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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Berry boxes

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  • From: Willie McKemie <mf AT austinfarm.org>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Berry boxes
  • Date: Mon, 2 May 2005 04:58:11 -0500

On Sun, May 01, 2005 at 06:27:09PM -0600, Jennifer Albert wrote:
> Berry growers:
>
> What do you find to be the best boxes for selling berries (straw-, rasp-,
> and black-) at market?

In the past few years, we have gone from open top 1 pint plastic
baskets in 12 pint flats to mostly 1 pint clamshells. For
blackberries.

The open top baskets present the berries better, but require more
time/labor at selling time. The clamshells require MUCH more labor at
packing time; the 12 pint flats are just poured while the clamshells
must be more carefully filled. Clamshells are much preferred by
grocery stores even at a significantly higher price. We charge a $3
per dozen premium for clamshells; and that probably doesn't cover our
additional cost of containers and labor. Suggestions for filling
clamshells solicited.

As I recall, the open top baskets are about $.04 in cases of 1200. The
clamshells are around $.09 in cases of 600. Monte Packaging is a good
mail order source, but shipping will be about $20/case. Much better to
find a local or semi-local supplier and escape the shipping cost.

--
Willie, ONWARD! Through the fog!
http://counter.li.org Linux registered user #228836 since 1995
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