Retail shipping/display unit for Maine potatoes

Consumer packages of potatoes, upon arrival at terminal markets and/or retail sales outlets, must be handled manually for reshipping or retail sales display. A retail shipping display unit that would be assembled at the source, be compatible with the standard 1.22m × 1.02m (48″×40″) pallet system, be acceptable in size to the retailer, be desirable to the consumer as a merchandiser and provide protection with no rehandling of the contents from source through retail display was designed and tested. This unit is 0.61m × 1.02m × 0.71m (24″×40″×28″) in size and has a capacity of 227 kg (500lbs.) packaged in either 2.27 kg (5 lb.) or 4.54 kg (10.1b) consumer bags. The results of the shipping trials showed a drastic reduction in bruising and a significant increase in handling efficiency when compared to other shipping methods. The increase in costs by shipping in this type of unit can be offset by the savings realized from a more efficient, bruise-free method of handling consumer packages of potatoes in today’s marketing channels. Receivers and produce personnel were generally impressed with the unit and the ease of handling potatoes in this manner.