Kiwifruit exporter Zespri claims a world first by soon having all its products with home-compostable labels. This development addresses a challenge the industry has faced for over a decade. Zespri executive Tim Mackle noted that this year, the majority of its fruit will feature these labels.
By the next season, all fruit grown in New Zealand or offshore will have stickers that decompose within a year in a compost bin. Mackle stated that while other fruit companies use home-compostable labels, they are not utilized in all markets.
The labels, developed with Sinclair, were launched last October, but the transition from plastic labels has been gradual. Mackle explained, "There are three components to a label... the ink on top, the face top, which is the actual label itself, and then you've got the adhesive that helps it stick to the fruit. All three layers all need to be home compostable."
Challenges include attaching labels to hairy surfaces, particularly with green kiwifruit, and ensuring durability in cool stores and market environments. The label composition remains commercially confidential, but all compounds decompose and meet global certification standards.
Mackle highlighted, "There are some countries around the world, particularly in Europe (France and Belgium), that do mandate them now, and in fact, New Zealand is one of those. For all fruit intended for the local market, it does need to be home compostable."
Source: RNZ