Zoono and OSY provide antimicrobial fruit packaging for Southern Africa

Zoono Group and its food supply chain partner, OSY Group, have signed an exclusive contract with Mpact Operations, a division of Mpact Group, the largest paper, plastics, and recycling business in Southern Africa.

Zoono is a manufacturer of antimicrobial products. The company has developed an application for food packaging with its partner OSY, designed to extend the shelf life of fresh produce and reduce food waste.

Under the agreement, Zoono products can be used in corrugated board-based packaging solutions intended for the storage, packing, or delivery of grapes, stone fruit, or berries.

“The collaboration with Mpact represents the continued execution of Zoono and OSY’s strategy to establish long-term strategic partnerships with leading packaging manufacturers globally,” says Zoono.

“These partnerships recognize the value of the Zoono-OSY solution in providing packaging companies with a clear point of difference in the market, while addressing the food waste challenge.”

Reducing food waste

The companies have entered into a five-year agreement, effective until November 2030, covering the South African and Namibian markets. 

The minimum purchases should maintain exclusivity totaling NZ$5.1 million (US$2.88 million), according to Zoono.

By extending the shelf life of produce, the packaging solution aims to provide exporters with the flexibility to access new markets without compromising quality. The OSY application process is said to integrate into existing production lines, including lidding films, trays, flow wraps, corrugated boards, and paper-based formats.

Earlier this year, Sharpak Aylesham signed a  contract to apply Zoono’s shelf life extension products and OSY’s application technologies to its food packaging range for soft fruits sold to UK supermarkets.

Researchers are also exploring antimicrobial activity to create more durable food packaging. Scientists from Deakin University, Australia, developed a prototype for antimicrobial food packaging that could help extend product life and reduce food waste and illness.