Swedish start-up iFoodbag has inked a global production agreement with Mondi, a South African packaging and paper company.
Mondi, as an integrated supplier, will offer support and experience along the complete production and supply chain of the iFoodbag, which is claimed to work as a temperature-controlled packaging solution to transform online grocery shopping for temperature-controlled goods.
Despite increase in online shopping and e-commerce, shopping online for chilled or frozen goods is troublesome when compared to shopping online for goods such as shoes, furniture or electronics.
iFoodbag is said to overcome logistics challenges for temperature-controlled products, thus allowing customers to shop conveniently online for frozen or chilled products and have them delivered fresh.
Made out of a paper-based composite material, iFoodbag can protect chilled and frozen goods for up to 24 hours. It is however, subject to some temperature constraints and circumstances.
iFoodbag, for which several patents are pending, will now be available globally.
Tests conducted by research institute Innventia have proven iFoodbag's benefits and performance in keeping goods, such as foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals, chilled or frozen.
iFoodbag founder and CEO Karl Fallgren said: "We have thoroughly assessed several production partners during the last year to find a competent and forward-thinking company that will market this amazing product with us. We are now happy to have signed an exclusive agreement with Mondi Industrial Bags.
"They are a leader within their industry, with production facilities all over the globe, while we have the leading and unrivalled technology for temperature-controlled goods. So we are a perfect match. This is a prerequisite for our global expansion roll-out during 2016."
Food retailers will now be able to pack frozen and chilled goods in the iFoodbag and transport them in standard regular vehicles rather than refrigerated trucks.
Mondi Industrial Bags deputy COO and sales & marketing director Claudio Fedalto said: "We are excited about this new product developed by iFoodbag.
"We strongly believe in the innovative strength of the iFoodbag's idea and the many benefits it will bring to retailers and consumers.
"Already in the past we have driven innovation for our customers, and the iFoodbag concept is a perfect fit with our innovation culture. We will support iFoodbag with our expertise in bag production, our packaging know-how and our strong and global production footprint."
