Italian sun-dried and semi-dried vegetable specialist Fiordelisi has upgraded the efficiency and sustainability of its internal logistics and outbound transport by adopting reusable plastic crates supplied by Tosca, as part of a broader effort to reduce transport-related emissions and optimise space across its multi-site operations.
Based in Puglia, southern Italy, Fiordelisi manages its value chain from cultivation through processing and supplies retailers and food manufacturers across Italy and other European markets. With sustainability embedded in its long-term strategy, the company has been reviewing logistics processes to identify practical ways to cut environmental impact while maintaining product quality and cost efficiency.
The move follows challenges associated with Fiordelisi’s previous use of conventional stackable plastic crates, which occupied significant space when empty and limited the amount of finished product that could be loaded per truck. For a business handling large seasonal volumes of sun-dried tomatoes, these constraints affected warehouse capacity, transport efficiency and emissions.
To address these issues, Fiordelisi introduced Tosca’s reusable Active Lock folding crates across its operations. Designed for repeated use in demanding food processing environments, the crates fold flat when empty, significantly reducing the space required for storage and return logistics. Their rigid structure and locking system are intended to improve load stability during transport and reduce product damage.
Beyond operational performance, the crates are part of Tosca’s pooling and reuse model, supporting a circular approach to packaging by reducing dependence on single-use materials and helping companies prepare for evolving regulatory requirements, including the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).
“Our reusable packaging and pooling model is designed to reduce waste, cut emissions, and improve performance in real-world operations,” said Marco Mangano, Sales Manager – Retail at Tosca. “Fiordelisi is a strong example of how these benefits come together in practice.”
Since implementing the Active Lock Crates, Fiordelisi reports measurable efficiency gains. The foldable design allows the company to store up to five times more empty crates in the same space, improving warehouse utilisation and reducing internal handling requirements.
Transport efficiency has also increased, with Fiordelisi now able to load 560 additional filled crates per truck compared with its previous solution. According to the company, this equates to more than one additional tonne of sun-dried tomatoes per shipment, enabling higher payloads per journey and reducing the number of trips required.
“Being able to send over a tonne more product on the same truck makes our transport both more efficient and more sustainable,” said Antonio Fiordelisi, General Manager at Fiordelisi. “We reduce the number of trips and the emissions linked to them.”
“When you can transport more product in the same space, you spend less, generate less waste, and emit less CO₂,” added Gianpaolo Mezzanotte, Managing Director Southern Europe at Tosca. “These are tangible, measurable benefits that reusable packaging delivers.”
Looking ahead, Fiordelisi expects efficiency and sustainability to remain central to its operations and views Tosca as a long-term partner. The company highlighted the consistency, reliability and cost-to-quality ratio of the reusable crate system as key factors supporting ongoing collaboration.
Together, the two companies are positioning reusable transport packaging as a practical tool for delivering operational, economic and environmental benefits across European food supply chains.
