Sorma Group Testing New 100% Recyclable Paper Packaging Solution

With environmental impact and sustainability increasingly at the forefront of global conversation, the fresh produce industry is continuing to develop innovative solutions to minimize its effects on our planet. The Sorma Group, an industry leader in fruit and vegetable packaging, grading and weighing systems, is contributing to this effort with an innovative new 100% paper packing solution.

The new line is made entirely of paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, and hence is 100% recyclable. It also features a distinctive cellulose mesh window for improved breathability, prolonging the shelf life of the produce and making it easily visible through the packaging.

“With this new packaging line,” says Andrea Casali, sales director for Italy at the Sorma Group, “we are enhancing and completing our range with a focus on environmental sustainability, and we are meeting the demands of consumers who are paying increasing attention to this issue. Indeed, we have been constantly moving in this direction for several years: from the single-material recyclable plastic line, which we have gradually made 60–70% lighter, to the innovative Sormapeel line that we patented and launched on the market at the start of this year, which is revolutionary in terms of the way it integrates plastic and paper, offering a high-performance, robust and functional design; and finally the packaging made of 100% compostable material introduced last autumn.”

The new paper packaging will be available in five models: the PaperPillow (available with or without a finger grip), the PaperStandup (with or without a handle) and the PaperVertbag. In addition to recyclability and functionality, the new packaging is also easily adaptable to the Sorma Group’s existing SBU model of packaging machines, which are already widely used. The paper will be usable on these machines with a simple adaptation kit, making for a cost-effective transition.

The new packaging is currently undergoing testing and will be available on the market by the end of the year, according to the Sorma Group.

“We have already started the first tests on our new packs,” says Casali, “and the results have been extremely positive. Specifically, we have introduced the paper line on the French market, which is one of the most receptive and discerning with regard to recyclable paper solutions, and conducted tests in Italy, including with the Bologna-based company Romagnoli F.lli S.p.A., one of the main Italian companies operating in the processing and marketing of fruit and vegetables, especially potatoes and onions, which has always been committed to sustainability issues. The aim is to ensure optimal service for all companies in the industry and retail chains that intend to invest in innovative, advantageous packaging, in all the group’s target countries.”

The Sorma Group was founded in 1973 and offers over 160 automated machines providing solutions for grading, weighing and packing more than 30 types of fruit and vegetables. The group currently has operations centers in Spain, Germany, France, Turkey, the Netherlands, the U.S. and Brazil.

Images: Sorma Group