Carton packaging to reduce plastic in retail units of fresh fruit and vegetables

Ejido Cartón is a family-owned company with more than five decades of experience and is now in its third generation, working exclusively with carton packaging for fresh fruit and vegetables. In a conversation with Postharvest.biz, Serafín Mateo, from Ejido Cartón, sums up the company’s activity as follows: "We are 100% dedicated to manufacturing carton packaging for fruit and vegetables." The company originally worked with wooden packaging and, over time, moved into carton, developing an industrial approach that covers structural and graphic design, manufacturing and assembly of the packs.

From functional packaging to carton as a communication tool

For Serafín, carton is a material that the sector knows well and whose recyclability is "fully proven". The board they use already incorporates a high percentage of recycled fibre at origin, which reinforces its role in their customers’ sustainability strategies.

However, packaging is not limited to its logistical function. "Packaging is a very powerful communication tool," he explains. Carton makes it easy to print all mandatory product information and, at the same time, build a presentation that brings together origin, company image and supermarket requirements. From simple messages such as "Fruit from Spain" to more elaborate photographic designs, carton packaging becomes an affordable marketing tool for the grower and clearly visible for the consumer.

Reducing plastic and strengthening food safety

One of the key points in the conversation with Ejido Cartón is plastic reduction. "Reducing plastic is a must for the whole consumer economy," says Serafín. In his view, when plastic is used only to create a retail unit, for example to group one kilo of fruit, carton can take over that role in a more sustainable way while maintaining product protection.

Sustainability is supported by certifications that demonstrate responsible sourcing of raw materials and process control. The company works with schemes such as FSC, which guarantees responsible forest management, and with ISO standards. In the field of food-contact packaging, the BRC Packaging certification stands out. "BRC Packaging is designed above all for food safety," he notes, which means controlling and auditing the entire supply chain to provide the manufactured product with the highest guarantees.

This approach extends to the debate at the point of sale between loose produce and pre-packed product. If investment has been made throughout the chain in traceability and safety, retail units in carton help maintain that protection and communicate it all the way to the end consumer, reducing risks associated with direct handling of fresh produce on the shelf and, in turn, minimising food waste by reducing losses.

Retail units and tailor-made design for the customer

While Ejido Cartón manufactures standard packing formats such as 60x40 or 40x30, the differentiating value of its market offering lies in retail unit formats, for packs ranging from 100 g up to 2 kg.

The producer or marketer defines which product is to be sold, what positioning is desired, whether basic or premium, and which retail unit has been selected. Based on this information, the Ejido Cartón team makes proposals for structural pack design, optimisation for secondary packaging and logistics costs. It also recommends materials and provides options for the most cost-efficient finish level for each project, from simple proposals to high-quality photographic finishes.

For packs intended for a shorter life cycle, lighter quality specifications can be used, whereas for overseas products or projects with higher logistical demands and a risk of condensation, more robust solutions are required. In every case, the goal is to create value through packaging and ensure the pack accompanies the product all the way to the end consumer, reinforcing the value of the fruit and providing a functional alternative for retail units without compromising food safety or brand image.

Photo caption: Serafín Mateo, from Ejido Cartón, during his visit to Fruit Logistica 2025.

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