Eclipse Berry Farms LLC has signed a new contract with CHEP, provider of pallet and container pooling systems. From its fields in Oxnard, Watsonville, and Salinas CA, Eclipse Berry Farms transports branded strawberries, raspberries, and tomatoes to supermarkets, club stores, wholesalers, and foodservice distributors throughout the United States and Canada on CHEP pallets.
Before deploying the CHEP pallet pooling program in 2003, Eclipse Berry Farms used a pallet system that was not cost-effective for its supply chain needs. The produce marketer has found the CHEP pallet pooling program has led to improved safety outcomes and reduced product damage.
Rick Hearst of Eclipse Berry Farms said, “CHEP provides a comprehensive solution that has been tested in the field for years, so we know it is going to meet or exceed all of our shipping platform requirements. They are also helping us dramatically reduce product damage and supporting our efforts to make the product handling process as safe as possible for all involved.”
Hearst said the CHEP program was also environmentally sustainable. Based on third-party life-cycle inventory analysis findings, through its use of the CHEP pooling system as opposed to limited-use white wood pallets, each year Eclipse Berry Farms is reducing solid waste generation by more than 33,000 pounds, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by about 25,000 pounds and saving enough energy to power 20 homes with electricity.
For more information, visit www.chep.com.
