After over a year of testing post-harvest solutions, Mission Produce and Hazel Technologies have announced a partnership to extend the shelf-life of avocados and 'enhance customer experience'.
As part of the collaboration, Mission will continue to test (with the aim to integrate) Hazel Technologies' USDA-funded packaging solution across its global supply chain to reduce waste and shrinkage.
“This partnership demonstrates Mission Produce’s dedication to quality, innovation, and growth, and Hazel’s commitment to post-harvest solutions in the produce industry,” said Steve Barnard, president and CEO of Mission Produce. “Our partnership with Hazel Technologies strengthens our position in the industry.”
“Mission Produce is always looking ahead,” said Aidan Mouat, CEO and co-founder of Hazel Technologies. “Considering the demand for avocados, we could not have chosen a better partner.”
For many years, Mission Produce actively researched several new post-harvest shelf-life extension solutions, according to Patrick Cortes, senior director of business development.
“We decided to collaborate with Hazel Technologies because in our initial year of testing, the company’s solutions proved to increase the shelf-life of both hard and ripe avocados, maintain and extend the internal quality of the fruit, and minimise the operational impact to the supply chain,' said Cortes. 'However, the main benefit of the partnership is working together to reduce global food waste.”
According to Mission, the group also wants to reduce customer throwaways, in turn increasing profits, while creating more positive consumer experiences that ultimately drive category growth.
After over a year of research and trials with Hazel Technologies' packaging inserts, Mission Produce saw an increase in the shelf-life of both hard and ripe avocados when including the new technology.
In several different settings, Mission conducted studies using Hazel 1-MCP technology and the results were consistent: the avocados experienced an extended shelf-life and internal quality.
The technology, which is funded by the USDA, is a quarter-sized biodegradable and food-safe packaging insert that is placed in the box.
“Our premier technology effectively reduces waste and shrink in an easy-to-integrate fashion,' Mouat explained. 'Because of the packet’s ease of use, there is little impact to the efficiency of the supply chain.'
The packet can be applied in various environments such as at source, during packaging, or at Mission Produce’s distribution centres.
All of this together provides solutions in many aspects; shelf-life extension, ease of application, limited supply chain disruption and an improved customer experience.
“Combining Hazel Technologies’ solutions with Mission Produce’s advanced avocado network means that together we can continue to provide the world’s finest avocados to consumers worldwide,” concluded Cortes.
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