Lipman Family Farms invests in organics, sustainable packaging
New green initiatives at Lipman Family Farms have grown to fruition.
Lipman started getting into organics about 10 years ago. It doubled down five years ago, reinvesting and starting a separate brand for its organic produce. And now, the company is introducing packaging for its organic produce that is fully compostable.
Lipman’s products in September made the rounds at several trade shows including Southern Innovations and the Organic Produce Summit.
“Grown True products are USDA-certified organic and harvested from exclusively organic acreage,” said Sarah Miller, general manager for Lipman in Livermore, California.
“Our current Grown True fields and distribution model include varieties of tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, eggplants, mini sweet peppers, squash and zucchini.”
Miller was hired by Lipman 20 years ago to answer the phones and held roles in the administration and sales before becoming general manager. The company has always shown a desire to improve and do more for consumers. One example of that drive to innovate is a branded tomato it exclusively offers.
“The Crimson, another brand offered exclusively by Lipman, stemmed from our R&D department’s testing of a tomato with optimal nutrients, color, and flavor at the peak of season,” Miller said. “We are continuously working to improve our varieties both in the fields and the greenhouses to meet consumer demand.”
From the company’s perspective, it was a “no-brainer” to jump into supplying and providing organic produce 10 years ago.
“We have several different growers we are partnered with throughout the continent to create depth of supply that our customers can count on day in and day out,” Miller said. “We have found real value in building relationships and strong partnerships with our organic growers. We provide resources at every level of the supply chain to ensure a quality product that is safe for our consumers. Our advanced food safety practices and quality control methods are shared to provide security for our growing partners and reliability to our customers.”
The expanded packaging line was designed for organic grape tomatoes, mini cucumbers, green beans and mini sweet peppers under Lipman’s Grown True organic line, according to a news release from the company. The packaging meets the growing consumer demand for environmentally friendly products and sourcing.
The packaging, which can be composted entirely in the consumer’s garden, is meant to add to the product’s shelf appeal.
“When they have the choice to select packaging with zero plastic that leaves no trace, they can feel good about their decision,” Miller said.
The compostable packaging is shelf-ready with a clamshell design that ensures ease in stacking and increased efficiencies in the retail space while offering consumers a fully at-home compostable solution, according to the news release. Each pack features a QR code that outlines the step-by-step process of how to compost, making it easier than ever for consumers to reduce their environmental footprint in their backyards.
Innovation at Lipman Family Farms will continue.
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“We continue to listen to the end- user to understand purchasing trends and the continuously evolving desire for nutritious and sustainable options,” Miller said. “Our goal is to continuously decrease our footprint at every level of the supply chain, from the fields to the consumer.”
Stephen Kloosterman is the managing editor of Organic Grower, a sister publication of Produce Processing.
