New Zealand-based Ripesense Ltd has signed an exclusive partnership deal with packaging supplier Fresh Technologies to distribute its award-winning patented label technology ripeSense in the UK, with leading supermarket operator Tesco the first major retail company to use the labels.

The packaging will be used at first only on pears sold as part of the Tesco Finest range, although food retail industry magazine The Grocer has confirmed an avocado indicator is also in development and is set to become commercially available in the near future. Other retailers are said to be considering using the technology.

“Ripesense is delighted to team up with Fresh Technologies, as a seasoned and professional industry supplier with extensive coverage of the fresh produce market,” commented Cameron McInness, general manager of Ripesense. “Fresh Technologies has extensive knowledge of the fresh produce market. This gives Ripesense additional momentum in its quest to educate consumers and minimise wastage by selecting fruit after viewing our ripeness indicator labels.”

Launched back in 2004 and initially trialled on pears sold in clamshell packs, the ripeSense system works by changing colour in reaction to the fruit’s ripeness. The coloured film used for each indicator changes as the enclosed fruit matures, reacting with natural volatile compounds in the fruit. Starting out at red, the film indicates that the fruit is firm; then, as the enclosed product ripens, it changes from red to orange and finally to yellow, indicating that the fruit is fully ripe.

The labelling technology, which have attracted several plaudits – including being named in Time Magazine’s 36 Greatest Inventions of 2004 – allow consumers to easily and consistently select the ripeness of fruit they require with a simple glance at the indicator colour, eliminating confusion at time of purchase and enabling them to plan out the shelf-life of the fruit.

Last year, the company began producing free-flow packaging, which enables the packing process to be fully automated and reduces the volume of packaging used.

Richard King, chief executive of Fresh Technologies, said the company welcomed the opportunity to expand its packaging business. “This is both new and exciting technology to the UK sector and compliments our existing business activities perfectly,” he commented. “We look forward to introducing this technology through our existing marketing channels.”