Post-harvest treatment specialist is launching operations in the UAE after winning the country’s FoodTech Challenge
Natural coating and post-harvest treatment specialist Akorn Technology has revealed that it is expanding across the Global South with the launch of a new venture in the UAE, following the company’s recent win of the UAE FoodTech Challenge.
Chosen from an initial 1,215 submissions from some 113 countries, Akorn demonstrated that its 100 per cent natural post-harvest treatments ”dramatically reduce” supply chain losses across a broad range of fruits and vegetables.
According to the group, the win is accompanied by substantial financial and technological support to develop and scale solutions through the UAE’s innovation ecosystem.
Akorn’s new venture in the Emirates will be focused on turning locally-generated agricultural and other food waste streams into value, and bringing advanced all-natural post-harvest solutions to the Global South – reducing losses, extending freshness, and strengthening food security.
“What sets Akorn apart is simple: we’re not another synthetic coating or chemical fungicide,” said Anthony Zografos, Akorn’s founder and CEO.
”Our solutions are made from 100 per cent natural, food-grade materials — many sourced from upcycled agricultural byproducts — yet they deliver broad, multi-functional protection across the entire post-harvest chain, as well as superior results compared to existing options.
“We offer both storage coatings that protect quality during long transit and cold storage, and market coatings that preserve appearance and freshness at retail,” he continued.
”From controlling fungal decay in citrus, stonefruit and mangoes, to reducing superficial scald in apples and pears, to stabilising highly perishable crops like avocados, a single adaptable platform replaces multiple chemistries.
“For partners, that means fewer inputs, fewer regulatory hurdles, and a cost-effective, clean-label way to extend shelf life and reduce waste across diverse commodities,” noted Zografos.
”We see this as a new category of natural post-harvest protection that complements existing infrastructure while unlocking measurable value throughout the supply chain.
”For investors, this is a rare opportunity: a platform that’s commercially ready with significant early traction, addresses an enormous US$20-plus billion market, and meets growing demand for clean-label, sustainable solutions — with a clear path to global adoption.”
Akorn stated that it has embraced an open innovation approach, actively collaborating with leading academic institutions located near key growing regions to ensure its solutions are rigorously validated under real-world conditions.
”Through close collaboration with academic partners such as the University of Florida, UNIVASF, the National Agrarian University – La Molina in Lima, Peru, the Technical University of Crete, and Colorado State University, among others, the company generates region-specific performance data that is scientifically robust and directly relevant to growers,” it said.
These independent studies confirm a reduction in spoilage during cold storage and transit by 50 per cent for most crops, it explained, with shelf-life extended from four days to eight, and mango shelf-life from eight days to over 15.
The group’s newest solution, an all-natural fungicidal coating, reduces green and blue mould on citrus by more than 90 per cent with ”absolutely no chemicals used”, it said.
”We calculate there’s a US$5-US$10 profit increase per US$1 invested in Akorn solutions,” added Akorn CCO and co-founder, Xander Shapiro.
“Akorn products enhance profitability not only by reducing waste and lowering costs, but also by unlocking access to distant export and premium markets through the consistent delivery of the highest-quality long-lasting produce.”
