What caused these kits to grow, and how to make them better!

2020 was a year of change: from working in the office to working from home, wearing masks when going to the store, and restaurants only being accessible via drive thru or delivery. 2020 also saw many new trends arise, including the famous whipped coffee from Tik Tok, Tiger King on Netflix, and trying new recipes at home since restaurants were closed. As people were trying to cook healthy while being home, there was an increase in prepackaged salad kits, which saw a 33% increase in sales during the beginning of lockdown in March 2020 [1]. While the sales eventually slowed down, sales still saw a growth of 10-12% in the following months, which was much higher than pre-pandemic [1]. The many different flavors and variety make these salad kits even more appealing to consumers on top of their convenience [1]. Many people enjoy the different varieties of these salad kits, with so many different options and different ingredients there is definitely options for both picky and adventurous eaters [2]. The creativity of these salads, many believe, has led to an increase in their popularity, and could lead to their increase in popularity in the future [2]. Experts believe that the market for these fresh options will not slow down, with a predicted compound annual growth rate of 7.99% and the industry reaching $21626.85 million by 2027 [3]. 

Though prepackaged salad kits are healthy for humans, they may not be so healthy for the environment. Many prepackaged salad kits come in flexible bags, and each ingredient and dressing come in flimsy pouches. What’s the issue with this? Those kinds of plastic cannot be recycled or are not as widely recycled as other kinds of plastic. As the market continues to grow, this could cause an issue as states are banning these kinds of plastics and people want to purchase more sustainably, which would hurt the market. 

So what would the solution to this problem be? Prepackaged salad kit companies should look to switch to recyclable packaging options, such as packaging made with PET (the most widely recycled plastic), especially as the market continues to grow and new regulations on plastic packaging come out. At Placon, we offer plenty of options that are just as effective as the flexible packaging but are a much more sustainable choice. In 2022, we released our Tamper-Evident Salad Bowls, which include a tamper-evidence feature to ensure product protection for these salad kits. These salad bowls can also come with an insert to separate ingredients, which can also be recycled with the bowl. The bowls and inserts are also made with recycled material, which is another advantage over the flexible packaging. By switching to a sustainable option such as our salad bowls, the market can continue to grow with less worry of environmental concerns.

[1] Packaged salads boom as consumers eat at home | The Packer

[2] Reinventing Packaged Salads – Produce Business

[3] Packaged Salad Market: The Growing Trend 2027 – MarketWatch

ABOUT PLACON
For 55 years, Placon has been a leading designer and manufacturer of custom and stock plastic packaging for the food, medical, and retail markets. Placon has manufacturing operations in Madison, WI; Elkhart, IN; Plymouth, MN; and West Springfield, MA, and currently ranked in Plastics News 2020 Thermoformers Ranking Top 20. Placon delivers packaging breakthroughs that inspire better engagement between people and products with industry leading innovation and award-winning packaging designs. For more information, visit www.placon.com.