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We visited Fruit Attraction 2026, the major international trade fair for the fruit and vegetable industry. Amid innovation, sustainability and meetings with our customers, one thing became clear: paper and paperboard are playing an increasingly important role in packaging solutions for the sector.
From Trevi to Madrid: Meeting the Key Players in Packaging
From 6 to 8 October 2026, Madrid hosted another edition of Fruit Attraction, one of the world’s leading international trade fairs dedicated to the fruit and vegetable industry, held at the IFEMA exhibition centre.
Once again, Cartiere di Trevi attended the event, travelling from Umbria, Italy, to meet customers, business partners and industry professionals in a sector where our products have numerous applications.
Visiting Fruit Attraction offers a valuable opportunity to see how market requirements are evolving, discover new packaging solutions and, above all, meet the companies that transform paper and paperboard into products distributed to markets around the world every day.
This year, however, walking through the exhibition halls gave us a particularly interesting confirmation of an ongoing trend.
Less Plastic, More Paper and Paperboard
Anyone who regularly visits Fruit Attraction cannot fail to notice a transformation that becomes increasingly evident year after year: fruit and vegetable packaging is changing.
Where plastic trays, polystyrene containers and plastic film wrapping once dominated, we are now seeing an increasing number of paperboard cartons, corrugated cardboard boxes, plant-fibre trays and moulded pulp packaging solutions.
Fruit and vegetables are being presented in increasingly sophisticated packaging that combines protection, practicality, attractive presentation and environmental awareness.
Particularly interesting is the growing use of moulded pulp trays, which are progressively replacing traditional plastic and polystyrene containers in a range of applications.
This is not simply an aesthetic choice. Cellulose-based packaging creates new design opportunities, enhances product presentation and, when properly designed, can be effectively integrated into paper collection and recycling systems.
This transformation involves the entire paper industry supply chain, from paper mills and packaging manufacturers to fruit and vegetable producers.
Our Customers Take Centre Stage at Fruit Attraction
One of the most rewarding aspects of our visit was meeting numerous Cartiere di Trevi customers among the exhibitors.
These are leading companies in the packaging industry, showcasing their products, expertise and innovative solutions in Madrid.
Among them was Smurfit Westrock, with an exhibition space dedicated to sustainable packaging solutions manufactured using corrugating papers. Their displays highlighted how corrugated cardboard continues to play a central role in protecting and enhancing fruit and vegetable products.
We were also pleased to visit Solidus, a specialist in circular packaging solutions, including applications for the food and fresh produce supply chain manufactured using Trevi paperboard.
Europack presented an extensive range of cardboard packaging solutions, including edge protectors, protective systems and components designed for packaging and logistics, manufactured using Trevi paperboard strips.
We also visited the DS Smith stand, where various corrugated cardboard applications were on display, ranging from product packaging materials to high-strength logistics solutions designed to facilitate handling, transportation and storage.
Meeting these companies, exploring their products and discussing emerging market requirements represents an invaluable opportunity for us.
Because behind every finished packaging solution lies an industrial supply chain in which Cartiere di Trevi also plays its part by supplying the materials that make these products possible.
Fruit Paper: The Purple Paper That Protects Fruit and Vegetables
Among the Cartiere di Trevi products designed for the fruit and vegetable industry, Fruit Paper holds a special place.
Also known as purple paper or blue paper, this product is generally manufactured with a grammage of 120 gsm and is used as a liner inside fruit and vegetable crates, particularly those made from plastic or wood.
Its purpose is to help extend the shelf life of fresh produce by creating a protective separation layer between the fruit or vegetables and the surface of the crate.
This helps reduce direct contact with the container and improves product protection during handling and transportation.
A simple yet important solution, especially for fresh produce that must travel long distances before reaching retail outlets.
Edge Protectors and Paperboard: Supporting the Logistics Supply Chain
Another particularly important application involves cardboard edge protectors, used to stabilise stacks of crates during storage and transportation.
These components help keep loads secure, protect corners and edges, and improve safety during handling, warehousing and transport operations.
Alongside these applications, paperboard products are also used in the manufacture of fruit and vegetable crates and packaging.
The Cartiere di Trevi product range includes materials such as T1 TreviKraft Italian Kraft Paper, Semi-Chemical Fluting, 2P Super Semi-Chemical Fluting and PP Packaging Paper.
These materials are designed for different applications in the corrugated cardboard and packaging industries, including fruit and vegetable packaging.
Through the expertise of our converting customers, these papers become crates, containers and packaging solutions used every day throughout the distribution supply chain.
The Future of Packaging Also Begins in Trevi
We returned from Madrid with new ideas, valuable contacts and an even stronger conviction: paper and paperboard will play an increasingly important role in the future of fruit and vegetable packaging.
The ongoing search for alternatives to plastic, innovation in materials and growing attention to recyclability are creating new opportunities throughout the industry.
For Cartiere di Trevi, attending events such as Fruit Attraction is primarily about listening to the market, understanding our customers’ needs and continuing to develop products that support their evolution.
Because behind a simple fruit crate, tray or cardboard box lie technology, research, experience and the work of many different companies.
And we are proud that paper manufactured in Trevi plays a part in this journey.
From Apples to Avocados: When Packaging Takes Centre Stage
At Fruit Attraction 2026, we observed numerous real-world examples of this ongoing transformation.
Pears packaged in elegant natural paperboard cartons, apples arranged in shaped cardboard packs, kiwifruit protected by internal dividers and avocados displayed in moulded pulp trays.
Different solutions, all sharing the ambition of making greater use of cellulose-based materials to protect, transport and showcase fresh produce.
One particularly interesting development is the increasing use of paperboard for consumer-facing packaging.
Paperboard is no longer used exclusively for large transport crates. It is increasingly becoming the material of choice for smaller retail packs that accompany fresh produce all the way to supermarket shelves, while also providing valuable opportunities for brand communication.
Alongside these solutions, moulded fibre trays are becoming more widespread. Designed to accommodate the shape of individual fruits, they provide protection during handling and transportation.
In many applications, they represent a practical alternative to traditional plastic and polystyrene supports.
Among the most memorable images from our visit was a crate of Portuguese tomatoes lined with a sheet of purple paper: a perfect real-world example of Fruit Paper in action, one of the Cartiere di Trevi products developed specifically for the fruit and vegetable industry.
And this is perhaps the most significant message we brought home from Madrid: paper is not simply replacing other materials. It is becoming a driving force behind a new generation of packaging solutions.
