Last updated on November 15th, 2022
Brooklyn, New York-based Upward Farms, has unveiled a resealable packaging design for its line of USDA-certified organic microgreens.
Upward Farms’ new resealable packaging is available at Whole Foods Market locations across New York and New Jersey, as well as DeCicco’s & Sons, Westside Market, Union Market, Foodtown, Morton Williams, D’Agostino’s and Gristedes.
It provides a sustainable offering for consumers, compared to the average greens clamshell model, driving a 38 percent reduction of plastic, and is made with post-consumer recycled content.
Upward Farms combines modern vertical farming with the regenerative farming practice of aquaponics to produce ready-to-eat USDA certified organic microgreen mixes and sustainably raised fish free from mercury, antibiotics or added hormones.
Functionality and the consumer experience are featured in Upward Farms’ new packaging, with sealed plastic trays that are stackable and easier to open and close than traditional clamshells. The open and close technology allows for an extended shelf life for the microgreens.
“Continuously reducing Upward Farms’ carbon footprint is a top priority for us, and our new packaging marks a milestone in that journey,” said Jason Green, CEO and co-founder. “Upward Farms’ new packaging is made using post-consumer recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate, one of the truly recyclable plastics.”
According to the company, the refreshed package label has increased the surface area, allowing greater communication of Upward Farms’ certifications including its USDA organic certification, New York State Grown and Certified, KOF-K Kosher certification, washed and ready-to-eat and pesticide free. Upward Farms is the largest indoor vertical leafy greens farm to be USDA certified organic.
“When designing the new packaging, we envisioned ourselves as the consumer and chose to focus on two things: clearer communication and making Upward Farms easy to identify among other packaged salads and microgreens,” said Eric Greifenberger, VP of marketing and sales.
“Implementing this resealable technology has allowed us to add value for our consumers by delivering more sustainable, effective packaging. Functionality is extremely important to us and our consumers, and through rigorous testing we have designed a solution that is easily resealable, holds up to stacking in consumers’ fridges, and locks in freshness.”
Since 2013, Upward Farms has raised more than $154 million to support its growth ambitions and fund expansion efforts into the Northeast. One of the funding investments was to create the world’s largest organic indoor vertical farm in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, named Regional Farm One, which is anticipated to be operational in 2023.
To learn more about the company, visit upwardfarms.com.
