A cherry tomato tray designed to become a mini basketball hoop has won the ARCAPACK ORO 2026 National Packaging Design Award in Spain, showing how fresh produce packaging can move beyond protection and become part of the consumer experience. The concept, created by designer Víctor Folk for Enbox-World Vypmar, replaces a standard plastic tub with a recyclable cardboard structure under the message: “Less plastic, more game.”

The award, presented by the Veredictas International Foundation, recognises a packaging idea that combines sustainability, functionality and emotional engagement. Instead of treating tomatoes as a simple commodity, the design turns the pack into an interactive object. Consumers open the tray, taste the product and then fold the cardboard into a small basketball hoop, transforming disposal time into playtime.

Fresh produce packaging can educate, entertain and reduce plastic at the same time when design is treated as a strategic tool.

The project responds to a clear challenge in the fruit and vegetable aisle. Ultra-processed snacks often attract children through colour, games, characters and playful formats, while fresh produce is usually presented in more functional packaging. This concept asks whether healthier products can create the same kind of emotional response without relying on unnecessary plastic or disposable gimmicks.

By using recyclable cardboard as the main material, the design reduces dependence on single-use PET trays, a format still common in fresh produce retail. The change supports the direction of European packaging legislation and the requirements of major retailers, which are increasingly asking suppliers to reduce plastic, improve recyclability and communicate sustainability more clearly to shoppers.

At the same time, the concept does not sacrifice the role of packaging in product presentation. Cherry tomatoes are delicate, visually appealing products that need protection, ventilation and shelf visibility. A successful alternative to plastic must preserve the basic functions of the pack while adding value for brands, retailers and consumers. This is where structural design becomes essential.

The tray also highlights the growing importance of experience-led packaging. In competitive retail environments, packaging must do more than hold the product. It can tell a story, support healthier choices, encourage family interaction and make the fresh produce category more memorable. For children, a playful pack can create a stronger connection with fruit and vegetables, helping reposition them as enjoyable rather than obligatory.

• Recyclable cardboard replaces a conventional plastic tub.
• Interactive design turns the pack into a mini basketball hoop.
• Healthy eating is promoted through play and engagement.
• Brand differentiation is strengthened at the produce shelf.
• Plastic reduction aligns with retailer and regulatory expectations.

For packaging producers, the award is a reminder that sustainability should not only be measured by material substitution. A strong sustainable pack must also be easy to understand, attractive to consumers and suitable for industrial production. If a fibre-based format fails to protect the product or does not appeal to shoppers, its environmental advantage may not be enough to secure market adoption.

For fresh produce brands, the concept opens new possibilities. Tomatoes, berries, grapes and other small-format produce categories often rely on plastic trays because of visibility and convenience. Creative cardboard engineering can offer alternatives that reduce plastic while giving brands a stronger visual and emotional identity. This can be especially valuable in premium, children-focused or promotional ranges.

The recognition of this design also reflects a wider change in packaging awards. Judges are increasingly rewarding concepts that combine circular materials, communication value and user experience. A package is no longer evaluated only for aesthetics or technical execution; it is also assessed for how it influences behaviour, reduces environmental impact and supports broader social goals.

Enbox’s role in the project underlines the importance of specialist carton packaging companies in the transition away from plastic. Agricultural packaging requires practical knowledge of logistics, product handling, humidity, retail display and cost control. Innovation must therefore connect creative design with the realities of the produce supply chain.

Víctor Folk’s award-winning cherry tomato tray shows that fresh fruit and vegetable packaging can compete with snack packaging on creativity while supporting healthier and more sustainable consumption. For the packaging industry, it is a clear example of how cardboard can be used not only as a substitute material, but as a platform for interaction, education and stronger brand value.