"It depends on the floral type, but overall we see an up to 25 percent increase in the life of cut flowers and potted plants," says Gordon Robertson, Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer of Verdant Technologies™ on the company’s recently introduced product, HarvestHold™. This new post-harvest product life extension will be brought to the international market in partnership with Chrysal and available to customers in Q1 2021.
Aim to reduce waste
Even though HarvestHold is Verdant Technologies' first product to market, the company has a long history in science and discovery. On the company’s past, Robertson shares, "Verdant was founded by the Erickson family who have funded research and innovation in biotechnology for decades. The family experienced the challenges that come with the distribution of perishable products first-hand, after many successful years in retail and C-stores. Reducing wastage has been a main objective of Verdant Technologies since the beginning, and we have developed hundreds of patents and trade secrets focused on product life extension technology through a proprietary delivery method of 1-MCP (1-methylcyclopropene).” The HarvestHold product line currently offers two solutions: HarvestHold Fresh for fruits and vegetables and HarvestHold Bloom for floral products.
HarvestHold - how does it work?
“It is actually quite simple,” says Robertson. “Through the use of flexographic printing, our 1-MCP based technology is applied to a sheet of film. 1-MCP works by blocking ethylene, which causes the natural ripening in produce and withering in florals. Growers apply a sheet of HarvestHold to product packaging and as flowers begin to respire, 1-MCP begins to release, slowing the respiration process and preserving their quality and beauty.” The ease of application is a big benefit, with growers and packers able to easily integrate HarvestHold into normal packing operations. “For floral producers and packers, water is the enemy, which many solutions require for activation. Our product requires no catalysts other than the florals themselves to activate the technology.”
Significant efficacy on a variety of florals
For several years, Verdant has been testing HarvestHold on many fresh perishable products, with consistent, reliable results. Most recent floral trials include several varieties of cut flowers and potted orchids. “Depending on the floral type, growing environment and transportation circumstances we’ve seen results of up to 15 days extended life for cut flowers and even longer results for potted plants. Longer product life means reduced shrink and less waste throughout the supply chain, more enjoyment for consumers and more opportunity for growers and distributors,” says Robertson.
Easy to store
On top of significant efficacy, ease in application and reliable results, HarvestHold is portable and storable. Robertson offers, “We wanted to develop a product that could be stored for long periods of time and transported wherever application was needed in the supply chain. Our team has decades of experience in the produce and perishable goods industries and we knew creating a solution that could be used whenever and wherever it was needed, with minimal interruption to operations, was critical to our success.”
Rolling out the product
In Q1 of 2021, Verdant expects HarvestHold Bloom to be on the market which they will roll out internationally together with Chrysal. "We have a tremendous opportunity in our partnership with Chrysal, the worldwide leader in flower care products. The initial focus will be on Colombia, one of the largest floral markets in the world, and Miami, one of the largest receiving areas in the United States for floral products,” says Robertson. The company plans to follow supply chains around the world, prioritizing leading grower-producer regions.
More products to come
With HarvestHold Bloom, Verdant Technologies announces its commercial launch into the biotechnology industry and the US launch of HarvestHold Fresh is soon to follow. According to Robertson, more ideas and products to reduce waste, enhance perishable product quality and deliver nourishment to more people in more places are currently in the pipeline.
For more information:
Verdant Technologies
Gordon Robertson
Tel: +1 (661) 487-2230
Email: [email protected]
www,verdant-tech.com