How California Food and Beverage Manufacturers Can Replace Cardboard Gaylords

Shannon O'Shea
May 4
3 min read

Updated: May 4

How California Food and Beverage Manufacturers Can Replace Cardboard Gaylords

California's food and beverage manufacturing sector is the largest in the United States, and it's under more packaging pressure than any other industry right now. SB 54 compliance requirements are driving packaging decisions. Food safety standards demand washable, non-porous bulk containers. Cold chain operations need packaging that performs in outdoor and refrigerated environments without moisture collapse. And the sheer volume of product moving through California food manufacturing means packaging costs are a significant line item.

Single-use cardboard gaylord boxes fail on multiple counts in food and beverage applications: they absorb moisture, they cannot be sanitized between uses, they contribute to SB 54 compliance challenges, and they represent an ongoing cost that compounds across every production cycle. LagunaRP reusable corrugated plastic sleeve packs address all of these pain points — and ship from Santa Ana, California.

The Food and Beverage Packaging Problem

Walk the shipping dock of any California food manufacturer and you'll see the same challenges: cardboard gaylords slumping in humid morning air, stacks of broken-down empties waiting for disposal, and production lines paused while someone sources replacement boxes. The food and beverage industry uses more bulk packaging than almost any other sector — and it's among the most sensitive to packaging quality and consistency.

A gaylord that collapses under load can contaminate product, stop a production line, or create worker safety issues. The risk profile of single-use cardboard in food manufacturing is higher than most operations realize — and the cost is almost always underestimated.

Why Reusable Plastic Sleeve Packs Work for Food and Beverage

LagunaRP sleeve packs are built for food and beverage applications from the ground up. Our corrugated polyethylene construction is non-porous — liquids and food particles do not absorb into the sleeve material. Between cycles, sleeves can be wiped down or pressure-washed without damaging the sleeve structure. This means a single sleeve can serve food-safe applications across its entire 50 to 100+ cycle service life without hygiene degradation.

Our sleeves are weather-resistant and perform in outdoor staging, loading dock environments, and cold chain applications where cardboard would collapse or degrade. The rigid corrugated plastic maintains its shape under load in humid, cold, and wet conditions — maintaining product protection regardless of environmental conditions.

For our food and beverage packaging solutions and full specifications, visit lagunarp.com/food-industry.

SB 54 and Food Manufacturing

California's SB 54 packaging law is especially relevant for food and beverage manufacturers, who are among the largest users of single-use packaging in California. Switching from cardboard gaylords to LagunaRP sleeve packs reduces a food manufacturer's single-use packaging volume by 90% or more — a meaningful contribution to SB 54 compliance reporting.

Our sleeves are 100% recyclable at end of life and support California's circular packaging mandate. View our SB 54 compliance documentation options.

The Central Valley Connection

California's Central Valley — Fresno, Modesto, Stockton, Tracy, Lodi, and surrounding communities — is one of the most concentrated food processing regions in the world. Wineries, dairy processors, produce packers, and food manufacturers throughout the valley use bulk containers constantly. LagunaRP ships to Central Valley customers in one day from Santa Ana. For Central Valley food manufacturers comparing LagunaRP to national suppliers: the freight advantage is $300 to $600 per order versus Wisconsin or Michigan sources.

Other Industries We Serve

Automotive Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers — UniPak-compatible sleeves for parts shipping.

Pharmaceutical operations — cleanable, FDA-compatible bulk containers.

3PLs and distribution centers — 7:1 nesting ratio cuts return freight 75%.

Manufacturing operations — direct gaylord replacement on production lines.

Getting Started

Food and beverage manufacturers can start with 5 sleeves — no minimum commitment, no enterprise contract. We recommend a trial run during a standard production cycle to validate fit before scaling to a full fleet.

Call (949) 990-8036 or request a quote at lagunarp.com/contact. Same-week shipping from Santa Ana, CA.