Cullen Introduces Pulp Produce Trays from 100% Recycled Cardboard

As consumers become more conscious of creating less waste and being more environmentally friendly, packing companies are looking for solutions to keep fresh produce fresh, while protecting it from damage, but at the same time giving the end customer an eco-friendly solution.

Cullen Packaging (Glasgow, Scotland) is doing just that. The company reported this past week that it is now manufacturing trays for fruit and vegetables which are molded from a pulp made from recycled paper. Cullen Packaging also manufactures this type of packaging in other sectors to further reduce waste.

"Our recycled paper is 100% off-cuts from our corrugate packaging business. All of the corrugated board brought into the company has FSC traceability, therefore all of the paper used for creating our pulp trays is ethically sourced," explained David Mackinnon from the company, "Working with our customers, we have created several different designs for various fruits, vegetables, and mushrooms. We add natural wax to the trays to make them waterproof, which improves shelf life.‎"

The company works in the UK in partnership with Produce Packaging, but also exports to mainland Europe and the U.S., and is now entering the Australian market.

"At Cullen's, we have our own in-house designers and toolmakers who can design and manufacture exactly to the customer's specifications, which is something not many companies have the resources to deliver in short timescales."

Cullen Packaging has a 14-acre manufacturing plant, and use economies of scale to maximzse price ‎benefits to keep pulp competitive against plastic. The company believes that consumers want to know that they are helping the environment in some way, and they can easily see that this product is paper and not plastic, and so more eco friendly. Even if this product goes to landfill instead, it decomposes naturally.

Cullen Packaging will be at this year's Fruit Logistca where they will also show their horticultural plant pots and propagation trays as part of a new project with Modiform of the Netherlands. The molded pulp horticultural pots and propagation trays come in a variety of different sizes and shapes and are suitable for various applications.

The U.K. Government is calling for a phase-out of peat in compost material, so to assist growers in complying with this legislation,Cullen Packaging has introduced this "Peat Free" plant pot and propagation tray range to the market.