Sprouts Farmers Market expands partnership with IFCO

Significant advancements have been made in the ongoing partnership between Sprouts Farmers Market and IFCO.

The partnership started in December 2020 with a pilot program at Sprouts, focusing on the use of RPCs for fresh produce items packed in high-humidity environments, according to a news release.

The collaboration underscores both companies’ commitment to sustainability and innovation in supply chain logistics, the release said.

The aim of the partnership was to assess the feasibility of replacing single-use corrugated and especially wax-corrugated boxes, which are difficult to recycle and expensive to dispose of.

The pilot targeted recollections and the adaptability of Sprouts distribution centers and retail outlets to a new packaging solution. A successful trial indicated positive environmental impacts and operational efficiencies resulting in a nationwide expansion including all distribution centers and converting additional fresh produce items packing into RPCs, the release said.

Having expanded the trial to all Sprouts distribution centers across the U.S., Sprouts will continue to monitor quality, store team receptivity, and environmental impact.

This strategic shift is set to drastically reduce landfill waste by eliminating the use of single-use shipping packaging. The expanded use of RPCs is expected to cut thousands of tons of packaging waste annually, the release said. Furthermore, the durable design of IFCO’s RPCs minimizes product damage during transport, thereby decreasing food waste and enhancing overall efficiency.

Over the next 12 months, the use of IFCO RPCs is expected to reduce 105,000 pounds of food waste, 600,000 pounds of solid waste and save 2.4 million gallons of water saved, according to the release.