Demand for larger blueberry packs takes the market beyond the familiar 125g
Paras Pack is heading to Madrid for its first Fruit Attraction with blueberry buckets and tubes among its main talking points, after seeing interest in these formats from growers and packaging distributors in several export markets.
For the packaging manufacturer, the development started with conversations with growers and packaging distributors in Europe, Africa, Latin America and the GCC.
“Based on customer feedback and interactions, we identified a lack of supply of buckets and tubes. That’s what prompted us to develop these two formats,” says Vishal Jain, Managing Director of Paras Pack.
The company has not yet commercialised the formats. Fruit Attraction will be their formal launch, with commercial manufacturing expected to begin in mid-December.
There is a particular reason for the focus on blueberry packaging. Jain points to a shift beyond the familiar 125g format, with interest growing in 200g, 350g and 500g packs and, in some markets, 1kg.
“The shift towards larger blueberry packs is partly being driven by growers’ increasing focus on varieties that produce larger berries,” he explains. “While 125-gram packs remain popular, we expect to see more 200-gram, 350-gram, 500-gram and 1kg formats in the near future. We’re already seeing strong uptake of the 500-gram format, with supply currently unable to keep pace in the markets where our international customers operate.”
Paras Pack’s response includes a sturdy bucket with a PP body and recycled PET lid. Ventilation is provided at the top and bottom, while a handle makes it easier to carry. The company is preparing 250g and 500g versions, with a 1kg bucket still under development.
“The 200g tube, on the other hand, is made from recycled PET and has ventilation holes. Both formats can be branded with pre-printing, while the bucket handle can be produced in different colours,” Jain adds.
For a grower packing blueberries at origin, those details are practical rather than cosmetic, particularly as the fruit moves through increasingly differentiated retail channels. “The pack needs to accommodate the fruit, allow airflow and withstand handling and transport, while also working for how the fruit is sold and positioned, particularly in premium retail.”
Meeting those requirements calls for flexibility in both materials and production. The company combines injection moulding and thermoforming and works with PET, PP and paper, allowing it to develop custom formats suited to the application and end market. Jain says the aim is to bring together three requirements in its packaging solutions: profitability, functionality and sustainability.
The blueberry formats are one example. “At Fruit Attraction, we will also present recycled PET cups for salad dressings and sauces, alongside single-serve bowls with dome lids for snackable produce such as cherry tomatoes, grapes and berries. Usually, the sauce cups are made up of PP, but our range developed with rPET keeps the same functionality intact with improved sustainability credentials,” he shares.
The blueberry formats will initially be made to order, allowing Paras Pack to work with customers on specifications and volumes as commercial supply gets underway.
“The direction we are taking is responding to a specific packaging requirement in the blueberry market while drawing on different materials and production processes to develop the format around the application,” Jain says.
He identifies the Netherlands, Spain, Morocco, Georgia, the GCC, Chile and Peru among the markets showing interest in larger formats, while the GCC is also emerging as a market for larger buckets.
“Our preparation for these export markets includes certified recycled-content documentation, including traceability and verification, along with food-safety and migration compliance to EU and USA standards.”
“Fruit Attraction will be the first opportunity to put our new formats in front of an international fresh produce audience and explore how the interest seen among growers and distributors can translate into regular commercial demand,” Jain concludes.
For more information:
Vishal Jain
Paras Pack
Tel: +91 99 10 207 436
Email: vishaljain@paraspack.in
