Mondi introduced its 'ProVantage SmartKraft Brown' containerboard for Pacapime Hungary to protect and present fresh fruit and vegetables during distribution, featuring a 100% fresh fibre top ply designed to improve surface integrity and strength.
The collaboration targets apples, pears, tomatoes and peppers shipped across Central and Western Europe and was rolled out with on-site containerboard support and technical cooperation. ProVantage offers reliable burst and tear resistance and consistent processing properties that enabled efficient box production and ventilated designs for produce airflow.
Joint trials and data-driven optimization informed paper selection, while the partnership builds on Mondi’s recent corrugated work aimed at lighter, higher-recycled-content banana and multiwall produce boxes. For retailers and shippers this means packaging that preserves quality in transit, streamlines packing operations and aligns with demands for stronger, fibre-forward corrugated solutions.
Image Credit: Packaging Suppliers Global
What's Driving This Trend
- Fiber-forward Corrugated Packaging
- Shift toward 100% fresh-fibre top plies and higher recycled-content designs that preserve produce quality while reducing overall box weight and material tradeoffs.
- Ventilated Produce Box Design
- Growing use of ventilated board constructions that maintain airflow and humidity control, enabling extended shelf life and more consistent transit quality for delicate fruits and vegetables.
- Data-driven Paper Selection
- Integration of joint trials and analytics to optimize paper grade and processing properties, which allows tailored material-performance matches for specific produce types and supply routes.
Who This Affects Most
- Fresh Produce Logistics
- Enhanced containerboard performance that reduces bruising and decay during multi-stop distribution, creating opportunities for redesigned palletization and transit packing standards.
- Retail Grocery Packaging
- Retail-ready corrugated solutions with improved surface integrity and strength that support shelf presentation and reduce in-store repackaging needs.
- Sustainable Paper Manufacturing
- Developments in fibre sourcing and processing that balance fresh-fibre top plies with recyclability, opening avenues for new eco-certified, high-performance paper products.
