Produce Marketing Assn. recognizes five companies for produce, floral packaging innovation at its Impact Awards, judged on marketing, food safety, supply chain efficiency, sustainability

Kendall Sinclair

ATLANTA , October 15, 2011 (press release) – Five companies were named as the produce industry's best packaging innovators by the Produce Marketing Association (PMA), receiving the association's fifth annual PMA Impact Award: Excellence in Packaging.

The winners were announced by Mike O'Brien, vice president of produce and floral at Schnuck Markets, Inc. at Saturday's general session during PMA's 2011 Fresh Summit International Convention & Exposition in Atlanta, Ga., USA. The award recognizes companies that lead the way with exceptional produce and floral packaging, and demonstrate originality.

The packaging entries were judged on a set of five criteria with 28 finalists selected for final judging. Submissions earned points for excellence were marketing, food safety, supply chain efficiency/functionality, sustainability and, new this year, consumer convenience.

The 2011 Impact Award winners were:

-- Apio & Clear Lam Packaging for their joint submission, "New Peel/Reseal Apio Squash Package"

-- Hollandia Produce, for their "Live Gourmet Living Lettuce Squircle Clamshell & Shipping Container"

-- Monterey Mushrooms, for their "Sustainable Mushroom Packaging"

-- Naturipe Farms, for their "Berry Quick Snacks"

-- Ocean Mist Farms, for their "Season & Steam Microwavable Artichoke Pack"

"PMA founded its Impact Award program in recognition of the important role packaging plays in connecting with consumers, enhancing food safety, sustaining the environment, and improving supply chain efficiencies," said Bryan Silbermann, President and CEO, Produce Marketing Association. "We're pleased to highlight those who have demonstrated such innovative thinking."

The award program is designed to help promote excellence in produce or floral packaging. In total, PMA received 53 entries this year from which the 28 finalists were selected to be reviewed by a panel of expert judges who chose the winners.

The judges, from a diverse range of industry experience, were: Bridget Bennett, category manager/produce for the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCa); Kip Martin, produce and floral supervisor for Raley's Family of Fine Stores; Ron McCormick, senior director of local and sustainable sourcing for WalMart; Pamela Riemenschneider, editor of Produce Retailer magazine and retail editor of The Packer and Dr. Bob Whitaker, PMA's chief science & technology officer.

For more information about the Impact Award: Excellence in Produce Packaging, visit http://www.pma.com/resources/awards/packaging-impact-award .


About Produce Marketing Association (PMA)

Produce Marketing Association is the leading trade association representing companies from every segment of the global produce and floral supply chain. PMA helps members grow by providing business solutions that expand business opportunities and increase sales and consumption. For more information, visit www.pma.com .

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