Source for boxes/cartons?

[harveyc]

My tomatoes are finally all in the ground and I'm hoping to have some ripe tomatoes before June. I think we've got 277 plants in the ground and we hope to be selling a lot of tomatoes and thought we should be getting some boxes for selling directly to consumers as well as to supply a large fruit stand down the road from us. I didn't find anything at U-Line and about the only thing I've found so far are the baskets at http://www.jordanseeds.com/index.cfm...1535&pageid=93 (last two are ones I'm considering). But these are a bit bulky and shipping increases the cost quite a bit and I'm hoping we can find something more economical. Do any of you have any recommendations and can share where you get yours? I'm located in the south end of Sacramento County and something local would be nice but I thought there might also be a paper product that wouldn't be too costly to ship. Thanks!

[kurt]

If your not shy about it when I shop at our local BJs they have a lot of boxes in carts out front of store (a lot or fruit containers)for the customers to take since it is a pack your own store.Even your local supermarkets have dumpsters designated for cardboard recycling in thier back alleys with fruit containers.Most of our farmers markets present the fruit in boxes and give you plastic bags for take home anyway.

[harveyc]

Thanks, but I'd like to be working with a uniform new product since our fruits will be displayed in these so an attractive appearance is desirable. I think we're going to need a thousand or more containers but would like to start out with a much smaller number than that to try out.

[VC Scott]

For boxes, check out this link. http://www.avisbag.com/tomato-box.html

Several different sizes are available.

[Wi-sunflower]

Monte is a good source for here in the mid-west. Unfortunately they aren't listing the prices on the boxes. http://www.montepkg.com/shop.asp?CommAbbr=TOM

Considering that California is "produce central" there should be a local company somewhere out there.

Carol

[harveyc]

Thank you, I'm checking those out.

[rockhound]

A google search for >bulk packaging Sacramento< yielded this among others.
http://usbox.com/Mailers/Gourmet-Bra...Boxes/1LV-FLP/

[harveyc]

Originally Posted by rockhound

A google search for >bulk packaging Sacramento< yielded this among others.
http://usbox.com/Mailers/Gourmet-Bra...Boxes/1LV-FLP/

I'm quite capable at using Google. I'm not looking for shipping boxes but boxes/baskets to display/sell in.

[Crandrew]

^ they did misunderstand you; but in their defense it baffles the human mind how unresourceful people are when it comes to using available resources like a simple search engine on the web.

http://www.avisbag.com/id22.html

http://www.cratecreations.com/Display.html

there are a few, looks like avis bag has the best options. Personally I would built them myself.

[harveyc]

The product in the link of my first OP is better than what Avis is offering. I already reviewed the Avis site but don't think it would be useful to my post to include links of the several dozen sites I already reviewed. As I wrote in my OP, I'd like to find a similar product in paper which is less costly to ship. A lot of my tomatoes are cherry tomatoes so smaller baskets are what I'm looking at for those. Maybe something like strawberry baskets?

This thread is going downhill. Let me ask this in a different manner: If you are selling tomatoes in boxes and baskets, packing them for retail sales, where do you buy your boxes and baskets?

[Heritage]

Harvey,

Great to see the project is progressing - I hope your son is having fun!

If you are delivering to only one fruit stand I would check with them to see how they want to display/sell them. They may also have, or know of, a source for the cardboard boxes you are thinking of. All the farmer's markets down here sell their full-sized heirloom tomatoes in bulk bins(boxes) and let the customer pick out the tomatoes and then they weigh them. The cherries are sold in pre-packaged traditional plastic clamshells. I think the boxes you link to are more attractive and worth the extra expense - they seem to fit the heirloom 'feel' better than the plastic clamshells. And, as you know, packaging sells.

For shipping tomatoes I think you are in new territory and will have to experiment with various packaging - possibly by adapting something made for shipping apples/fruit. You will want something that holds the tomatoes securely and keeps them from smashing. I'm interested in what you come up with, I am also thinking of shipping tomatoes, on a retail level, locally. Keep us posted on whatever you find that works.

Steve

[harveyc]

Thanks, Steve. My son is still enjoying it (I'm impressed, actually, considering he's 14!) and there's been new twist to the project. He is a Boy Scout and preparing an Eagle Project proposal (earlier than we expected for reasons not worth mentioning here) and he's decided to include a special marketing effort dedicating to his project's fundraising efforts (pre-sales, possibly).

We have a large fruit stand down the road from us which will also have a large regional visitor center once they get the funds raised for that, so it is a good outlet. I've sold a few things for them in the past and they've needed advice from me, so I thought I'd try to get the solution for them. I figure if they have to throw away bunch of our tomatoes because they've packaged them poorly it will hurt our ability to sell to them (or get top prices). I have been thinking of asking them about what they used for tomatoes last year and guess I will do that, though I expect we will probably be selling to other outlets because of the volume we anticipate. On the other hand, this particular stand has a great location and if we are very successful in our first year I thought maybe we should hold a tomato tasting event at their stand in July and build up some excitement and sales. They are our most convenient outlet so I'd like both of us to be very successful.

Do cherry tomatoes packed in clamshells require constant refrigeration? I'm wondering if an closed (even if vented) container will result in mold forming quickly.

We do not plan on shipping any tomatoes. I do lots of shipping of other products I grow commercially and the few times I've shipped delicate items has been quite a challenge.

Thanks again!

[Heritage]

Harvey,

I think the packaging would depend upon the volume. If people are standing in line, waiting to buy your tomatoes, the extra packaging might be an unneeded labor expense. It is something you will have to experiment with and be willing to change with the sales.

The bigger challenge is going to be determining which of the heirlooms are best for stand sales. Many of the best tasting heirlooms have very thin skins and aren't really suitable for stand sales. My favorite cherry (Bicolor Cherry) splits badly even without overhead watering and a basket of them would soon turn to mush, while Galina's Yellow. a yellow cherry without much flavor, keeps extremely well. This is something you will learn and will have to discuss with the stand owner since you will rely on his feedback. At any rate, I would never refrigerate any tomato since the flavor/texture will degrade.

Hopefully, Carol (Wi-Sunflower) has the time to post - she has a lot of experience with retail sales. Many others here also sell retail and maybe will chime in.

Great to see your son is so involved, that is the perfect age for developing new, innovative marketing plans.

When you get the tomatoes for sale at the stand, post the stand location.

Steve

[GaryStPaul]

Harvey, last summer at our local FM I bought some kind of fruit or vegetable in a small basket and learned a new word in the process: punnet. An example would be the last item in the URL you cited. Try a search using the word punnet; I did and saw some molded [or moulded] pulp paper punnets, e.g. Good luck.

[harveyc]

Originally Posted by Heritage

<snip>
At any rate, I would never refrigerate any tomato since the flavor/texture will degrade.
<snip>

Steve

Steve,

When I refer to refrigeration, I'm not talking about something close to 32F such as a home refrigerator. This is getting onto another topic but will go ahead and address it anyways since I started the thread.

In supermarkets many items are refrigerated that aren't obvious, including tomatoes. The open displays have bottom refrigeration.

Of course, if product moves quickly, no refrigeration should be necessary.

UC Davis has some good information on post-harvest handling of many crops. Here is their page on tomatoes: http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/pfvegetable/Tomato/ I don't know that I'd even go as low as 50F but think tomatoes in a clamshell when temperatures are 90F would be a problem. Thoughts?