Riverford and Parkside partner to launch recyclable potato paper bag

Parkside has partnered with organic vegetable delivery company Riverford to launch a new curbside recyclable eco-friendly bag that is made using a vertical form fill seal (VFFS) process with a paper-based core material combined with an advanced water-based coating.

The two companies say their new eco-friendly bag has been specially designed to provide excellent durability, high tensile strength (not easy to stretch and deform), and excellent tear and burst resistance, making it ideal for efficient supply chain circulation.

A major feature of the packaging is its printed design that can imitate the appearance of kraft paper. Parkside's flexo printing and platemaking technology (reprographics) can achieve full-format printing, allowing Riverford to combine natural and rustic visual effects with a clean print texture that is comparable to laminated materials.

Parkside claims that its packaging solution combines durability, recyclability and operational efficiency, making it uniquely positioned in the field of high-strength packaging applications.

The switch from pre-made 100gsm paper bags to 90gsm paper compatible with the Vertical Form Fill Seal (VFFS) process has resulted in a reduction in material usage, which is part of Riverford's wider goal to reduce resource consumption in its operations.

Riverford also believes that this material has improved the performance of its packaging lines, increasing packaging speeds from 25 to around 35 bags per minute, with the goal of further optimizing higher operational efficiency and reduced energy consumption.

Staci Bye, Sales Account Manager at Parkside, said: "We are very proud to be able to help Riverford advance its sustainability goals. Our technology provides a truly circular packaging solution that retains the rustic, natural look Riverford customers love, while meeting the performance and recyclability requirements of a modern supply chain."

Matt Mountfield, Head of Procurement at Riverford, added: "Working with Parkside has been seamless from start to finish. Their technical expertise and innovative approach enabled us to develop a new paper-based design for our root vegetable packaging that is perfectly suited to the automated bag-form-fill process. The final result not only achieved 100% of the sustainable development goals, but also improved operational efficiency and ensured the high quality standards that customers expect."