Thanks to eating trends such as keto, paleo and low-carb dieting, the jerky industry is growing at a white-hot pace. Analysts estimate that by the end of 2019, fans will consume nearly $1.4 billion worth of dried meat products in the United States alone. With so many jerkies hitting the market, it’s important to consider the waste products produced by the industry. If your business produces beef jerky, here are a few reasons why you should use recyclable snack food packaging.
Better for the Planet
Humanity’s impact on the planet is impossible to ignore, and landfills are some of the easiest places to see the damage. When waste products go in the refuse bin, they find their way to municipal trash disposal facilities where they’re compacted to drive air out and then covered with dirt. By using recyclable packaging for your jerky, you’ll be doing your part to minimize the number of products that end up buried underground.
Keep Wildlife Alive
While the landfill is the ideal final resting place for non-recyclable materials, not all of it ends up at a proper trash storage facility. Even if you do your part by throwing waste away instead of littering, lighter plastics can blow away before they’re compacted and buried. When a piece of waste gets out into the environment, it can end up in a river that takes it straight to the ocean. Fish or marine mammals often mistake these materials for food, which can have catastrophic results. Because recyclable beef jerky packaging doesn’t spend time in an open pit, there’s less chance of it blowing away.
Use Less Energy
It takes energy to move any product, including packaging for your company’s beef jerky. All containers need to be transported to factories for filling, and that’s done by fuel-burning trucks. Flexible packages weigh less than heavy-duty plastic, which means a truck can carry more of them and burn less diesel fuel.
Customer Preference
Beef jerky is a versatile food that provides large amounts of protein in a lightweight package. Because of its nutritional efficiency and shelf stability, its popularity spans several groups of people:
- Health-conscious eaters
- Hikers
- Climbers
- Military
- Survivalists
While these groups may seem to have little in common, they’re all still consumers who help create market trends. Today’s shoppers are more eco-conscious than ever, and they pay attention to the packaging used for their food. In one survey, 59% of respondents said they’d be willing to pay more for eco-friendly containers. That same study showed more than half of the participants were making a conscious effort to cut down on the number of disposable plastic products they use every day. By making the switch to recyclables, not only will you lessen your company’s impact, but you’ll also play into consumer preferences.
Pick the Right Packaging
Now you know some of the reasons why you should package your beef jerky in recyclable containers, it’s time to find the right packaging partner. When choosing between different companies, pick one that offers fast turnaround without sacrificing quality or your product’s visual identity.
