Scholle IPN To Attend the CLFP Food Processing Expo 2022
January 20, 2022
The California League of Food Producers (CLFP) will hold its annual Food Processing Expo in Sacramento on February 15 & 16, 2022. After last year’s event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Scholle IPN is excited to attend and meet with leaders in California’s food producing industry.
The Food Processing Expo is the largest event of its kind in the state of California, and Scholle IPN recognizes the importance of the statewide food producing organization. The annual expo invites vendors, academics, and product designers to discuss innovative ideas in the food packaging and safety sector. Attendees can hop in on seminars, listen to key changemakers give talks, and walk the expansive show floor and network with others in the food processing industry.
We spoke with Michael Trucco, Regional Commercial Director for Scholle IPN, to learn about why CLFP’s Food Processing Expo is a must-visit event for Scholle IPN and what you can expect to see from us—we’ll be at Booth #317!
Why does Scholle IPN attend CLFP every year?
Around 90% of what is grown in the United States, food-wise, is likely grown in California. You find many vendors across the food producing industry at this show and all of the food producers in California attend this show as well.
Along with being a member of the CLFP Supplier Host Council, attending the Food Processing Expo is a good opportunity to see what’s out there in the market, to see what others are working on, and to see all the new and exciting things in the packaging world, in the food world, etc…you name it, it’s there.
Furthermore, a lot of what we do at CLFP has to do with tomatoes. 95% of the country’s tomatoes are processed in California, and we’re well-equipped to help suppliers figure out how to package and store tomatoes safely because of our successful work in the aseptic packaging market.
What can we expect to see from Scholle IPN at this year’s CLFP Expo?
We’ll be there with a number of our barrier films: DuraTech™, which is ideal for frozen products; DuraTuff™, a co-extruded film designed for the processed food market; EnduraShield™, a multi-layer barrier film designed for vertical form-fill-seal (VFFS) which provides excellent barrier properties; and ClearShield™, a PET/EVOH laminate for pouches.
With the acquisition of equipment manufacturer Bossar last year, we’re able to provide attendees with more options for filling in pouches. In particular, we’re excited to showcase our new line of zipper pouches, which are spoutless and ideal for dry goods like dried fruits, nuts, trail mix, and shredded cheese. And of course, we’ll always showcase our cutting-edge bag-in-box technology, a sector we’ve been a leader in for decades.
How has the acquisition of Bossar opened up what Scholle IPN can offer food producers and vendors?
We’re always been one of the foremost experts when it comes to barrier film technology and flexible packaging. But now, we can offer our customers total ownership over the entire packaging process. We can provide everything, from the film and fitments they need to make a flexible package to the equipment that actually forms and fills each bag.
Sustainability and food production go hand-in-hand—how should food producers think about reducing their environmental footprint?
The number one thing food producers can do is reduce waste, and that can be done in a number of ways. First, producers can package their food to be shelf-stable through aseptic technology, which not only prevents food waste but eliminates the need for cold storage throughout transport. But producers can also look at the materials they choose to package their products. Flexible packaging uses fewer resources than rigid formats.
Scholle IPN is equipped to help producers with both aseptic and flexible packaging. We’re seeing brands change and adapt as they realize that flexible packaging can help them reduce their carbon footprint. Whether it’s institutional or industrial, everyone is looking to package their product with the least amount of materials, in a way that is shelf-stable, and cuts back on raw materials.
What types of customers are you looking to connect with?
We’re interested in talking to anyone who wants to improve their packaging and make a statement with their packaging. If you’re interested in aseptic technology, we want to talk to you. But we anticipate new players in the food processing sector: pet foods. We anticipate seeing a few representatives from leading dog and cat food brands, and we’ve even mocked up a few pouches specifically with this market in mind.
Scholle IPN can design a system for any processor looking to package fruits and vegetables in a way that is safe, sustainable, and preserves the quality of the product. Learn more about our bulk packaging for fruit and vegetables.