Fresh produce supplier Perfection Fresh has joined forces with global packaging company Detpak to roll out a new strawberry punnet designed to elevate the presentation and functionality of fruit packaging in Australian supermarkets.
Available in Coles stores from July, the 240g Signature Premium Strawberry Punnet combines shelf appeal with practical design, featuring large viewing windows on both the top and bottom of the pack to allow consumers to inspect the fruit easily. The new packaging also includes ventilation holes to help maximise freshness.
The punnet was developed by Detpak’s Research & Development team at its LaunchPad facility and is made primarily from sturdy, recyclable board.
The board-based material reduces plastic use by 87 per cent compared to traditional containers, while also providing benefits for hand-packing, storage, and transportation. A unique locking mechanism has also been integrated into the design to keep the fruit secure.
Christian Bell, Business Manager at Detpak, said the project reflects a broader shift in the produce industry towards fibre-based alternatives to plastic packaging.
“As our LaunchPad capabilities grow, we’ve also been able to create and further develop fibre-based solutions which outperform the plastic alternative when it comes to shelf life performance,” Mr Bell said.
“Keeping that in mind, we worked with Perfection Fresh to highlight what was really important – their fresh strawberries – and we know consumers instinctively check the bottom of the punnet to see how the fruit looks. So we designed a punnet that shows off the fruit from every angle. It’s an elegant solution that looks great, packs efficiently, and supports the quality of the strawberries from packhouse to shelf.”
The move continues the collaboration between Perfection Fresh and Detpak, which previously resulted in packaging designs such as a grape bag aimed at reducing plastic waste.
Luke Gibson, Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer at Perfection Fresh, said the new punnet reflects consumer preferences and a focus on showcasing premium produce.
“With our new Signature Premium Strawberry Punnets, we can highlight the premium quality of produce inside the packaging, while creating a new standard of messaging through graphics and design that simply cannot be achieved with plastic containers,” Mr Gibson said.
“Our strawberries really are the heroes on the shop shelves, and we can show that we have a premium product that has a new and modern look and feel to it.”
The packaging will be formally launched at Hort Connections, Australia and New Zealand’s largest horticulture conference and trade show, from 4 June, with in-store trials to follow shortly after.
