The fruit market demands a top-quality seal

Plastic fruit containers with a lid are recognisable and therefore, trusted by the consumer. However, the demand for sealed packaging is increasing. This prevents the lid from falling off and logistics run more efficiently. For this reason, FruitMasters expanded its packaging lines.

 “In 1904, the Veiling Vereeniging Geldermalsen en Omstreken (Market Association of Geldermalsen and the Surrounding Region) organised its first cherry market, which developed into a cooperative of fruit farmers,” says Freek Versteeg, manager of operations at FruitMasters in Geldermalsen. “This cooperative was the predecessor of our current company. After several mergers, we have become a cooperative of roughly 400 fruit farmers. We facilitate the storage, packaging and sale of apples, pears and soft fruits such as berries. This serves as a total solution for growers.” The public market has always been an important branch within the company along with the sales arm of the organisation, which primarily focuses on agreements with and sale to retailers.

Low risk

Though fruit was once a seasonal product, most types are now available year round. Martin van den Berg, manager of the soft fruit sorting and packaging station explains: “Strawberries are available throughout the year in the Netherlands thanks to greenhouse cultivation. We also offer imported soft fruits, which we typically can deliver for the entire year.” Unlike the meat and fish processing industries, there is a low risk of food contamination in fruit processing. The cooperative often receives packaged fruit and there is little that can be done to it. Versteeg: “Fruit is a healthy and safe product by nature. When fruit is unprocessed and undamaged, it is not a source for hazardous bacteria. However, there are still strict hygiene requirements that apply to the production area in order to reduce the risk of contamination. We also analyse the microbiological quality of our products and check for the presence of residue from crop protection agents.” For the highest quality soft fruit, FruitMasters uses the Prestige label. A certification expert assesses the delivered fruit for traits such as hardness, sugar content and colour. Fruit that has been deemed Prestige worthy is sent to businesses such as top-tier restaurants. The sale of soft fruit has been going well in recent years. Van den Berg: “We are noticing that consumers are continuing to develop healthier eating habits.” 

“Using seals results in a 92% reduction of packaging materials used for closing the containers.”

Lid vs. top seal

At the time of the interview, the cooperative had begun using new packaging machines that apply a seal to plastic containers for part of its production. The fruit processor found the right supplier in Sismatec for Proseal brand packaging machines. These were used to expand the seven current packaging lines. Gerrit Tijhof, commercial director: “We had already been discussing the market and the increasing demand for a top seal. Consumers increasingly prefer seals. Lids are often a source of irritation. Furthermore, using seals results in a 92% reduction of packaging materials used for closing the containers. That results in about 30% less material used in the entire packaging process. This is why most of the market is making the switch to seals.” A top seal offers several other advantages as well. Versteeg: “Lids sometimes come off the container and are more problematic for the environment. Not to mention that a seal results in flatter packaging, which makes the product easier to stack. This makes logistics and handling more efficient.” Van den Berg stresses that seals do not necessarily translate into a longer shelf life for the product: “In both cases, the ventilation is the same, which is essential for the fruit. 80 per cent of our clients receive top sealed packages. It is quite an operation. This year, the volume is increasing even more.”

Choosing a supplier

“Sismatec has a great deal of experience in the fruit sector,” says Versteeg, explaining the choice of supplier. “They offered a good price-to-quality ratio. Technical support is important, too and the knowledge and services of the operators and technicians are good. They are reliable. The choice of a supplier is always a combination of factors.” With shifts from 6:00 to 15:00 and from 15:00 to 00:00 as well as a Saturday shift, it is especially important that the repair service be available and accessible 24 hours a day. Tijhof: “We have nine technicians across the Netherlands. Luckily, we are often able to resolve issues from a distance, because the machines can be accessed via the internet. We can also take data readings and create reports. Businesses can also use these features to optimise production.”

Robotisation

In the future, the men expect more innovations regarding machinery and robotisation. “That was even one of the reasons why we chose Proseal as the supplier,” explains Versteeg, “these machines have already been prepared for that development.”

www.fruitmasters.nl
www.sismatec.nl

From left to right: Freek Versteeg, Martin van den Berg, Gerrit Tijhof