Wholesum launches moisture-management packaging for cucumbers

New packaging solution helps address condensation, extend quality, and bring more freshness and joy to the consumer experience.

Amado, AZ – October 6, 2026 – Wholesum BB #:135847 is taking a fresh approach to one of the snacking cucumber category’s most frustrating quality challenges: condensation.

As demand for convenient, healthy snacking options continues to grow, Wholesum is helping retailers deliver a better organic cucumber experience with a freshness solution designed to address one of the challenges that can compromise quality and presentation along the supply chain.

The innovation lies in the packaging.

In partnership with StePacPPC, Wholesum has introduced its organic snacking cucumber assortment in new advanced moisture-management and modified-humidity bags designed to absorb excess condensation.

The new Xgo PAZ pouch helps maintain optimal product conditions despite the temperature and environmental fluctuations that can occur throughout the supply chain. The packaging innovation was designed for organic mini cucumbers and organic baby (2-bite) cucumbers.

A Difference You Can See

Freshness starts with what consumers see. Consumers shop with their eyes, and visual freshness often shapes first impressions long before a product is tasted. For consumers, the experience is familiar. Open a package of cucumbers and you may find cucumbers that feel wet with excess condensation. Even when the product remains perfectly edible, that first impression can make a consumer think twice about purchasing and eating it.

By helping manage moisture inside the package, Wholesum’s new bags maintain a cleaner, clearer presentation that better showcases the cucumbers consumers came to buy. The result is a noticeably fresher first impression, allowing the product to remain the hero. Cucumbers retain the crisp, vibrant appearance consumers expect, without the moisture-heavy look that can develop in traditional packaging.

“A cucumber that looks crisp and fresh invites you to reach in and grab it. For snacking cucumbers in particular, where convenience and immediate consumption are central to the product experience, that difference is especially important,” states Ricardo Crisantes, Chief Commercial Officer of Wholesum.

Supported Through Extensive Testing

Before expanding the solution commercially, Wholesum conducted extensive testing comparing the new packaging format with existing cucumber packaging options. Multiple pack types were evaluated under postharvest conditions designed to simulate temperature and environmental challenges commonly encountered throughout the supply chain.

Results demonstrated improved quality retention, reduced visible deterioration, and lower moisture accumulation across both mini and baby cucumber formats when compared with conventional packaging alternatives. Testing showed stronger quality performance at the end of 16-day shelf-life evaluations, along with reductions in issues such as excess moisture, decay, and mold development. The results demonstrate the value of addressing condensation as part of the overall cucumber experience, helping support product presentation, quality retention, and stronger shelf performance.

Retail Experience

The new packaging launched through a pilot program with Sprouts Farmers Market during Spring 2026, making Sprouts one of the first retailers to test this new approach in stores. As an early partner in the initiative, Sprouts recognized the opportunity to improve the cucumber shopping experience by addressing a longstanding challenge within the category.

Early real world performance has shown improved sell-through alongside reduced product loss associated with deterioration. This is particularly important as food waste remains one of the biggest challenges facing the produce industry, and shelf-life limitations are a significant contributor. When fresh produce deteriorates before reaching consumers, the resources invested in growing, packing, transporting, and merchandising that food are lost.

Available Now in Wholesum’s Organic Cucumber Portfolio

Wholesum’s organic snacking cucumber assortment is now available in pouches featuring StePacPPC’s Xgo™ PAZ moisture-management packaging technology, including:

• Wholesum Organic Mini Cucumbers in a 1 lb package
• Lil’ Ones Organic Baby Cucumbers in a 8 oz package

Both formats deliver the convenience consumers expect from snack-sized cucumbers while helping maintain quality and freshness. Lil’ Ones Organic Baby Cucumbers take that convenience one step further with an exceptionally small, seedless, two-bite format that is easy to grab, pack, dip, and enjoy.

“Bringing more joy to the cucumber set starts with solving the challenges that stand in the way of a better experience. Moisture-management packaging is another step in our ongoing effort to nourish a healthy world through healthy, flavorful organic produce,” states Crisantes. “By reducing condensation, we can help cucumbers look fresher, stay attractive longer, and deliver the quality consumers expect every time they open the bag.”

“The PAZ pouch was developed to solve moisture control challenges associated with sensitive produce like cucumbers. It has been a pleasure working side by side with the Wholesum team to bring this to market and to see how it preserves quality, enhances the consumer experience, and sets their brand apart on the shelf,” said Daniel Peña, Sales Manager Mexico at StePacPPC.

Wholesum will feature their snacking cucumber assortment in its innovative packaging at the Global Produce and Floral Show 2026 in Orlando at booth #1791.

About Wholesum:

Wholesum is a third-generation family farming operation based in Southern Arizona and a grower-shipper of Fair Trade Certified, 100% organic produce. With over 90 years of farming experience, Wholesum is dedicated to creating a more noble food system that puts people and the planet first through responsible sourcing, equitable labor practices, and environmental protection. Rooted in deep industry knowledge and driven by innovation, Wholesum continues to lead as a pioneer in the organic and Fair Trade produce space. More information is available at www.wh.farm.