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Originally Posted by Wi-sunflower
Unfortunately I don't have a good source for containers like you are looking for. Packing crates can be horribly expensive and tend to "grow legs". We are down to about 1/2 of what we had at one time.
Personally I don't do much sales direct to restaurants any more. When I did, I used the cardboard as no one wants to give crates back.
Way back ages ago I got a whole lot of large 1.5 bu plastic crates. But it was a 1 shot deal from someone that got them in a closeout of some sort. You used to be able to get the black 1 bu crates from the companies that got bulbs in them. Since they take up as much room empty as full, the companies didn't want them back. too much to ship them. But now they have the folding crates and you hardly see the others any more.
We pick mostly in 5 gal buckets and wash in a huge stainless sink in the barn.
Mostly we use the green plastic pints that you can get from Monte. They have all kinds of packing supplies. There is a company in Watertown that has some crates, but I could never afford them so I don't remember their name right now. There is also a place near the Dells that has decent prices on some supplies. Glacier Valley. Their web page sucks tho.
Carol
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Glacier Valley is not really a "company" in my opinon. They don't keep hardly anything in stock. I called about a few other things in the past and it was all drop ship. They are actually more expensive than Nolt's Midwest Produce Supply. I bought 15 1.75 bushel green bins and 15 7/8 bushel bins from Nolt's this spring. They are working well, but I never seem to have enough crates. I built some out of pine and cedar last year abour 1 bushel size, but they are 11lbs each and are a bear when full.
I was interested in the intercrate as they are certified for high pressure and hot water washing. My chefs are willing to just run the crates through their dishwasher when they are empty. They can't do that now with the Ropack containers as they are not certified for hot water washing. Trust me some of them come back with rotting broccoli and other "food: in them. We wind up using the pressure washer and then a 2% bleach solution dip.
I have paid for them in carboard so far in one season. Some of the bins have been in and back 35 times already. What I don't like about the stack and nest is that my kids never seem to stack them properly. Not a problem with melons, but tomatoes would be juiced by a mistake. The intercrates use the bails on top so it doesn't matter which way you set the crate down, it is not falling onto the produce.
I am just having heart palpatations on the shipping mostly. $170 for shipping is just crazy.