Companies honored by PMA for packaging contributions

Seventy-one submissions from 57 companies vied for five 2015 Produce Marketing Association (PMA) Impact Awards: Excellence in Packaging.

Winners of the 2015 Impact Award announced at the Friday general session of PMA Fresh Summit in Atlanta were:

• Botanical Food Company/Gourmet Garden, for their Gourmet Garden Lightly Dried Herbs & Spices
• Mann Packing, for their Culinary Cuts
• Mucci Farms, for their Hot Shots Mixed Hot Peppers Re-sealable Tray with Cardboard Pocket Sleeve
• Naturipe Farms, for their “On-the-Go” Fresh Blueberry Blends
• Ocean Mist Farms, for their Season & Steam Kalettes

A panel of judges looked for products that lead as examples in produce and floral packaging, demonstrating originality with emphasis on connecting with consumers, safeguarding the product inside, sustaining the environment and improving supply chain efficiencies. Judges scored each entry in five areas: marketing, food safety, supply chain efficiency, sustainability excellence and consumer convenience excellence.