Sirane enjoys successful FruitFocus '09

Citation

(2010), "Sirane enjoys successful FruitFocus '09", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 40 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2010.01740aab.037

Sirane enjoys successful FruitFocus '09

Article Type: Food facts From: Nutrition & Food Science, Volume 40, Issue 1.

The UK's premier packaging solutions company, Sirane, enjoyed a very successful outing at the FruitFocus exhibition in East Malling, Kent, on July 22nd.

Sandra Evans, Sirane sales manager, was assisted on the day by Veronique Richards of the company, whose fluent French helped enquiries from the industry there. Sandra reports that

Veronique and I had a very busy stand, with a fantastic response from the soft fruit sector including growers, packers and retailers. There was a huge interest from the European sector, especially Spain and Portugal.

Sandra adds that

The buzz around our Dri-Fresh^® Resolve^® compostable pad has certainly impacted the soft fruit industry. The Resolve pads tick all the boxes as far as absorbency, cushioning and aesthetics within the punnet, leading to less rejection.

Sirane notes that this year's WRAP campaign has succeeded in driving the food industry – and the fruit sector especially – into seeking less waste.

Alternatives to looser fruit package and to bubble wrap continue to gain ground in the marketplace since they reduce the cost of wastage. Trends to fruit lidding are also on the increase in order to avoid bruising, damage and spillages. “The padding and packaging absorbency is key to this process,” says Sandra.

Lidding, for example, produces more pack condensation which can produce more food spoilage and waste without padding. The great thing about this packaging is its adaptability. It can be shaped, cut, coloured and costed to whatever the customer needs in whatever degree of absorbency is needed. And, of course, it is completely compostable to European consumer standards.

Led by the Resolve approach and technology, Sirane's fruit packaging business has grown by over 50 per cent in volume sales since FruitFocus 2008. Its compostable packaging for the flowers sector has also grown by a similar margin. Sandra says that “the trend to health eating – and to anti-oxidant foods such as the so-called `super fruits' such as blue berries, blackberries and others is driving the uptake.”

Sirane Director, Simon Balderson “In truth, the fruit market is a number of segmented niches – soft fruit, berries, stone-in fruit, and we are delighted that we have been able to keep pace with the market with our packaging ideas and solutions.” This month sees the Telford-based company quoting for fruit packaging business with a leading US fruit supplier. “This is an extremely exciting development,” says Balderson, “This client is a high profile nationwide US fruit producer and if successful it could lead Sirane into a very big and exciting marketplace.”

Sirane's versatile Resolve fruit pad is at the heart of all these developments. The compostable Sirane pad cushions the fruit, absorbing excess moisture or juice, therefore decreasing pack and product waste. The Resolve absorbent cushioning fruit pad – fully compostable and competitive with alternative materials – is primarily supplied as part of a package involving PP or PET trays. As well as its compostable function, the Resolve pad helps suppliers to extend shelf life and also guard against damage, discolouration and decay.

All further details from Sandra Evans at Sirane. www.sirane.co.uk