Challenge

A major grocery retailer and industry-leading Reusable Plastic Container (RPC) company was looking for an identification solution for their RPCs used in packaging and transporting produce. They came to DRG to assist in developing that solution.

The problem was that the current identification practice for RPCs was a “card” that was placed in plastic tines on the RPC. The cards were easily lost in the workflows as products moved from field to cooler to the distribution centers and eventually to the individual stores. It was not uncommon for loss rates to exceed 50%. This became a major problem with the passage of “COOL” (country of origin labeling) requirements.

Solution

The solution required an adhesive label (FDA-approved for indirect food contact) that could be:

  • applied easily
  • Stay on through the various workflows including aggressive hydro-cooling operations
  • Remove easily and cleanly, leaving no adhesive residue on the RPC, so they could be recycled at the wash centers

DRG developed a label that accomplished all of the functional requirements with realized retention rates over 95%. This became even more critical as the produce industry adopted a produce traceability initiative (PTI). The PTI required the RPC to be traceable one back/one forward throughout the supply chain.

DRG worked closely with the RPC companies and their customers to implement the new label program, assisting the produce companies to adopt best application practices to optimize retention. DRG also created fulfillment programs to respond quickly to the produce companies ever changing schedules and demand. Our fulfillment and technical support spans all of the North American markets and today supports well over 250 customers, both large and small.

Today, DRG is the primary source for RPC label solutions and the only company approved by all the major retailers.