New, transparent egg cartons are helping Hickman’s Family Farms keep cracked or damaged eggs off store shelves.
The plastic container has a hard bottom that holds the eggs in place and is covered by film instead of a lid. Plastic separators come up a couple of inches above the egg so the packages can be stacked.
The Buckeye company began rethinking the classic carton after officials got information from stores that most breaks and spills happen in grocery aisles — where customers open packages to examine the eggs — not at the farm.
The farm gives Costco a full refund for damaged products, so fine-tuning the packages helps Arizona’s largest commercial egg producer cut costs. The pilot began April 9. Compared with the same five-month period a year ago, Hickman’s saw a 50 percent decrease in breakage at each Costco location with the new cartons.
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