Challenge: Sustainability is in the DNA of Greenswell Growers, from its unique automated growing system to its light footprint shipping methods. Greenswell Growers sought out JBT’s Proseal to address the next step in its sustainability journey: reducing food waste and the industry’s overreliance on plastic packaging.

Solution: JBT’s Proseal installed an automated system that seals the final product with a unique film seal, rather than relying on plastic packaging.

Results: Greenswell Growers uses 40% less plastic compared to similar brands, and for every million packs produced, they save over 43,000 pounds of plastic.

Challenge: Reducing food waste and reliance on plastic.

More than half of consumers in the United States are highly concerned about the environmental impact of packaging, and sustainable alternatives have become something consumers - especially the next generation - expect and demand.

For Greenswell Growers, an innovative large-scale indoor growing facility providing delicious, safe, and healthy greens that give back to the community, commitment to sustainability is more than words; it’s action steps that we all share. The local start-up sought to take its commitment one step further by finding a packaging solution that simultaneously used less plastic while also keeping its leafy greens fresh, for longer. Proseal, part of the JBT Corporation family, designs and manufactures high quality tray sealing machines, case packers, conveyor systems and sealing tools for food industry markets worldwide. With Proseal, Greenswell Growers found a partner that streamlined and automated its packaging process with a scalable solution for peel and reseal packaging that is fresh and sustainable by design.

Solution: Automated packaging as sleek as it is sustainable.

Many food and beverage companies are taking note of heightened consumer and environmental demand and aligning their strategies by adopting more sustainable packaging. JBT’s tray sealing specialist, Proseal, has emerged at the forefront of this movement by supporting its customers’ commitments with solutions that help reduce plastic packaging. Greenswell Growers and Proseal partnered in 2019 to find a packaging solution that reduced the amount of plastic they were putting into the market and overall food waste.

Greenswell Growers utilized Proseal’s tray sealing technology with a peel and reseal film that is designed with micro-perforations to keep its greens fresher for much longer than other brands. The patented seal also uses minimal plastic, eliminating the waste generated by clip-on lids and reducing overall emissions in transport.

“Given the bespoke nature of our toolsets, it was great to work with Greenswell Growers to create a fully custom package that included numerous benefits outside of just an average top seal,” said Thomas Reimann, Produce Category Sales Manager, Proseal. “Peel and reseal film, along with micro-perforations and fully printed graphics allowed for us to be creative and develop a presentation that not only extends shelf life and preserves freshness but provides an attractive appearance on the retail shelf as well.”

As a startup with a new facility, Greenswell Growers worked with Proseal to implement a solution that helped fully automate their packaging process. Proseal was able to deliver the customizable technology at an entry level position, so that the customer could determine what they wanted and needed as a business, with the ability to scale for future growth.  

"We find so much value partnering with companies that share a similar ethos in sustainability like Greenswell Growers. This close collaboration is not only an investment in a sustainable future, but also a testament to our commitment to building strong, long-lasting relationships with all our customers,” said Evan Jones, Commercial Director, JBT Proseal.

Results: Fresh food, healthier planet.

As a dedicated partner, JBT’s Proseal brings a highly skilled team of experts that trains, supports, and provides feedback to customers throughout the partnership.

“Integration and establishing a trusted partnership is key, ” Kevin Barrett, Packaging Coordinator, Greenswell Growers. “The Proseal team is always prompt with their feedback and we never have to wait too long for an answer. They are always trying to fix things and find solutions, providing helpful data and feedback to help us know what is happening both upstream and downstream in our operation. Proseal is kind of like the spine of the packaging line.”

Proseal's equipment with nitrogen flush [SO1] [KB2] accomplished Greenswell Growers’ goal of extending shelf life while reducing food waste and the amount of plastic entering the market. The company uses 20-30 tons less plastic per year[3] [KB4]  with top seal technology.

“We invested in Proseal technology as a young brand because we wanted to offer market leading shelf life and to present our products on shelf to the best of our capabilities,” said Carl Gupton, President, Greenswell Growers.

Today, Proseal’s advanced technology is trusted by global food organizations packaging at significantly high volumes, extending shelf life and helping retailers deliver food in the freshest state possible to the consumer. Compared to using a plastic clamshell, the efficient form-factor of the top-sealed trays run through Proseal equipment use 42% less plastic while saving on space and hassle in transportation and storage. For every 1 million trays sealed with Proseal equipment, up to 10 tons of plastic is saved. And of JBT’s total revenue from products and services with beneficial environmental impact, 16% of that revenue is attributed to equipment that addresses packaging waste reduction.