Produce Packaging

Growth in packaged produce will be driven by rising demand for healthy foods that are fresh-cut or ready-to-eat, and by value added packaging products that help protect, trace and market fresh produce.

US demand to rise 3.2% annually through 2019

Demand for produce packaging in the US is forecast to increase 3.2 percent per year to $6.0 billion in 2019, out-pacing growth in fresh produce production as packaging takes on a greater role in the protection, traceability, and marketing of fresh fruits and vegetables. Demand for healthy foods which are fresh-cut or ready-to-eat will drive gains for packaged produce and help to sustain demand for packaging products, particularly value added types.

Trends toward healthier food to favor produce

Produce packaging will benefit from trends toward healthier food consumption, particularly in fruit applications, which will rise at a faster rate than vegetables or salads. With the rising demand for meat- and gluten-free meal options, fresh produce has become more valued in both retail and foodservice industries as these operations look for ways to appeal to consumers with dietary restrictions. Within the retail market, more offerings of produce that are display ready and sold ready-to-eat will boost demand for packaging products that can extend shelf life and allow contents to be seen clearly. Likewise, foodservice operations will demand greater amounts of packaged fresh-cut produce in order to provide healthier options while cutting down on meal preparation time and labor costs.

Corrugated boxes to remain key packaging type

Corrugated boxes are the leading type of produce packaging due to their light weight, low cost, graphics capabilities, and well established recycling infrastructure. With innovations made to create recyclable alternatives that can be substituted for wax-coated boxes and the development of modular box formats that are more easily stacked and shipped, corrugated boxes are the primary format for bulk shipments. However, demand will grow at a slightly below average pace through 2019 due to market saturation and competition from reusable plastic containers (RPCs) and flexible packaging formats.

Plastic containers, pouches among fastest growing

The fastest growing package formats are those that possess aesthetic appeal, such as plastic containers and stand-up pouches, both of which have the capability to increase brand marketing and recognition. Pouches using anti-fogging films to allow for product visibility often feature colorful graphics to advertise nutritional properties and environmental sourcing practices, especially for products targeted to children. Plastic containers such as clamshells, tubs, cups, and bowls not only provide an extra level of protection for delicate products such as tomatoes and berries, but also differentiate their retail appearance.

Study coverage

This Freedonia industry study analyzes the $5.1 billion US produce packaging industry. It presents historical demand data (2004, 2009 and 2014) and forecasts (2019 and 2024) by packaging type (e.g., corrugated boxes, bags and liners, plastic containers, trays), application (e.g., vegetables, fruit, salads) and end user (growers/shippers, repackers, retail stores). The study also considers market environment factors, details industry structure, evaluates company market share, and profiles 43 industry players, including International Paper, Pactiv, and WestRock.

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  1. Produce Packaging

    $5,300.00

    1. 1 INTRODUCTION

      $132.00

    2. 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

      $129.00

      1. Table | PRODUCE PACKAGING DEMAND

    3. 3 MARKET ENVIRONMENT

      $2,780.00

      1. 3.1 General

        $82.00

      2. 3.2 Macroeconomic Environment

        $204.00

        1. Table | MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS

      3. 3.3 Demographic Trends

        $181.00

        1. Table | POPULATION & HOUSEHOLDS

      4. 3.4 Consumer Income & Spending

        $116.00

        1. Table | PERSONAL CONSUMPTION EXPENDITURES

      5. 3.5 Retail Trends

        $186.00

        1. Table | RETAIL SALES

      6. 3.6 Food Industry Overview

        $127.00

        1. Table | FOOD SHIPMENTS

      7. 3.7 Fresh Produce Industry Trends

        $841.00

        1. 3.7.1 Production Trends

          $314.00

          1. Table | FRESH PRODUCE SUPPLY & DEMAND

          2. Table | FRESH VEGETABLE SUPPLY & DEMAND

          3. Table | FRESH FRUIT SUPPLY & DEMAND

        2. 3.7.2 Shipping & Distribution Trends

          $110.00

        3. 3.7.3 Fresh-Cut Produce Trends

          $310.00

          1. Table | FRESH-CUT PRODUCE SALES

      8. 3.8 Food Packaging Industry Overview

        $266.00

        1. Table | FOOD PACKAGING DEMAND

        2. 3.8.1 Rigid

          $139.00

        3. 3.8.2 Flexible

          $82.00

      9. 3.9 Raw Material Trends

        $111.00

      10. 3.10 Technology Overview

        $172.00

      11. 3.11 Pricing Trends

        $149.00

        1. Table | SELECTED PRODUCE PACKAGING PRICES

      12. 3.12 Environmental Issues

        $183.00

      13. 3.13 Regulatory Considerations

        $173.00

    4. 4 PACKAGING TYPES

      $2,785.00

      1. 4.1 General

        $152.00

        1. Table | PRODUCE PACKAGING DEMAND BY TYPE & FORM

        2. CHART III-1 PRODUCE PACKAGING DEMAND BY TYPE, 2014

      2. 4.2 Corrugated Boxes

        $339.00

        1. Table | CORRUGATED BOX DEMAND IN PRODUCE PACKAGING

        2. 4.2.1 Corrugated Common Footprint Boxes

          $82.00

        3. 4.2.2 Producers

          $100.00

      3. 4.3 Bags & Liners

        $779.00

        1. Table | BAG & LINER DEMAND IN PRODUCE PACKAGING

        2. CHART III-2 BAG & LINER DEMAND IN PRODUCE PACKAGING, 2014

        3. 4.3.1 Plastic

          $451.00

          1. Table | PLASTIC BAG & LINER DEMAND IN PRODUCE PACKAGING

        4. 4.3.2 Mesh & Combination

          $156.00

          1. Table | MESH & COMBINATION BAG DEMAND IN PRODUCE PACKAGING

        5. 4.3.3 Paper & Textile

          $82.00

          1. Table | PAPER & TEXTILE DEMAND IN PRODUCE PACKAGING

      4. 4.4 Plastic Containers

        $545.00

        1. Table | PLASTIC CONTAINER DEMAND IN PRODUCE PACKAGING

        2. CHART III-3 PLASTIC CONTAINER DEMAND IN PRODUCE PACKAGING, 2014

        3. 4.4.1 Clamshells

          $180.00

          1. Table | CLAMSHELL DEMAND IN PRODUCE PACKAGING

        4. 4.4.2 Tubs, Cups, &Bowls

          $129.00

          1. Table | TUB, CUP, &BOWL DEMAND IN PRODUCE PACKAGING

        5. 4.4.3 Other Plastic Containers

          $153.00

          1. Table | OTHER PLASTIC CONTAINER DEMAND IN PRODUCE PACKAGING

      5. 4.5 Trays

        $209.00

        1. Table | TRAY DEMAND IN PRODUCE PACKAGING

      6. 4.6 Other Packaging

        $760.00

        1. Table | OTHER PRODUCE PACKAGING DEMAND

        2. CHART III-4 OTHER PRODUCE PACKAGING DEMAND BY TYPE, 2014

        3. 4.6.1 Plastic Film

          $162.00

        4. 4.6.2 Reusable Plastic Containers

          $164.00

        5. 4.6.3 Wood Crates

          $82.00

        6. 4.6.4 Foam Boxes

          $82.00

        7. 4.6.5 Molded Pulp Baskets

          $82.00

        8. 4.6.6 All Other

          $196.00

    5. 5 APPLICATIONS

      $3,122.00

      1. 5.1 General

        $239.00

        1. Table | PRODUCE PACKAGING DEMAND BY APPLICATION & FORMAT

        2. CHART IV-1 PRODUCE PACKAGING DEMAND BY APPLICATION, 2014

        3. 5.1.1 Bulk

          $82.00

        4. 5.1.2 Ready-to-eat

          $82.00

      2. 5.2 Vegetables

        $1,472.00

        1. Table | FRESH VEGETABLE PACKAGING DEMAND BY TYPE & FORMAT

        2. CHART IV-2 FRESH VEGETABLE PACKAGING DEMAND BY TYPE, 2014

        3. 5.2.1 Tomatoes

          $213.00

          1. Table | TOMATO PACKAGING DEMAND

        4. 5.2.2 Potatoes

          $254.00

          1. Table | POTATO PACKAGING DEMAND

        5. 5.2.3 Lettuce

          $137.00

          1. Table | LETTUCE PACKAGING DEMAND

        6. 5.2.4 Onions

          $114.00

          1. Table | ONION PACKAGING DEMAND

        7. 5.2.5 Carrots

          $156.00

          1. Table | CARROT PACKAGING DEMAND

        8. 5.2.6 Mushrooms

          $97.00

          1. Table | MUSHROOM PACKAGING DEMAND

        9. 5.2.7 Celery

          $95.00

          1. Table | CELERY PACKAGING DEMAND

        10. 5.2.8 Cabbage

          $82.00

          1. Table | CABBAGE PACKAGING DEMAND

        11. 5.2.9 Other Vegetables

          $270.00

          1. Table | OTHER VEGETABLE PACKAGING DEMAND

      3. 5.3 Fruit

        $1,122.00

        1. Table | FRESH FRUIT PACKAGING DEMAND BY TYPE & FORMAT

        2. CHART IV-3 FRESH FRUIT PACKAGING DEMAND BY TYPE, 2014

        3. 5.3.1 Berries

          $187.00

          1. Table | BERRY PACKAGING DEMAND

        4. 5.3.2 Apples

          $200.00

          1. Table | APPLE PACKAGING DEMAND

        5. 5.3.3 Citrus Fruit

          $131.00

          1. Table | CITRUS FRUIT PACKAGING DEMAND

        6. 5.3.4 Grapes

          $175.00

          1. Table | GRAPE PACKAGING DEMAND

        7. 5.3.5 Melons

          $175.00

          1. Table | MELON PACKAGING DEMAND

        8. 5.3.6 Other Fruit

          $140.00

          1. Table | OTHER FRESH FRUIT PACKAGING DEMAND

      4. 5.4 Salads

        $289.00

        1. Table | SALAD PACKAGING DEMAND

        2. 5.4.1 Conventional

          $82.00

        3. 5.4.2 Specialty Mix

          $85.00

    6. 6 END USERS

      $589.00

      1. 6.1 General

        $96.00

        1. Table | PRODUCE PACKAGING DEMAND BY END USER

        2. CHART V-1 PRODUCE PACKAGING DEMAND BY END USER, 2014

      2. 6.2 Growers/Shippers

        $209.00

        1. Table | GROWER/SHIPPER MARKET FOR PRODUCE PACKAGING

      3. 6.3 Repackers

        $193.00

        1. Table | REPACKER MARKET FOR PRODUCE PACKAGING

      4. 6.4 Retail Stores & Other

        $90.00

        1. Table | RETAIL STORE & OTHER MARKETS FOR PRODUCE PACKAGING

    7. 7 INDUSTRY STRUCTURE

      $5,321.00

      1. 7.1 General

        $93.00

      2. 7.2 Industry Composition

        $147.00

        1. Table | US PRODUCE PACKAGING SALES BY COMPANY, 2014

      3. 7.3 Market Share

        $260.00

        1. CHART VI-1 US PRODUCE PACKAGING MARKET SHARE, 2014

      4. 7.4 Acquisitions & Divestitures

        $112.00

        1. Table | SELECTED ACQUISITIONS & DIVESTITURES

      5. 7.5 Marketing & Distribution

        $105.00

      6. 7.6 Manufacturing

        $82.00

      7. 7.7 Research & Development

        $102.00

      8. 7.8 Competitive Strategies

        $158.00

      9. 7.9 Cooperative Agreements

        $144.00

        1. Table | SELECTED COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS

      10. 7.10 Company Profiles

        $3,983.00

        1. 7.10.1 Acme Companies Incorporated

          $82.00

        2. 7.10.2 AEP Industries Incorporated

          $90.00

        3. 7.10.3 Amcor Limited

          $140.00

        4. 7.10.4 American Packaging Corporation

          $84.00

        5. 7.10.5 Ampac Holdings LLC

          $82.00

        6. 7.10.6 Bemis Company Incorporated

          $110.00

        7. 7.10.7 Berry Plastics Corporation

          $94.00

        8. 7.10.8 Brambles Limited

          $82.00

        9. 7.10.9 Cady Bag Company LLC

          $82.00

        10. 7.10.10 Cascades Incorporated

          $203.00

        11. 7.10.11 CKF Incorporated

          $82.00

        12. 7.10.12 Coveris Holdings SA

          $114.00

        13. 7.10.13 D&W Fine Pack LLC

          $166.00

        14. 7.10.14 Deluxe Packages

          $82.00

        15. 7.10.15 Dow Chemical Company

          $84.00

        16. 7.10.16 DuPont (EI) de Nemours

          $82.00

        17. 7.10.17 Emerald Packaging Incorporated

          $82.00

        18. 7.10.18 Highland Packaging Solutions Incorporated

          $82.00

        19. 7.10.19 Honeywell International Incorporated

          $82.00

        20. 7.10.20 Innovia Films Limited

          $82.00

        21. 7.10.21 International Paper Company

          $134.00

        22. 7.10.22 IPL Incorporated

          $87.00

        23. 7.10.23 Keyes Packaging Group Incorporated

          $82.00

        24. 7.10.24 Koch Industries Incorporated

          $126.00

        25. 7.10.25 Landec Corporation

          $123.00

        26. 7.10.26 Leucadia National Corporation

          $109.00

        27. 7.10.27 Menasha Corporation

          $153.00

        28. 7.10.28 Pacific Agricultural Packaging

          $82.00

        29. 7.10.29 Packaging Corporation of America

          $89.00

        30. 7.10.30 Peninsula Packaging Company

          $82.00

        31. 7.10.31 Printpack Incorporated

          $82.00

        32. 7.10.32 Rehrig Pacific Company

          $85.00

        33. 7.10.33 Reynolds Group Holdings Limited

          $238.00

        34. 7.10.34 Sambrailo Packaging

          $83.00

        35. 7.10.35 Schoeller Allibert BV

          $82.00

        36. 7.10.36 Sealed Air Corporation

          $217.00

        37. 7.10.37 Sonoco Products Company

          $140.00

        38. 7.10.38 Taghleef Industries LLC

          $84.00

        39. 7.10.39 Tekni-Plex Incorporated

          $82.00

        40. 7.10.40 Tosca Services LLC

          $82.00

        41. 7.10.41 Volm Companies Incorporated

          $87.00

        42. 7.10.42 WestRock Company

          $119.00

        43. 7.10.43 Wihuri Oy

          $82.00

      11. 7.11 Additional Companies in Produce Packaging

        $143.00

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