A Complete Guide to Packaging for Citrus Fruits

Fresh citrus such as grapefruit, lemons/limes, mandarins, and oranges, ask very specific things from their packaging: generous airflow, high strength for heavier packs, and shelf presence that carries your brand story. The right format protects quality, extends shelf life, speeds up packing, and elevates your brand at retail.

Below is a practical guide to choosing among Fox Packaging’s citrus solutions. We’ll cover what each commodity needs, which formats fit best, and how full-graphics packaging opens the door to stronger branding and consumer connection.

What citrus needs from packaging

• Breathability & moisture management
  Citrus performs best with generous ventilation to manage respiration and condensation.

• Strength & durability
  Grapefruit and bagged oranges are heavy; handles, seams, and fabric/weave all matter. Lighter fruits like mandarins need cushioning and scuff protection more than sheer tensile strength.

• Operational efficiency
  Wicketed bags and machine-friendly constructions improve throughput and consistency on high-speed lines.

• Shopper experience & merchandising
  Reclosable features and stand-up shelf presence help with convenience. Large printable panels enable brand storytelling and regulatory clarity.

• Sustainability alignment
  Material choices that support How2Recycle® guidance and mono-material design can help meet retailer program requirements.

Note: Fox Packaging is PFAS-free across our portfolio and can provide How2Recycle® guidance to help you design packaging that aligns with your sustainability goals.

The Fox lineup and where each shines

Fox Fresh Mesh

A lightweight, highly breathable mesh bag ideal for classic citrus merchandising.

Best for

• Oranges & Mandarins: 2–5 lb formats with excellent airflow to minimize condensation.

• Lemons/Limes: Great visibility of color and quality; easy carry with reinforced handles.

Why choose it

• Maximum ventilation for rind health

• Clear product visibility

• Efficient on conventional bagging lines

Leno

A durable leno-weave mesh engineered for heavier loads and long distribution runs.

Best for

• Grapefruit & Large Orange Packs: 5–10+ lb weights where strength and tear resistance are critical.

Why choose it

• Superior load-bearing strength

• Excellent airflow for larger, thicker-skinned fruit

• Familiar “farm-fresh” presentation shoppers trust

Fresh Mesh Wicketed®

Mesh bags delivered on wickets for rapid, repeatable loading on automated lines.

Best for

• High-volume citrus programs across oranges, mandarins, lemons/limes.

Why choose it

• Faster changeovers and consistent bag placement

• Maintains the breathability advantages of mesh

• Scales well during peak seasons

Fox Fresh Mesh Combo®

A hybrid of mesh + film panel, balanced breathability with space for print.

Best for

• Oranges & Grapefruit: When you want the airflow of mesh plus a printable billboard panel.

• Lemons/Limes: Adds brand real estate for education (variety, origin, recipe callouts).

Why choose it

• Airflow where the fruit needs it, graphics where your story needs it

• Window to product plus a premium look

• Versatile on multiple packing lines

Fox Stand-Up Combo®

Stand-up construction that pairs film structure with ventilated zones (mesh or engineered vents).

Best for

• Mandarins & Small Oranges: Snackable, premium presentation with optional zippers.

• Lemons/Limes: Compact footprints; easy to merchandise in chill cases or tables.

Why choose it

• Stand-up shelf blocking and strong brand presence

• Optional reclose features for consumer convenience

• Balanced ventilation via mesh panels or engineered vent patterns

Fox Stand-Up Poly

A fully film stand-up pouch with full-graphics coverage; optional micro-perfs/vents and reclose.

Best for

• Mandarins: Premium packs that benefit from storytelling and nutrition/usage education.

• Lemons/Limes & Navels: Compact, recloseable options with optional micro-perfs/vents.

Why choose it

• Highest graphics real estate for brand storytelling

• Reclosable options and easy pour

• Custom venting to tune respiration

Fox VertiFilm™

High-clarity, print-receptive film engineered for visibility, optional venting, and vertical display formats.

Best for

• Mandarins & Oranges (2–5 lb): Mesh keeps fruit breathing; VertiFilm adds a premium brand billboard.

• Lemons/Limes: Durable presentation plus space for variety, origin, and usage tips.

Why choose it

• Airflow + storytelling: The mesh provides ventilation; VertiFilm delivers a large printable panel for differentiation, QR recipes, and sustainability claims.

• Great handling: The band adds light rigidity for easier grabs on the line and in-store

Quick selector guide

Why full-graphics display packaging matters

• A bigger canvas for your brand
  Full-coverage graphics on Fox Stand-Up Poly, Stand-Up Combo®, and Fresh Mesh Combo® create “billboard” impact, vibrant color, crisp logos, and room for variety differentiation.

• Storytelling that sells
  Use the panel to share how-to-store tips, serving ideas, orchard/grove origin stories, sustainability commitments, or QR codes that unlock recipes and grower videos. Clear education reduces guesswork and increases confidence.

• Clarity and compliance
  Full graphics provide space for nutrition facts, PLU/UPC, traceability, and bilingual copy without crowding the product view.

Sustainability by design

• PFAS-free portfolio
  All Fox Packaging solutions are PFAS-free.

• How2Recycle® guidance
  We help you choose structures that can qualify for How2Recycle® labels, often through mono-material designs (e.g., all-PE films) and compatible inks/adhesives. We also advise on venting strategies that maintain recyclability pathways where applicable.

• Operational efficiency = less waste
  Machine-friendly formats (e.g., Fresh Mesh Wicketed®) reduce mispacks and bag waste, supporting both economic and environmental goals.

Recycling and labeling eligibility depend on final structure and local programs. We’ll work with your team to confirm the right pathway for your pack and your retailers.

Let’s design the right pack together

Whether you’re refreshing a mandarin program with recloseable pouches, scaling grapefruit in durable leno, or converting berry packs to flexible film with anti-fog clarity, Fox Packaging will help you balance functionality, sustainability, and branding, without compromise.

Want a fast recommendation for your line and retailers? Share your target weights, equipment, and any sustainability requirements, and we’ll map the best fit from our portfolio along with How2Recycle® guidance.