SUSTAINABLE... ON AND OFF THE LINE.

Because sustainable packaging matters to all of us. Introducing, our newest line of sustainable, case ready packaging solutions from CRYOVAC®. These solutions embody our holistic approach to sustainability by offering an array of benefits. Our offering includes packaging options made with recycled content and/or renewable resources, and some are even curbside recyclable. Stop by Sealed Air booth #589 today and learn more about our latest innovations and how we can help you achieve your ideal sustainable solution for your fresh or frozen seafood.

Stop By Booth #589

© 2023 Sealed Air Corporation participants. All vacuum options also saw a high purchase intent among those surveyed, the company added.

“Obviously, there’s a sustainability concern with foam trays and, as a result, we’ve started to see a shift away from these trays in some parts of the market. But they’re still a big part of packaging seafood because some products are being packaged instore, where foam trays have been used for years. However, there’s some concern from consumers with respect to freshness with foam trays because they typically don’t have that kind of high-quality packaging that you can have with vacuum-skin or pre-packaged items,” Corey said.

Since the beginning of the decade, fresh seafood counters at retail have attracted ample foot-traffic by offering pre-packaged grab-andgo items, Corey said. Adopting more vacuum packaging techniques in this section of the store, Sealed Air added, is a prime area of opportunity for the seafood industry.

“As a food processor, your output is everything. It’s what makes or breaks your bottom line. However, providing a solution that not only improves your operational efficiencies, but also meets the growing needs of your customers is now more than ever the key to your success,” Sealed Air said. “With today’s hectic and ever-changing lifestyle, consumer needs have shifted. In fact, consumers now not only want a more sustainable packaging solution,

53 percent of them state they also prefer prepackaged options over full-service because it’s quicker, reduces their wait time, and is hassle-free. As a result, case-ready packaging is now more important than ever.”

Corey said a switch to vacuum packaging should “go hand-in-hand with consumer education on extended quality life by maintaining better moisture levels in the fish.”

In its 2022 report, Sealed Air found that consumer respondents who purchased vacuumpacked fresh fish did so predominantly because it stays fresh (26 percent), keeps food safe (15 percent), and allows them to better view the product (12 percent).

When fresh seafood is case-ready and prepackaged, it also makes online order fulfillment at grocery stores run more smoothly and keeps the category competitive in the digital realm, Corey explained.

Sealed Air’s portfolio includes a number of solutions that aim to bring more responsible packaging options to the fresh seafood category without compromising quality, per Corey, including modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and vacuum skin packaging (VSP) trays made with post-consumer recycled (PCR) content configurations.

The company’s CRYOVAC brand Preformed HydroLOQ MAP trays, meanwhile, are padless and reduce waste to landfills by eliminating the need for an absorbent pad often required in foam counterparts, Sealed Air explained.

Sealed Air’s CRYOVAC brand Plant-based Rollstock and its CRYOVAC brand Darfresh on Board also offer a sustainable edge, according to the company. The plant-based rollstock replaces petroleum-based plastic or resin with a renewable corn-based resin. The Darfresh product “combines a clear, highly formable top film with a cardboard bottom carrier that offers twosided full-color printing on a curbside recyclable cardboard base,” Corey noted.

Additionally, Sealed Air said it has been working on a variety of fiber-based solutions in the new year.

Sealed Air is exhibiting at Seafood Expo North America / Seafood Processing North America at Booth # 589.