Frigotec’s Roland Wirth tells Fruitnet how Softripe is making global fruit ripening more efficient, intelligent and sustainable, while unlocking new fruit qualities
What makes your Softripe ripening technology unique?
Roland Wirth: Softripe is a fundamentally new ripening technology. It enables communication with the fruit and guides it through an optimal biological ripening process. Depending on the condition of the fruit, the natural ripening parameters are continuously adjusted – dynamically and automatically – within the ripening chamber, without stressing the fruit.
The result is a controlled ripening process with a homogeneous outcome: the fruit’s nutritional components develop to their full potential, and ripening occurs from the inside out. The fruit skin remains firm and acts as a natural protective layer, while the flesh is ready-to-eat, soft, and full of flavour. The fruit stays healthy for longer, and typical damage symptoms are significantly reduced or delayed. Each ripening chamber has its own ‘DNA’ and continues to learn and optimise itself with every cycle.
Where is Softripe technology currently being used?
RW: Since our market launch in 2018, our ripening chambers have been implemented in more than 12 countries. Our customers include fruit wholesalers, ripening logistics providers, and specialised service companies for retail chains. Over 100 Softripe chambers have been delivered to date, primarily in Europe and South America.
Our next expansion will be into North America and Asia. The technology and algorithm are constantly being developed further; we are currently delivering chambers of the 4.0 generation.
How does this technology change the supply chain?
RW: Significantly. The previous ‘blind’ classic ripening process is replaced by a safe, stable, and controlled approach. Problems in cultivation or transportation can be clearly identified. Ripening becomes faster, more predictable, and can be accelerated if needed.
Additionally, fully ripened fruit can be temporarily stored under controlled atmosphere (CA) conditions. This enhances logistical stability and flexibility with no unpleasant surprises. Losses along the supply chain are significantly reduced starting from the ripening stage. Retailers receive stable, ‘healthy’ ready-to-eat products with maximum shelf-life. Overripe avocados on store shelves become a thing of the past, and consumers gain confidence that they’re not buying fruit damaged from the inside. At home, the fruit stays fresh, making it easy to stock up once a week.
Softripe-ripened fruit can be easily stored at low temperatures because it is brought into a preservative state at the end of the ripening process. This allows retailers with their stock to work flexibly with ready-to-eat fruit, as long as the cold chain is maintained.
What about sustainability?
RW: We believe Softripe is one of the most important innovations in recent years in terms of fruit quality and sustainability in the produce industry. The technology deserves even more attention, and we hope that the major retailers in Europe will recognise the vast potential of this AI-driven solution – and that we can better convince them going forward.
Here’s a real-world example. Avocados ripen successfully under traditional methods only once their dry matter (oil content) reaches 21 per cent. Early-season shipments often contain fruit with lower values. Only the Softripe process can successfully ripen these ‘challenging’ qualities – avoiding waste and product rejection. This entire zero-waste strategy offered by Softripe can significantly improve acceptance of resource-intensive fruits like avocados.
What is next for Softripe?
RW: In addition to our core fruits – bananas, avocados, and mangoes – we are working on other fruits such as kiwifruit, pineapples, and passion fruit. Especially with mangoes, we aim to demonstrate in practice – together with our ripening partners – that container-shipped mangoes, ripened with Softripe, can match the taste quality of air-freighted mangoes while offering better shelf-life.
For consumers, it would be ideal if they could specifically seek out and purchase this new fruit quality. As a team, it’s always a bit frustrating to receive feedback like “…the best avocado I’ve ever eaten…” from people close to us – but then not be able to say where to buy it. We definitely want to change that in the future.
