Reducing food waste with smart packaging

Özler Tarım and Mondi reduced food waste with innovative, recyclable smart packaging—boosting sustainability, production efficiency, and fresh produce quality for global exports.

For over four decades, Özler Tarım has built a reputation as one of Türkiye’s leading exporters of fresh fruits and vegetables. From its operations in Adana, the company supplies high-quality produce to a broad network of global markets, including Japan, Canada, the United States, the UK, Europe, and East Asia. With a commitment to freshness and sustainability, Özler Tarım has consistently invested in innovation to ensure its produce reaches consumers in optimal condition.

But one challenge remained, protecting sensitive fresh produce during long and often unpredictable sea freight journeys. Variations in temperature, humidity, and the risk of packaging collapse during stacking and transit had the potential to result in food waste, product loss, and operational inefficiencies. To address this, Özler Tarım partnered with Mondi, their long-time packaging solutions provider.

Co-creation with purpose

Together, Özler Tarım and Mondi embarked on a collaborative journey to redesign the company’s packaging with both performance and sustainability in mind. The goal was clear: create a packaging solution that could endure the physical stress of international shipping while supporting Özler Tarım’s environmentally responsible business practices.

The result? A robust, double-wall corrugated solution that is 100% recyclable, strong enough to withstand stacking pressure and sea freight conditions, and compact enough to improve storage and logistics.

Thanks to its flat-stackable design, the new packaging also streamlines production and shipping processes, contributing directly to a 15% increase in production capacity at Özler Tarım’s Adana facility. More importantly, the solution helped eliminate common issues like box collapse and damage-related claims, reinforcing the company’s reputation for reliability in its export markets.

“Mondi’s recyclable corrugated solution aligns perfectly with our environmentally conscious export model,” says Mehtap İncesöz, planning & supply chain manager at Özler Tarım.

“The packaging’s durability has made a noticeable difference, withstanding the humidity and movement of long sea voyages. It ensures that our produce arrives undamaged, which not only preserves product quality but also reflects the integrity of our brand. The positive feedback we’ve received from our clients overseas has been very rewarding.”

Creating value beyond packaging

“Every customer has unique needs, and we believe packaging should serve as a strategic tool, not just a protective layer,” says Metin Morhayim, sales and marketing director at Mondi Corrugated Turkey. “With Özler Tarım we were able to combine technical innovation with a deep understanding of their production flow and export demands. It’s been a rewarding collaboration and the results speak for themselves.”

The new solution is helping Özler Tarım build a more resilient and efficient export model, with packaging that performs as well in transit as it does in aligning with corporate environmental values.

Sustainable future

Özler Tarım and Mondi share a commitment to reducing food waste, increasing resource efficiency, and operating responsibly. The success of this collaboration is just one example of how sustainable packaging can drive meaningful impact, not only within the supply chain but also in the experience delivered to end customers. From the moment the fruit leaves the orchard to the time it reaches supermarket shelves overseas, it’s protected by packaging that meets high standards of strength, sustainability and performance.