ATLANTA, GA - With PMA less than a week away, AndNowUKnow wanted to take the time to highlight each of the 20 products nominated for PMA’s coveted Impact awards this year. Winners will be announced from the 20 finalists this weekend at Fresh Summit in Atlanta, GA. Check out our second and last installment of the 10 featured finalists below.

Mucci Farms’ Naked Leaf - Lettuce & Herbs Sleeve with Retail-Ready Display Box  

Showcased in a high graphic sleeve for 1 living lettuce head and 2 and 4oz herbs, Mucci’s Naked Leaf offering are shipped in a retail ready patented merchandising display box. The products’ pre-printed, high impact, and vibrant graphics feature high quality and easy to prepare recipe imagery to stand out on store shelves and inspire consumers. The products are complete with a convenient handle for consumers and a U-Shape Patent Seal that holds in water and increases shelf life.

“We wanted to create a new sleeve that offered a fresh appeal and aromatic experience for living, as well as being easy to handle,” Mucci says. “These products are shipped with root in-tact and in water, therefore, offering extended shelf-life. We also wanted to offer retailers an easy option for receiving the product as well as merchandising it lettuce and herbs with the collapsible-pop-up display box.”

Mucci Farms’ Hot Shots Mixed Hot Peppers – Re-sealable Tray with Cardboard Pocket Sleeve 

This new package for mixed or single variety hot peppers comes in a unique cardboard stand up sleeve with a re-sealable film. Providing re-seal convenience offers the consumer the flexibility for continued use and storage. The product comes with a preprinted pocket, environmentally friendly ink, and recycled paper, with high impact graphics and QR code to link to recipe.

“We’ve focused on a variety of hot peppers and increased trends of consumers looking for spice and flavor,” Mucci says. “Popularity of peppers has increased in Asian populations. We also wanted to create a package with maximal space for branding, with clear visibility of the product.”

Mucci Farms’ Veggies to Go™ – Double Compartment Tray with Re-sealable Label 

Featuring kid-friendly graphic Mucci’s new Veggies to Go™ trays offer a fresh look and clear visibility of product. These trays are re-sealable and easy to peel open for ease of use, promoting convenience and healthy eating options for the on-the-go snacking.

“Our focus is on healthy, on-the-go snacking for kids and parents,” Mucci adds. “This packaging comes as industry and market trend move towards small/snack-sized specialties. It also helps us emphasize or commitment to environmental sustainability and focus on environmentally conscious consumers.”

Mucci Farms’ Natural Organics – Eco-Friendly Tray 

Mucci’s new pre-printed kraft tray comes with flow wrap for a more natural, organic look and feel. Fully recyclable and made of 100% recycled content, Mucci’s packaging is both sustainable and bio-degradable. The packaging is pre-printed with organic certification and verified logos, offering consumers increased product knowledge, while the top flap panel and extra real-estate enhances branding and product information. 

“We wanted to improve durability, product protection, and freshness with the macro-perforated film,” Mucci says. “This product is in line with the trend of moving from products typically sold in a plastic clamshell or tray and the trend of increased organic products” 

Mucci Farms’ eat brighter! – Mini Cucumbers & Bella SweetsTM Mini Bell Peppers - Stand-Up, Resealable Bag

Mucci’s “eat brighter! – sesame street character bags” are clear, flexible, stand-up and re-sealable. They have a re-enforced handle with high-graphic pre-printing offering a fresh look and clear visibility of product with kid-friendly graphics. 

“We were very inspired by the eat brighter! campaign and wanted to offer a kid friendly package that has a fresh look and offers good product visibility,” Mucci says. “It was important to us to enhance product shelf life and freshness with this product.” 

Naturipe Farms’ New Heat Seal (Peel & Reseal) Fresh Blueberry Package

Naturipe’s Heat Seal packaging hold fresh blueberries in a heat sealed lid container with a peel to open and reseal to close top for easy access. This function allows consumers to take what is needed, while the remaining blueberries are sealed in container that retains freshness, flavor and overall condition.

“First of all, we reduced the amount of plastic in each container to align with our sustainability initiatives and objectives,” Naturipe explains. “This type of seal gives a more secure closure versus larger clamshells, which are more difficult to close and keep closed.  The industry has relied on pressure buttons and taping to provide closure, however, this system incorporates convenience and a secure closure to help Farm to Store handling in addition to the improved freshness for consumers.” 

Naturipe Farms’ New “On-the-Go” Fresh Blueberry Blends

Naturipe is also introducing two new unique fresh flavor blends to its Ready to Eat Fresh Snacking line—Mango/Blueberry and Grape/Blueberry. 

“Creating these new flavor combinations was a natural next step to our already successful Fresh Blueberry Snacks,” continues Naturipe. “The Mango and Grape, both great compliments to blueberries served not only to differentiate our On-the-Go snacks from other similar product but to offer consumers a new innovative combination for their taste buds.”

Ocean Mist Farms: Season & Steam Kalettes

Ocean Mist Farms, has expanded its line new Season & Steam Kalettes, packaged in an innovative Steamfast microwavable pack that gives users the option to open the bag, pre-season the contents to their flavor preference, reseal with the zip lock, and steam by microwave all within the same bag. The SteamFast packaging is gusseted for a stand-up, “face forward: retail shelf presentation” and has a suggested retail price of $3.29-$3.99 depending on the region. 

“According to Nielsen Perishables Group FreshFacts scan data; total US sales of Brussels sprouts and Kale continue to grow for the third year in a row,” says Ocean Mist. “Season and Steam Kalettes offer consumers a convenient way to add fresh produce to their diet and a new cooking solution.” 

Red Sun Farms’ Organic Grapes in Top Sealed Earthcycle Fiber Base

Red Sun Farms’ Organic Grapes will now be packed in an Earthcycle fiber base. Fully compostable, recyclable, with a biodegradable base, this top sealed package uses a 90% reduction on plastic.

“Our goal is to provide shoppers with an eco-friendly - environmentally conscious packaging option,” Red Sun says. “Organic produce sales have risen and continue to rise in popularity. The Organic shopper is different than the conventional shopper, so we wanted to provide them with an alternative to plastic packaging. Made in North America our bio Earthcycle base satisfies this need.” 

Windset Farms & Apio’s BreatheWay® Laminate Pouch for Cocktail Cucumbers

This is the first laminate pouch for Windset with BreatheWay® membranes that are pre-applied during bag manufacture. This sealed package regulates produce respiration, prolonging shelf-and adapting for use on most produce commodities. It is a unique modified atmosphere technology for retail because it can adapt to variable temperatures. BreatheWay® is developed by the Apio Technology Group, and the High WVTR materials and pouch manufactured by Chin-Canada Industries Ltd. 

“Windset Farms® was looking for ways to prolong the shelf-life of cocktail cucumbers,” the company explains. “This delicate product can lose moisture during storage in pouches with vent holes. In addition to shelf-life gain, BreatheWay® use results in almost no product weight/moisture loss.”

Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow next week to see who wins big at the PMA Impact awards.

PMA Fresh Summit