How can fruit and vegetable trays be sealed, closed, and labeled in one sustainable and efficient operation?

This year (2023), there will be a roadshow from MULTIVAC marking and inspection stopping off at companies in Germany and other European countries. From March onwards in a live and convenient setting, customers will be able to learn all about MULTIVAC's innovative labeling and inspection solutions. This time the focus will be on high-quality and sustainable solutions for the closure sealing and labeling of fruit and vegetable trays.

When it comes to marketing fruit and vegetables, plastic-free and recyclable packs are very much on trend. In addition to full wrap labeling, which has already become established in the market, MULTIVAC offers two other high-quality and sustainable packaging solutions for fresh produce trays: Whereas Top Wrap involves applying a label to the top and both sides of the tray. Top Close seals the tray closed just with a label from above. Both concepts are the ideal choice for fresh products, which do not have to be packed under a modified atmosphere or airtight in a vacuum. This means that a label can be used to simply seal the tray closed and label it at the same time in one resource-saving operation - and it also meets the rising demand in this sector for sustainability.

Both labeling solutions provide a strong purchasing incentive thanks to their attractive label and recyclable pack. The self-adhesive labels on a backing material not only offer a large area for customer information and marketing purposes, but they also open up a wide range of possibilities for product presentation in terms of material thickness and label shape. An example can have cut-outs in the label, as well as adhesive-free zones so that contact with the product is prevented. Perforations serve as opening aids and make the handling of the packs easy for the consumer.

Depending on the type of tray and its content, as well as the packaging materials used, a wide variety of solutions are on offer with MULTIVAC conveyor belt labelers, which support sustainable and recyclable packaging concepts. Common to all these solutions is that the trays are automatically labeled on the run, and they are either fed in manually or transferred automatically from an upstream module. This provides tangible cost savings and very efficient processes when compared with time-consuming, manual packaging solutions. In the MULTIVAC Roadshow truck will be featured both Top Wrap and Top Close, which will be demonstrated on an L 310 Top Wrap/Top Close conveyor belt labeler, offering both concepts on the one machine. It can be integrated seamlessly into existing lines or can also be used as a stand-alone solution with manual product infeed.

In addition to this, there is also a wide range of sample labels and packs in the MULTIVAC Roadshow truck, covering a huge variety of products from apples and berries right up to mushrooms, tomatoes, and snack vegetables. Customers will be able to get comprehensive advice on a wide range of solutions to meet their particular requirements perfectly.