Smurfit Kappa, a new Mango packaging solution for USA and Mexico.

The challenge for the mango producers’ in Mexico and the United States was to find a paper-based packaging solution that allowed more units to be packed and assembled while ensuring resistance, ventilation, pallet stability, food safety and brand differentiation at the point of purchase.

The industry´s growth depends on packaging, so a task force which included growers, handlers, shippers, retailers and Smurfit Kappa was organized in order to develop an optimal packaging solution for the entire sector.

“We are very excited about this new packaging because it will benefit everybody in the mango industry”, said Manuel Michel, Executive Director of The National Mango Board.

Mangoes are one of the fastest-growing fruit segments in Mexico and the United States, where each year more than one billion pounds of mangoes are handled from farm to retail. Therefore, it is key to ensure that all the effort that goes into growing premium mangoes is not wasted throughout in the distribution system. The team also considered the importance of the branding that paper based packaging can allow.

“We know that 75% of consumer´s decisions are made at the point of purchase. So attracting and inspiring buyers through colorful images and disruptive designs is fundamental, and it ensures a better brand positioning’’, says Luis Cristerna, Sales Manager at Smurfit Kappa. “We contributed with our expertise in sustainability and innovation and helped to develop the ideal packaging which complies with all of the challenges of the project”.

The new packaging was launched by The National Mango Board with the Amazon Produce Network, C&C Produce, Cal Poly College and Smurfit Kappa, among others. The event took place at the PMA Fresh Summit 2019, the largest agricultural sector expo in The Americas, in Anaheim (California, USA)

About Smurfit Kappa

Smurfit Kappa, a FTSE 100 company, is one of the leading providers of paper-based packaging solutions in the world, with approximately 46,000 employees in over 350 production sites across 35 countries and with revenue of €8.9 billion in 2018. They are located in 23 countries in Europe, and 12 in the Americas. They are the only large-scale pan-regional player in Latin America.