Nothing is better than the convenience of crisp, ripe fruits and vegetables, pre-washed and chopped. As American lives get busier and busier, more consumers than ever before are buying pre-packaged produce items. Everyone seems to love the simplicity of bagged fresh foods, from professionals looking for healthy meals they can bring to work to moms trying to encourage kids to eat more fruits and veggies with fun, single-serve packages.
While pre-cut fresh foods are in-demand with consumers, shoppers do have some concerns about food safety. Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli outbreaks have all been traced to bagged fresh produce, particularly spinach and salad greens. Consumers want an assurance that precautions have been taken to deliver their bagged produce to grocery shelves fresh and uncontaminated. And, sustainability is also a consideration for many consumers who expect fresh food manufacturers and retailers to act consciously about the waste they produce.
Given these challenges, how can suppliers of pre-packaged fruits and vegetables meet consumer expectations while maintaining a healthy profit margin? The solution may be as simple as optimizing your supply chain with the iGPS plastic pallet pooling system.