Meadow Mushrooms is rolling out new premium packs for its grocery range that provide greater protection for the mushrooms as well as being more sustainable.
The new 200g and 400g eco punnets are made from 100% rPET plastic that are recyclable in New Zealand via kerbside recycling. The peelable lid of the smaller SKUs and flow-wrap of the larger SKUs are both recyclable via soft plastic recycling at participating stores.
The more robust and protective packaging format replaces the old 200g cardboard trays that were wrapped in cling film and the 400g bags, ensuring greater product quality for the mushrooms. The freshness protection also means there is less food waste.
“We have been trialing our new packaging format over the past two years and well as carrying out a full life cycle assessment of all potential options,” says Meadow Mushrooms CEO Todd Grave.
“We are proud that the new format we have landed on delivers a 20% lower carbon emission profile and better circularity than all alternatives we looked at, including the old cardboard trays. No longer using the trays means we no longer need to use cling film, which complies with the PVC film ban coming into place next year.”
The new packs have the added benefit of better in-store presentation, which is important for grocery retailers.
Trials of the new packaging took place in 2022 and 2023 and with successful results, the new formats are now rolling out in stores nationwide.
Meadow Mushrooms is a family-owned business which has proudly grown mushrooms for more than 50 years. Specialist growers, harvesters and packers work year-round to produce the freshest, highest quality mushrooms from its vertical farming system based in Christchurch’s Hornby and second location in Dunsandel.
Sustainably farmed, and with a 5-star health rating, Meadow Mushrooms are naturally packed full of B vitamins and selenium to help boost immunity and energy, as well as support growth and brain function.
Quick and easy to add taste and texture to a range of dishes, mushrooms are also a value-for-money option to make meals go further or as an alternative to meat.
“We’re feeling really excited about bringing a higher level of quality and a higher level of sustainability to our consumers and for Kiwis to continue to enjoy all the wonderful benefits of our mushrooms,” says Grave.