Zespri will us the first fully compostable labels for kiwifruit

Zespri will introduce the world's first and only fully compostable fruit labels on all Zespri Organic Kiwifruit next season.

Zespri has worked closely with US-based label manufacturer Sinclair Systems for the past four years to overcome the significant technical challenges involved.

"Making a premium Zespri brand label stick to hairy kiwifruit skin, hold together under the high humidity and cold temperatures in storage, and then break down reasonably quickly when thrown out with the fruit skin - it was a big challenge. But we've done it.

"The large-scale label trial we ran this year showed the compostable labels could be applied at speed in the packhouse and performed well through the supply chain to the retailers around the world which stock our fruit," says Mr Arrowsmith.

Manufacturer Sinclair tested the degradability of the labels to international ASTM standards (American Society for Testing and Materials) and found they degraded within 22 weeks with less than ten percent of the original dry matter remaining - well within the agreed specifications, with home compost trials to follow. The labels meet all relevant food safety regulations for direct food contact in the markets in which Zespri operates.

Zespri's standard labels are made of polyethylene and - like all Zespri packaging materials - are 100 percent recyclable.

source : bay of plenty times, channel 9