Stemilt Growers wins IFPA sustainable packaging award

Stemilt Growers BB #:113654 has won the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) Global Produce & Floral Show ‘Best Sustainable Packaging’ award in collaboration with Sinclair. The award-winning PLU label was featured in the IFPA GPFS product showcase and on the Sinclair booth.

The award recognizes Stemilt Growers’ adoption of and transition to Sinclair T55, a certified compostable PLU label, across select apple programs. The achievement demonstrates how practical innovations can reduce packaging waste while maintaining the label-application performance expected by growers and retailers.

For decades, PLU labels have played an important role in produce identification and traceability. However, conventional fruit labels can create contamination challenges in commercial composting systems. Sinclair’s T55 compostable PLU label was developed to address this issue and offers a certified compostable alternative designed to break down alongside organic waste at the end of its life.

Stemilt Growers’ transition to T55 is another step in the company’s broader sustainability journey. By introducing compostable labels on select apple varieties, Stemilt is helping advance a packaging solution that supports both environmental goals and operational requirements.

“Winning the Best Sustainable Packaging Award is a proud moment for our team. The adoption of compostable fruit labels demonstrates how meaningful changes, even on a small item like a produce label, can contribute to larger sustainability goals when implemented at scale.” –Brianna Shales, Marketing Director, Stemilt Growers

For Sinclair, the award underpins years of focused development to create a certified compostable labelling solution that integrates seamlessly into existing packing operations.

“We are delighted to support Stemilt Growers’ packaging sustainability goals with Sinclair T55. This is a significant moment in North America, and we will continue working with the Stemilt team to demonstrate to our industry and shoppers the benefits of adopting a proven, minimal-packaging solution.” –Duncan Jones, Senior Marketing Manager, Sinclair

About Stemilt Growers

Stemilt Growers is a family-owned grower, packer and shipper of tree fruit. Owned and operated by the Mathison family, Stemilt’s mission is to cultivate people and delight consumers with its World Famous Fruits. Stemilt is a leader in sweet cherries and organic tree fruits, and a key supplier of apples and pears. Through its Responsible Choice® program, established in 1989, the company stewards an environmentally sustainable and socially responsible business. stemilt.com

About Sinclair

Established in 1982, Sinclair provides fully managed fruit and vegetable labelling solutions in more than 40 countries, delivering labels, machines and service. Sinclair’s certified compostable food-safe labels are applied using automated high-speed labelling systems engineered for packinghouse efficiency, helping growers and retailers meet sustainability and compliance goals while supporting brand visibility and consumer engagement. sinclair-intl.com