The Cost Down Alternative to Wood in the Fresh Produce Industry

Driving down costs at any point during the supply chain will draw attention. This is where the Hybrid Bin enters the frame in the fresh produce industry.

Wood has been the main material used in the transportation of fresh produce for decades and because it has been used for so long there has been little thought about alternative materials.

The nature of market pressures and evolution is now forcing the fresh produce industry to look into alternatives. The main market pressures are cost and achieving value for money, in order to comply with these areas new materials are the only way forward. Plastic is the only sensible option in choosing a new material.

Using the Hybrid Bin as returnable packaging for your fresh produce is the most economical way of replacing wooden bins. The Hybrid Bin is more environmentally friendly, hygienic and easier to wash than wooden bins. This is coupled with the Hybrid Bin being more durable and having a longer lifespan than current wooden bins which automatically reduces the overall cost for growers.

The pack out of the Hybrid Bin compared to the current wooden bins is a marked improvement, increasing value for money in comparison to wood and then, in the long run, reduced costs as you will require less bins. The reduction on cost is considerable and the availability to nest in transport.

All aspects of the Hybrid Bin point to financial improvements over the existing wooden bins.

Don’t take all of this as gospel, come and experience the financial efficiencies for yourself. I can arrange the opportunity of a FREE trial of the bins to see first-hand and compare to your existing bulk packaging. 

The Hybrid Bin taking Hygiene and Product Quality Standards to the Next Level

Supermarkets and fresh produce retailers are striving for fresher produce and higher quality standards. Alongside this is food hygiene and protecting the goods.

Macro Plastics’ Hybrid Bin are made from virgin polypropylene, FDA approved plastic certified for safe use with food products. So not only are they safe, the Hybrid Bins are environmentally friendly which is another key element of the fresh produce market today. Also this provides a residual value to the product at the end of its life cycle as they can then be recycled.

Safety, hygiene and quality are three key components that we at Macro Plastics have concentrated on in the design of the Hybrid Bin. Ventilation and the ease of cleaning and maintaining were high on the agenda.

The Hybrid Bin comes with ventilated surfaces and solid surfaces. The ventilated bin is available to the fresh produce and citrus markets and the solid hybrid is ideal for the juicing and meat industries as well as other markets. 

The ventilated version of the bin allows the products to cool as quickly as possible ensuring there is a constant air flow throughout the product therefore increasing product life.  The ventilation slots are coupled with nonporous surfaces to reduce liquid absorption leading to fresher produce resulting in better quality and longer shelf life, exactly what fresh produce retailers crave.

The surfaces and rounded corners of the Hybrid bin are designed to reduce the risk of damage from bruising and improve the quality of the product when it is delivered to the processor or packer/ retailer. Also, the Hybrid Bin is easy to clean and sanitize, this improves hygiene standards reducing the risk of contamination from different products.

The Hybrid Bin delivers on all of these areas to levels that wood has never been able to achieve, this is the perfect way for the fresh produce to move forward in terms of bulk packaging in the supply chain.

Macro Plastics is able to offer the opportunity of a free trial period to use the Hybrid Bin as a trial without yet making a decision from wooden bins. You can then see how the bin works and improve your efficiencies.