TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Military Produce Group is showing its commitment to the environment by using Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs) from IFCO SYSTEMS for the shipment of fresh produce to dozens of commissaries. The Military Produce Group, which supplies fruits and vegetables to commissaries in the southern United States, is moving to RPCs from corrugated boxes for several commodities. This move furthers the Defense Commissary Agency’s (DeCA) sustainability program.
The initial rollout of RPCs covers about 32 increasing to 71 DeCA locations served from Military Produce Group distribution centers in Norfolk, VA; Birmingham, AL and Savannah, GA.
“The Defense Commissary Agency is committed to an environmentally sustainable operation and applauds MPG’s use of reusable containers to limit the amount of waste heading to landfills and reduce product damage,” said Bridget Bennett, Supervisory Category Manager (Produce) at DeCA.
Military Produce Group works with grower/shippers like Village Farms, Seald Sweet, Bolthouse Farms and Tanimura & Antle to ensure military families get the freshest produce delivered to their local commissary at the peak of ripeness.
“The Military Produce Group works diligently to provide healthy food to the commissaries we serve and to do it in a way that keeps our carbon footprint to a minimum. RPCs from IFCO are helping us be more sustainable while improving the efficiency of our operations,” said Al Oliver, Director of Sales and Marketing at Military Produce Group.
With more than 180 million RPCs in circulation, IFCO is the leading provider of reusable containers to the fresh food sector worldwide. IFCO handles all RPC logistics, from distributions to cleaning to re-entry into the supply chain. After retail use, IFCO RPCs are folded, collected and shipped back to one of IFCO’s service facilities, where they are sanitized and prepared for re-use.
“IFCO is honored to play a role in assisting the Military Produce Group in becoming even more environment-friendly by eliminating waste from the supply chain.” said Mike Ellis, Director of Supply Chain Development at IFCO, who worked with account representative and fellow veteran Pam Cavallero to ensure a smooth rollout of MPG’s program to commissaries.
Additional Information
The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Authorized patrons purchase items at cost plus a 5–percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. Shoppers save an average of more than 30 percent on their purchases compared to commercial prices – savings amounting to thousands of dollars annually. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country. Additional information is available at www.commissaries.com.
IFCO is an international logistics service provider with more than 210 locations worldwide. IFCO operates a pool of over 170 million Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs) globally, which are used primarily to transport fresh produce from growers to leading grocery retailers. IFCO is part of Brambles Limited.
WORLDWIDE RESPONSIBILITY is an IFCO initiative under which IFCO continues to assume its social and environmental responsibilities. Within the scope of this initiative, IFCO supports Food Banks worldwide in their honorable effort to provide food to the needy through the provision of reusable containers and by co-financing deliver vehicles.
