SHANGHAI, CHINA - Christy Zhu, IFCO China’s Country Manager, spoke about RPCs numerous social, sustainable and economic advantages at a panel discussion entitled, “The Changing Structure of the Fresh Produce Distribution Chain,” PMA’s Fresh Connections: China.
At the gathering of more than 160 fresh produce industry executives and government officials from fifteen countries and regions, Zhu shared that RPCs could potentially alleviate China’s estimated $32 billion dollars of food waste by protecting fresh fruits and vegetables from damage during shipping
“With a rapidly expanding global population that will reach nine billion by 2050, we need innovative and responsible solutions to ensure we are able to grow, process and transport an abundant supply of safe, nutritious and affordable food to every corner of the globe,” said Zhu. “RPCs are becoming the preferred transportation method for fresh food because they are sustainable, cost-effective, and reduce food waste at a time when too much of our food ends up in landfills and not on dinner tables.”
IFCO is a leading global provider of reusable packaging solutions, operating a pool of over 200 million RPCs in 34 countries around the world, according to a press release.
IFCO RPCs allow air to flow around products and allow faster cooling and easier, more consistent temperature control, preserving and protecting fresh food better than one-way packaging.
Zhu also told Fresh Connect: China attendees RPCs are environmentally sustainable because they require less energy to transport and clean over their lifetime versus one-way packaging and concluded that IFCO RPCs could be an ideal fresh food transportation solution for China and other emerging markets around the world.
