. When folded, an IFCO RPC is only 28 millimeters high, compared to 150 millimeters for conventional bread crates. This makes transport and logistics easier for everyone involved in the baked goods supply chain, saves space and protects the environment.
“We’re pleased to be celebrating the fifth birthday of our Brown Lift Lock for the bakery industry and are extremely happy with its take-up among our customers,” says Wolfgang Orgeldinger, CEO at IFCO. “This specific model is in regular use in many countries in Europe and this number is set to increase significantly in 2020. Our dedicated RPC for bakery products is yet more proof of our industry leadership as well as our innovation capability, and it fills a real need in the baked goods industry.”