TARRYTOWN, NY - When it comes to picking products off the shelf, sustainability continues to be a key factor in shoppers’ purchasing decisions. Meeting their needs in the table grape category, Jac. Vandenberg Inc. has introduced new, certified home-compostable grape BIO bags through its SUNRAYS^® brand.

“We’ve been exploring sustainable alternatives for grape bags for some time now,” said John Paap, Brand Manager at Jac. Vandenberg. “We are all too aware of the problems with traditional plastic packaging, so it is critical we begin to move away from this material. In our BIO bags, we have a real solution that offers something that looks and feels like traditional plastic but will biodegrade in compost, just like the fruit inside it. We are confident that these bags will help retailers achieve their targets set around zero waste, plastic reduction, and overall sustainability.”

The SUNRAYS grape BIO bags will be available in limited supply this winter. Developed and produced by Israeli-based company TIPA^®, the BIO bags are made from 20 percent bio-based plastic and 80 percent fully compostable fossil-based polymers, allowing them to disintegrate within 6 months with an active and healthy compost heap.

The innovative packaging reduces methane emissions while tackling plastic waste, as no micro-plastics are left behind once the package has been biodegraded. With this launch, as explained in a press release, the supplier hopes to make composting exciting and fun for consumers.

“Composting is really exciting because the benefits are so bountiful,” remarked Paap. “By composting, we can make a significant impact on global warming and create nutrient-rich compost soils at the same time. One of the major sources of methane emissions comes from each one of us and our trash cans at home. The average household trash contains around 35 percent organic waste, which could be composted. However, this trash gets moved to a landfill which degrades without oxygen and this process generates methane. It goes without saying then that by choosing to compost our organic waste, we can significantly reduce our methane emissions.”

Last year, Jac. Vandenberg’s citrus BIO bags were honored with BNCW Magazine’s 2021 Eco-Excellence Award^™ in the Snack Category. To drive awareness for the bags, the company will be launching an interactive page on its SUNRAYS website to educate and help consumers on their composting journey.

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Jac. Vandenberg