From Plastic to Fibre: Rethinking Fresh Produce Packaging
Salty, Zespri, Woolworths and Yieldia NZ show how fibre-based packaging can protect fresh produce without relying on conventional plastic.
Salty’s award winning Wayfarer bio-coated fibre has been used for Zespri GOLD kiwifruit across New Zealand Woolworths supermarkets. Demonstrating how functional bio-coated paperboard can replace conventional PET and rPET fresh produce packaging while continuing to protect the fruit inside.
Our approach is simple:
Don’t just replace plastic — understand why it was needed in the first place.
Fresh kiwifruit continues to respire after harvest. Packaging plays an important role in managing moisture loss, fruit shrivel, gas transfer and protection throughout the cool chain.
Salty developed a specialist high-barrier bio-coated paperboard to support these functions while creating a renewable, fibre-based alternative to rigid plastic that is collected and recyclable in practise across their 50 global markets.
Designed Around the Fruit
The Wayfarer bio-coated fibre technology is designed to help manage moisture loss, respiration and shrivel — protecting fruit quality while reducing the amount of plastic used across the fresh produce supply chain.
The functional coating also helps the paperboard maintain its structural integrity in high-humidity cool-chain environments.
The result:
Protect the fruit. Reduce plastic. Recover the fibre.
Wayfarer is recyclable in practice to CEPI standards, made with no added PFAS and manufactured in New Zealand.
Ready for the PPWR Transition
The technology is increasingly relevant as fresh produce growers, exporters, brands and retailers navigate the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and wider ESG and circularity requirements.
As organisations look to reduce single-use plastic and improve packaging recyclability, Salty provides a pathway to replace suitable rigid plastic fresh produce packaging without overlooking the fundamental job of the pack — protecting the food inside it.
Commercially Available Now
Wayfarer is commercially available now.
our coated material can also be supplied as converted consumer or transport packaging or in sheet and roll form to packaging converters.
Our work with GOLD kiwifruit demonstrates the bigger opportunity for fresh produce: moving beyond simply replacing virgin plastic with PCR to designing fibre packaging around the physiological needs of the product.
Turning off the plastic tap without turning off packaging performance.
Interested in transitioning your fresh produce packaging from rigid plastic to functional fibre? Contact Salty to discuss Wayfarer bio-coated fibre and custom applications.
Email enquiries@saltoftheearthpackaging.nz
