Stackable container for ripening of fruit during shipment and storage

A container for ripening fruit during storage and shipment comprising

• a box having a box bottom wall, a plurality of vertically oriented box side walls and box end walls defining a volume with an open end,
• a lid for said box having a lid top wall and integral perimeter comprised of a plurality of vertically oriented lid side walls and lid end walls depending therefrom to fit telescopically over the open end of said box, planes of said lid side walls being offset from planes of said box side walls
• said lid side walls and lid end walls being two-ply comprised of inner and outer panels, the outer panels being hingedly connected to the lip top wall and the inner panels being hingedly connected to the outer panels at a perimeter fold-line, said inner panels being folded inwardly about said perimeter fold-line,
• each of the inner panels having a hinged connection to the adjacent panel at a panel fold-line, the panel fold-line forming the inner corner of the lid perimeter wall,
• scored diagonal fold-lines radiating outwardly at the ends of each panel from the intersection of said perimeter fold-line and the panel fold-line, the included angle between said diagonal fold-lines being 90 degrees, the inwardly folded inner panels of said lid perimeter wall being locked at the corners by said diagonal folds and said inwardly folded inner panels being bowed inwardly of the lid perimeter whereby the bowed inner panels engage the box side walls and securely hold the lid on the box against the box side walls and reinforce said box side walls against bulging outwardly;
• said container adapted to be stacked in a pallet load with other of said containers, with lid side walls of adjacent said containers in engagement for stable stacking of said containers, and adjacent side walls of adjacent said containers spaced apart in a manner to define a channel between said adjacent containers for circulation of ventilating air or gas to fruit contained within said containers, and for removal of heat generated by respiration of the fruit contained within said containers.