Sustainability and reusable packaging is definitely a big topic nowadays whether you’re in the food industry or not. So when a big name like The Kroger Company wins the 2019 Excellence in Reusable Packaging award program, it’s pretty amazing. The Reusable Packaging Association (RPA) announced that Kroger with reusable packaging supplier Polymer Logistics won for their 2018 commercial pilot, demonstrating the cost-savings and environmental impact reductions as a result of adopting the Polymer Logistics’ Cleanpal® pallet for the distribution of fresh eggs from a leading supplier to Kroger stores by utilizing reusable plastic containers (RPCs).
“The Cleanpal pallet is a breakthrough in supermarket distribution platforms,” said Paul Pederson, Senior Vice President, Food Safety, Meat and Dairy Supply Chain for Polymer Logistics. “Our focus is to help retailers delight their shoppers with high-impact product presentation and efficient supply chain packaging systems. The Cleanpal pallet combined with RPCs delivers on this goal. We thank Kroger for leading the Cleanpal pallet’s commercial introduction and congratulate them on winning the reusable packaging industry’s most prestigious award.”
According to the press release, Polymer Logistics developed the strong, durable, nestable, and lightweight Cleanpal pallet to achieve superior performance for perishable commodities like eggs in a rigorous retail supply chain where product protection, safety, and freshness cannot be compromised. The innovative pallet design, carrying the RPCs packed with egg cartons, builds a secure shipping platform that reduces Kroger’s distribution costs by up to 66 percent and removes 6,500 tons of carbon dioxide emissions from the retailer’s egg supply chain. These new pallets weigh up to 2.5 times less than traditional pallets, moving up to three times more pallets in truckload deliveries and returns and enabling 1,000 incremental pounds of egg product per shipment from supplier to warehouse.
“We’re thrilled with this year’s entries to the Excellence in Reusable Packaging Award program,” said Tim Debus, President and CEO of the Reusable Packaging Association. “The submissions received were packed with innovative product designs, reuse approaches, and commercial execution. Our panel of judges determined that Kroger’s use of the Polymer Logistics Cleanpal pallet presented the most compelling case for both economic and environmental savings. We look forward to honoring its work as this year’s Excellence Award winner.”
The Cleanpal pallet is more efficient to handle, reduces transportation costs, and provides a safe and secure unit load, eliminating dunnage materials like shrink wrap and corner boards.
“Kroger is committed to Zero Hunger-Zero Waste in everything we touch,” said Joe O’Connor, Supply Chain Process Change Manager at Kroger. “And this goal has led our drive to expand packaging reuse solutions with pallets and RPCs. The CleanPal pallet and the partnership with Polymer Logistics was a significant leap in our work up and down the supply chain for food to establish a balanced model to benefit our stores, DCs, and customers.”
With the industry constantly innovating new ways to keep our planet cleaner, what will come next? Keep reading Deli Market News for the latest updates.
