US – Organic vertical farming company Upward Farms has unveiled a new resealable packaging design for its United States department of agriculture (USDA) certified organic microgreens.
The company’s resealable packaging is now available at Whole Foods Market locations across New York and New Jersey, as well as DeCicco’s & Sons, Westside Market, Union Market, Foodtown, Morton Williams, D’Agostino’s and Gristedes.
The new resealable design provides a more sustainable offering for consumers, compared to the average greens clamshell model, driving a 38% reduction of plastic, and is made with post-consumer recycled content.
Upward Farms combines modern vertical farming with the ancient, regenerative farming practice of aquaponics to produce ready-to-eat USDA-certified organic microgreen mixes — and sustainably raised fish free from mercury, antibiotics, or added hormones.
The company focuses on functionality and the consumer experience in developing the new packaging, with sealed plastic trays that are stackable and easier to open and close than traditional clamshells.
The open and close technology allows for an extended shelf life for microgreens. Upward Farms continues to deliver best-in-class cradle-to-cradle sustainability solutions.
Jason Green, CEO and co-founder of Upward Farms said: “Continuously reducing Upward Farms’ carbon footprint is a top priority for us, and our new packaging marks a significant milestone in that journey.
“Upward Farms’ new packaging is made using post-consumer recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (rPET), one of the only truly recyclable plastics.”
Commenting on the new product, Eric Greifenberger, Upward Farms Vice President of Marketing and Sales said: “When designing the new packaging, we envisioned ourselves as the consumer and chose to focus on two things: clearer communication and making Upward Farms easy to identify among other packaged salads and microgreens.
“Implementing this resealable technology has allowed us to add value for our consumers by delivering more sustainable, effective packaging.
“Functionality is extremely important to us and our consumers, and through rigorous testing we have designed a solution that is easily resealable, holds up to stacking in consumers’ fridges, and locks in freshness.”
The refreshed package label has increased the surface area, allowing greater communication of Upward Farms’ notable certifications including its USDA organic certification, New York State Grown & Certified, KOF-K Kosher certification, washed and ready-to-eat, and pesticide free.
Since 2013, Upward Farms has raised over US$154 million to support growth ambitions and fund expansion efforts into the Northeast.
One of the premier investments of funding was to create the world’s largest organic indoor vertical farm in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, coined Regional Farm One which is anticipated to be operational in 2023.
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