WENATCHEE, WA - Stemilt Growers has commenced a phased transition to a compostable fruit labeling program with Sinclair’s T55 labeling solution.

Stemilt Growers, a fifth-generation family-owned tree fruit grower, packer and shipper based in Wenatchee, Washington, has begun transitioning select apple varieties to Sinclair T55. Developed by global fruit-labeling provider Sinclair, T55 is a fruit label independently certified for both home and industrial composting, a press release stated.

Why compostable fruit labels matter

Unlike conventional fruit labels, certified compostable fruit labels are designed to break down under appropriate home or industrial composting conditions (T55 does both). Where conventional labels can remain as unwanted material when labeled fruit or peel enters food waste, certified compostable labels are designed to compost with the organic waste, helping reduce contamination and support cleaner composting streams.

About the Stemilt transition to compostable PLU labels

The transition will be phased across Stemilt's labeling program, beginning with 9 apple varieties packed at Stemilt's facilities in Wenatchee and at Douglas Fruit in Pasco. The initial phase is expected to transition approximately 57 % of PLU labels to Sinclair T55, with additional varieties and programs planned as the rollout progresses in 2027.

Brianna Shales, Marketing Director, Stemilt Growers, commented “It’s a practical improvement that aligns with our long-term commitment to environmental stewardship. With Sinclair T55 already proven with growers in other markets, we felt confident this was the right time to begin the transition here in North America."

See the compostable label transition at IFPA GPFS

Stemilt will feature the transition in its Fresh Ideas Showcase, with an artistic representation of composting labels while Sinclair will showcase composting and T55 at booth #3333. The displays will give IFPA attendees an opportunity to see how the label is designed to perform at end of life and talk to the teams.

Sinclair T55 is independently certified for home and industrial composting by TÜV Austria, DIN CERTCO and the Australasian Bioplastics Association.

The certifications show that the T55 label meets recognized international composting standards including EN 13432, NF T51-800 and AS 5810. It can be disposed of with suitable organic waste streams for home or industrial composting.

For Sinclair, Stemilt's transition demonstrates how certified compostable labeling can be introduced while maintaining the high-speed application performance packinghouses require. It also provides a practical example of how growers can address packaging waste while supporting organics recovery.

"Our founder, Tom Mathison, built this company on the belief that we're caretakers of the land and environment for a short time and have to leave it better than we found it," said Brianna Shales, Marketing Director, Stemilt Growers. "Labeling has been part of our story since we put our name on fruit in the early 1980s. We see this transition as an opportunity to maintain the benefits of fruit labeling while improving what happens to that label at the end of its life.”

“Sinclair T55 is engineered to deliver the high-speed application, adhesion and reliability packinghouses depend on, with the added benefit of certified end-of-life performance,” said Duncan Jones, Senior Marketing Manager at Sinclair. “We’ve seen strong adoption in New Zealand, Europe, South Africa and South America, and Stemilt’s transition is an important step for North America. It demonstrates that growers can move toward certified compostable labeling without compromising packinghouse performance.”

Stemilt: Booth #2847 | Sinclair: Booth #3333

IMMOKALEE, FL - At the International Fresh Produce Association’s Global Produce & Floral Show, Lipman Family Farms CEO Elyse Lipman was appointed chairwoman of the organization’s board of directors for 2027. She encouraged the entire produce industry to work and speak with one voice and fight for fresh food that’s accessible, reliable, and safe.

Growing trust has been a focus for Elyse since she first became Lipman Family Farms’ CEO in 2023. In 2026, the focus has been a major driver of growth in operations at Lipman Family Farms. The company recently acquired Inland Premium Packers in Riverside, California, to add essential packing capacity in one of the country’s largest produce markets. Weeks later, Lipman acquired Farm Fresh, a fresh-cut operation in Phoenix, which is helping to expand one of Lipman’s fastest-growing categories. The company also opened a new thermal-processing facility that’s brought a fire roasted and kettle cooking segment to the Lipman suite of services. Each move brings a wider variety of fresh, healthy and non-processed foods to retail and foodservice customers, with the aim of providing affordable, healthy food that’s easy for consumers to access.

As day two of the Global Show kicked off, Elyse accepted her new role as IFPA chair from 2026 Chair, Prof. Patrick Vizzone. She talked about making the industry’s long-term commitment to consumers visible and real.

“People want fresh food they can afford, and they want to know it comes from somewhere they trust,” said Elyse. “These aren’t complicated demands, but meeting them isn’t easy. Our job is to keep doing the hard work that makes it easy to choose, buy and enjoy healthy produce.”

As the new IFPA Board Chair, Elyse is excited to take her focus on growing trust to the entire industry.

In addition to its CEO’s new leadership role at IFPA, Lipman Family Farms is excited to showcase new branding that highlights produce people can trust—grown, crafted, and cared for from seed to shelf. Attendees are encouraged to stop by booth 1873 and see why everything Lipman Family Farms does is Good from the Ground Up.

Media interested in hearing more about Elyse Lipman’s appointment as IFPA Board Chair, or about Lipman Family Farms, can contact Morgan Stuckert. To explore Lipman’s products, capabilities, and decades of growth, visit lipmanfamilyfarms.com.