Tosca targets fresh kitchens, grab-and-go segment with new reusable packaging solution

A new reusable plastic container (RPC) solution optimized for shipping perishables has been launched by Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.-based developer Tosca, according to a 31 August announcement from the firm.

The solution caters to fresh kitchens as well as the quickly expanding grab-and-go prepared foods and in-store meal kits segments. Tosca, which has been innovating reusable supply chain solutions for 60 years, said its Fresh Kitchens RPC is “a new, versatile option for food preparers and retailers” and is “cleaner than competitive plastic container alternatives and more durable than corrugated boxes.”

“Versatile enough for shipping foods and clamshell cases of all sizes, the crate is strong enough to protect from damage and spills, and purpose-built for fast handling and uniform stacking,” Tosca noted in its press release.

Fresh kitchens, facilities where food is prepared and packaged for a variety of providers such as grocery stores, coffee shops, and convenience stores, tend to use RPCs similarly to a shopping cart, Tosca said. They pick and fulfill daily orders, which can include sandwiches, fruit cups, vegetable trays, and more, using RPCs - a main motivator for Tosca in the company's efforts on its latest solution.

“Tosca is already serving leading national grocery retailers and commercial kitchens nationwide, and is committed to the segment’s continued expansion. In 2017, prepared foods surged 139.5 percent over the prior year. Sixty-five percent of U.S. consumers reported eating prepared foods at home that were purchased from a grocery store,” the company said.

Tosca Chief Commercial Officer Jon Kalin said the prepared foods sector would be a focus for the company moving forward.

“This is a high-growth, high-speed grocery segment. Prepared food shipments run daily – and no two are the same. Retailers and food preparers are looking for the same thing: durable containers that arrive extremely clean and on-time,” Kalin said.

The company anticipates its new offering will be readily embraced by the market, especially considering the firm’s robust food safety program consisting of 18 U.S. wash sites managed to ISO 22000 standards.

“Competitor crates that arrive with adhesive labels on them don’t meet cleanliness standards, and corrugated boxes usually arrive damaged from spills and drips,” Kalin said. “Tosca’s Fresh Kitchens RPC arrives cleaner and protects the prepared food items inside.”

Moving forward, Tosca said it will “leveraging its industry-leading North American service network and quickly-growing fresh kitchen relationships” across the United States.

Photo courtesy of Tosca