Mitolo Family Farms Develops Sustainable Paper Packaging for Fresh Potatoes

To produce what is thought to be Australia's first curbside recyclable paper bag for fresh potatoes, Mitolo Family Farms joined forces with Coles, an Australian supermarket chain, and Detpak, a global developer in sustainable packaging solutions.

Premium Gourmandine potatoes from Mitolo Family Farms will be sold in new paper bags thanks to packaging innovation, which will result in a 64% reduction in plastic usage. The company previously halved its use of plastic packaging in 2022 by lowering the thickness of the plastic used to package potatoes. The new Gourmandine paper packaging builds on its earlier sustainable initiatives.

The packaging innovation is the culmination of more than three years of meticulous development, and it is hoped that it will influence the packaging of other fresh produce goods so that consumers may easily support recycling initiatives.

“This bag may sound like a simple solution, but it has taken immense work to ensure there is absolutely no compromise to the quality of the potatoes while allowing us to achieve the sustainability outcome we were seeking. We had to consider everything from lux lighting levels in the supermarket to breathing holes that don’t tear, new sealing solutions, bag strength, and more. We know Australian consumers are increasingly looking for sustainable supply chains for the products they purchase, and we’re proud to be leading the way and partnering with Coles for a product that so many families love to cook and share,” Frank Mitolo, Mitolo Family Farms Managing Director, mentioned, cited by Packaging Strategies.

According to Tom Lunn, Manager of Innovation and Sustainability at the Detmold Group, Detpak used patented technologies to offer efficiency and sustainability results for Mitolo Family Farms, Coles, and the final customer.

“We’re very pleased to have been able to draw on our in-house development capabilities to assist Mitolo Family Farms with their desire to transition their Gourmandine product away from plastic packaging. Consumers are becoming more and more conscious of making responsible choices when it comes to choosing which brands to buy from, and packaging plays a significant part in those decisions,” Lunn added.

Only Coles shops carry the Gourmandine potatoes from Mitolo Family Farm. The novel paper packaging solution for the Gourmandine line was developed in collaboration with Mitolo Family Farms, according to Tim Nitschke, Cole's Business Category Manager for Vegetables.

“Coles has partnered with the Mitolo family for over 25 years and we are pleased to work closely with them to develop this innovative paper packaging solution for the Gourmandine range available exclusively at Coles. We are always looking for ways to reduce unnecessary and problematic plastic packaging in our stores, as well as reduce food waste, and this innovative new paper bag helps to achieve these sustainability ambitions,” Nitschke summed up.