Patent-pending Snap2Pack™ brings farm to the fridge using post-print HP PageWide C500 digital press

Great Lakes Growers, an Ohio-based hydroponic produce provider, is using packaging innovation by CompanyBox and HP to deliver fresh leafy greens and herbs directly to customers through ecommerce subscription services.

Snap2Pack™ was developed especially for direct packaging of fresh produce by CompanyBox, printing on its new HP PageWide C500 Press with HP’s true water-based packaging inks.

The patent-pending, fold-over design by CompanyBox creates a box with double-sided graphics. The result is digitally printed delivery boxes offering vibrant color graphics to the customer upon receiving the package, and again when opening the box, with the inside flap providing an additional marketing vehicle to engage the consumer.

CompanyBox was an early adopter of the HP PageWide C500 Press, serving as the cornerstone of its expanding digital footprint in high-volume corrugated packaging. The C500 operates at the company’s all-digital packaging plant in Charlotte, North Carolina. CompanyBox invested in the HP PageWide C500 to tap into demand for high-quality single-pass digital print, especially with fast-moving consumer goods and food packaging.

Great Lakes Growers grows lettuce and herbs using soil-free hydroponic farming with no chemical herbicides or pesticides, shipping living lettuce with its roots still attached and herbs cut fresh daily.

Established in 2012, the family-owned farming company has rapidly expanded its capacity to serve a growing base of US customers.

Earlier this year, Great Lakes Growers launched an ecommerce subscription service for the added convenience of its quality-focused consumers. It wanted to set the standard for delivering a quality farm-to-table experience for its customers.

John Bonner, owner of Great Lakes Growers, reached out to CompanyBox to develop a food-safe, cost-efficient shipping box featuring high-quality graphics that is easy to assemble.

Louie DeJesus, president of CompanyBox, offered Snap2Pack, high-quality color graphics, low minimum order quantities, and the freedom to change box designs frequently with different versions.

The Snap2Pack ships flat to Great Lakes Growers for fulfillment. In a matter of seconds at the filling line, the worker pops the box into full dimensions activating its tamper-proof seal, and fresh produce is inserted and shipped directly to the customer.

“We ship our living lettuce and fresh cut herbs the same day we harvest to ensure delivery of the freshest produce possible,” says Bonner. “It’s like having a garden in your refrigerator.”

HP’s water-based inks are odorless and free of UV-reactive chemistries, enabling a wide range of packaging applications, including primary and secondary packaging for sensitive uses such as food and personal care while requiring no additional barriers. The inks can comply with even the most stringent global food safety regulations, including Nestlé guidance and Swiss Ordinance.