KINGSVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA - Red Sun Farms is making greenhouse industry waves with its latest sustainable solution, SustainLabel!®, made in partnership with Yerecic Label. This new technology includes wash-away technology and has passed the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) Critical Guidance testing. This furthers Red Sun Farms' commitment to sustainable agriculture as it continues to work closely with packaging suppliers to develop new and sustainable options.
“The investment of this new technology demonstrates our continued commitment to delivering sustainable solutions to our customer, while improving our product visibility and transparency,” remarked Carlos Visconti, CEO Red Sun Farms USA and Canada Operations. “Our graphic refresh places the produce at the center of our design.”
This change, Visconti continued, also created the perfect opportunity for a brand refresh across Red Sun Farms' entire portfolio of packaging.
“By separating cleanly from PET flake and floating during the recycling wash process, SustainLabel! constructions positively contribute to the recycling stream by increasing the availability of food grade rPET,” Elizabeth Yerecic, Key Account Manager, Midwest Region, added. “Yerecic Label also utilizes 100 percent recycled content cores for all label rolls and a targeted 70 percent PCR in corrugated.”
Environmental impact and sustainability have been at the forefront of Red Sun Farms’ operations for some time now, all the way from the growing process to packaging and shipping. Over the last six years alone, a press release explained, the greenhouse grower has developed several packaging innovations, including the following:
- Began with its peppers packaged in a Polypropylene (PP) flow wrap which is a recyclable material if the labels are removed
- Red Sun Farms snacking tomatoes are packaged in plastic bowls and clamshells that range between 60-90 percent recyclable content
- Six years ago, Red Sun Farms launched its 10 oz organic grape tomatoes packaged in a fiber pint, which is a recyclable/compostable option that reduces plastic use by over 90 percent. This package captured an innovation award in Berlin, Germany, in 2019. To date this has avoided the equivalent of 7.5 million units of plastic on this variety (the same weight as 20 elephants)
- Last year, the company announced that Red Sun Farms was transitioning its organic peppers, TOV’s, and cucumbers with a backyard compostable PLU label. This option allows for landfills to be avoided and encourages consumers to compost the pepper stem and PLU in their backyard composters
In addition to this sustainability initiative, Red Sun Farms is doubling down on its commitment in other ways. Its high-tech cultivation facility has a lower environmental impact than conventional open-field agriculture, the press release noted, consuming 95 percent less water than open-field cultivation.
Most of the water that Red Sun Farms uses is rainwater that has been collected from the roof of the greenhouse and channeled through the duct system, which is then filtered and fed to the plants. From one square yard, Red Sun Farms can yield upwards of 150 pounds of produce.
Hats off to Red Sun Farms for continuing to bring value across the board!
