PACKAGING Tray overwrappers, along with flow wrappers and tray sealers, excel in maintaining strict sanitation standards for extended shelf life. Photos courtesy of Ossid. OEMs meeting changing consumer needs with variety By Robert McLaughlin Contributing Writer W ith a variety of colors, shapes and sizes, the produce aisle presents some of the most plentiful offerings found at the grocery store. A critical component to keeping fruits and vegetables fresh and ready for sale and making them appealing to consumers is packaging. To accommodate the many packaging styles popular with produce, food manufacturers need flexibility in their packaging machinery. The ability for an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to deliver a multitude of packaging solutions to meet the needs of produce 22 JULY/AUGUST 2 0 24 manufacturers today and into the future is a great value that should not be overlooked. Here are a few points to consider for your next produce packaging line. PLETHORA OF PACKAGING OPTIONS Most produce manufacturers handle multiple SKUs, but even producers specializing in a single variety will often run multiple package types to fit different quantities of sliced or whole products. Much of this demand is driven by