IFCO Expands Reusable Packaging at Whole Foods

The reusable crate program now covers Whole Foods Market's fresh produce supply chain across the United States.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Organic Food

Stacked reusable plastic produce crates line a concrete loading dock beside an open roll-up door under soft overcast daylight. — Whole Foods Market and IFCO have expanded their reusable crate program across the chain's U.S. fresh produce supply, having avoided nearly 4 million pounds of cardboard waste since 2022. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

IFCO is expanding its reusable packaging program across Whole Foods Market's fresh grocery supply chain in the United States. Whole Foods and IFCO have avoided nearly 4 million pounds of cardboard waste since the program began.

Why it matters

The shift replaces single-use cardboard with reusable crates for fresh food, a change that affects how packaging waste is handled throughout the grocery supply chain. The partnership is designed to reduce packaging waste while protecting produce quality and freshness.

Use of IFCO reusable packaging within the Whole Foods supply chain has grown more than 1,000% since 2022, when the partnership began with a pilot for potatoes, onions, carrots and root vegetables. IFCO operates a pool of over 400 million reusable containers globally, though the source does not break out how many are deployed for Whole Foods.

The players

Whole Foods Market

Whole Foods Market is a U.S. grocery chain owned by Amazon, known for its emphasis on natural and organic foods.

IFCO

IFCO is a global provider of reusable plastic packaging for the fresh food industry, operating a pool of over 400 million containers.

The details

Whole Foods Market began the partnership in 2022 with a pilot replacing single-use cardboard boxes with reusable crates for root vegetables. Under the expanded agreement, IFCO crates are collected after use, washed and sanitized, returned to the supply chain for reuse, and recycled into new containers at end of life.

2022: Whole Foods Market and IFCO begin their partnership and initial pilot.
November 3, 2026: IFCO announces the expansion of the program at Whole Foods.

Culture Shift

The move reflects a broader shift in grocery packaging, where reusable plastic crates from IFCO are replacing single-use cardboard in fresh produce logistics. Retailers adopting this model signal growing demand for packaging that is collected, sanitized and reused rather than discarded after one shipment.

Shoppers buying fresh produce at Whole Foods may notice reusable crates in place of cardboard boxes as the program expands. The change is primarily a supply chain shift and does not alter how produce is purchased or priced in the source.

The takeaway

Reusable packaging can cut cardboard waste while keeping produce fresh, and shoppers can look for retailers that disclose their packaging practices. Choosing stores that report measurable waste reductions helps reward these supply chain changes.