Produce packing innovation extends shelf-life, replaces ice, and creates transport efficiencies
Verdant Technologies is expanding the adoption of its HarvestHold Fresh product in Canada to improve the sustainability and efficiency of the North American broccoli supply chain. HarvestHold Fresh is an in-box sheet that uses an industry-standard ingredient, widely used in commodities like apples and flowers for more than two decades to extend freshness and shelf-life. HarvestHold Fresh is placed in produce boxes immediately after harvest to slow ripening and maturation so that produce can maintain its vitality and taste for longer. This innovation eliminates the need for ice when transporting broccoli, significantly reducing water use and optimizing space, which creates a more sustainable method of shelf-life preservation and makes transportation more efficient.
Empire Company Limited, parent company of Sobeys Inc. was the first major grocery retailer in North America to adopt the technology. Since 2022, Empire’s growing partners have been using the ice-less HarvestHold technology in bunch broccoli packing in Quebec and Ontario at its Sobeys, IGA, Foodland, and FreschCo banner stores. The collaboration is a major development in building a more sustainable and efficient broccoli supply chain. In 2024, the partners plan to expand nationally as part of a new supply chain innovation and sustainability initiative.
