As the harvest of new season apples and pears gets under way, Nick Sanders, commercial manager for AgroFresh, is stressing the importance of actively managing the entire process from harvest to consumer in order to deliver a superior fruit-eating experience and gain repeat business.
Nick says there has been a tendency to think about post-harvest management as a storage-only issue, with the focus on getting the fruit onto the truck and to the supermarket—but attitudes are changing
“As was highlighted at APAL’s recent post-harvest seminar, a ‘total management approach’ is the key to engaging the consumer with something more than fruit that looks good; and to winning repeat business,” Nick said.
“Storage is only part of the equation in terms of delivering maximum consumer satisfaction.”
SmartFresh™ technology
Nick added that increasingly it has been recognised that SmartFresh™ technology has a role to play in most cost effectively winning repeat business.
“When SmartFresh first came to market it was seen as a complementary storage technology.”
“Before SmartFresh, apples stored for longer periods were picked on the immature side.
“With SmartFresh,fruits are harvested much closer to tree-ripe and are holding their crispness.
“And as a marketing tool, SmartFresh has given users more time for packing and finding markets, without compromising the consumer’s experience.
“As we have learned more about the technology, we have also seen its value in controlling some storage disorders, like scald, as well as helping to reduce storage related energy costs for both RA and CA.
“These are benefits beyond delivering a crisp, great tasting apple after storage.”
Nick says AgroFresh is keen to work alongside individual customers throughout their business—in places like the packing shed—to identify and help them resolve issues and challenges.
“Because of the parallels between the Australia and Washington apple markets, including most of the same varieties, we have a lot of practical learning we can draw on,” he said.
“Where necessary, however, we will undertake targeted trials with individual customers.”
Contact Nick Sanders, Commercial Manager Australia, AgroFresh Business
phone 03 5944 4117 mobile 0418-998-315
e-mail
For more information, see Tree Fruit, January 2013
