Montague Farms is implementing industry-leading sustainable innovations in this year’s JAZZ apples harvest.
The JAZZ apples compostable sticker trial is set to commence in August, to last about three months in retailers. The trial is taking place at Montague Farms’ packaging facility in Narre Warren North, which has capacity to pack over 350 million pieces of fruit a year.
JAZZ apples are said to be the first of their kind to undergo a compostable sticker trial, reaffirming a commitment to reducing environmental impact and paving the way for an eco-friendly future.
According to Montague Farms, in Australia, the majority of apples sold must have a sticker, which is important for traceability and quality purposes. These stickers are typically manufactured with single-use plastic, which means they cannot be recycled or be used for home or industrial composting. This is where Montague Farms aim to change the game.
As an Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) member, Montague Farms said it is committed to implementing sustainable packaging and meeting regulatory requirements for packaged goods.
As such, over the past 18 months, Montague Farms has been working with its sticker supplier, J-Tech, to launch a home compostable fruit sticker onto the Australian market.
This sticker, Sinclair – T55, is officially certified safe for home composting by the Australasian Bioplastics Association (ABA) and compliant to global composting standards. In February this year, Montague Farms conducted an initial trial on a range of plums sold through Coles and Woolworths, which proved successful.
“The Sinclair – T55 sticker is over 17 years of research and development. It has only been recently possible with the advancement of technologies and environmentally conscious materials. As well as ensuring the compostable end-of-life performance of the sticker, key to ensure the application performance was equivalent to conventional fruit stickers and worked on existing labelling systems a viable choice,” Sinclair senior marketing manager Duncan Jones said.
To Montague Farms, exploring JAZZ as the first Australian grown apple to trial a home or industrial compostable sticker was a no-brainer.
“This innovative trial of the T55 compostable sticker met our expectations, with sticker retention on the fruit performing in line with supply chain requirements,” Montague Farms head of strategy and innovation Rowan Little said.
“While still in the early stages, the success of initial trials represents a promising step forward in Montague Farms’ ongoing efforts to improve sustainability within the fruit industry”.
