SAN JUAN BAUTISTA, CA - Earthbound Farm has been named as a finalist for the 2014 PMA Impact Awards in Excellence in Packaging for two of its products, Kale Italia and PowerMeal Bowls.  Check out our previous product showcase featuring Kale Italia by clicking here.

The new PowerMeal Bowls are ready-to-eat, complete, plant-based meals.  They are available in 3 unique varieties - Chia & Soba Noodles with Asian Greens; Tomatillo & Black Beans with Baby Lettuce; Blueberry & Quinoa with Baby Spinach.

Although it is a small segment of the fresh-cut salad category, single-serve, ready-to-eat salad bowl purchases are highly incremental. Additionally, those who purchase single-serve, ready-to-eat salad bowls, like these new PowerMeal Bowls, eat up to two times more salad than the average salad shopper. Stocking single-serve, ready-to-eat salad bowls attracts a high volume salad purchaser to the salad set, driving higher ring and incremental sales.

Each PowerMeal Bowl is packaged to include master packs of ingredients that are contained within an inset tray that sits above the more delicate greens to protect them from the weight. The inset tray will double as a convenient top when flipped over, which allows the consumer to mix all of the individual elements together by shaking. This packaging is used exclusively for the PowerMeal Bowl products at this time.

The sealed film cover over the clamshell enables the shopper to view the greens and master pack ingredients. This tamper evident package also includes a fork so it’s ready for folks to simply open and enjoy. Earthbound’s passive Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) maximizes freshness, and product appearance, reducing shrink at shelf. The package is sealed with a specially designed film as part of this innovative process.

Earthbound Farm was the first in the industry to make its clamshell salad packages from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic, according to the company. They require less energy and water to produce and generate fewer greenhouse gasses than virgin plastic, using about 90% fewer resources and diverting reusable materials out of the waste stream. In addition, the clamshell is made from green recycled plastic, which there is not as much use for currently.

Earthbound Farm will be at Fresh Summit at booth #830.

Congratulations on the nomination, Earthbound Farm! 

Earthbound Farm