Latest News From Packer Tech

JBT Corp., Chicago, is purchasing United Kingdom-based Proseal, which specializes in tray sealing technology for the produce and other industries.

Felix Instruments, Camas Wash., has made upgrades to its Avocado Quality Meter.

New York-based BrightFarms plans to build a 250,000-square-foot greenhouse in Snyder County, Pa. — its second greenhouse in the state.

Walmart recently announced a transformation of one of its Neighborhood Market locations into a store with tons of cameras, sensors, data processors and cabling to connect it all.

The FDA is ushering in what it calls a New Era of Smarter Food Safety, with a focus on technology to trace the origin of fresh produce.

Oakland, Calif.-based vertical farm operator Crop One Holdings won the Best Innovation in Indoor Farming Award at the 2019 Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. 

Chicago-based Hazel Technologies Inc. has launched Hazel Cherry, a new post-harvest technology for fresh cherries.

Brampton, Ontario-based CHEP Canada has added Food Banks Canada to its network to reduce food waste and get food more efficiently to Canadians experiencing hunger.

Taylor Farms, Salinas, Calif., is reporting a year-over-year reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 12,190 metric tons in 2018 — 94% more than in the previous year.

Taylor Farms, Salinas, Calif., is reporting a year-over-year reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 12,190 metric tons in 2018 — 94% more than in the previous year.

Western Growers, Irvine, Calif., has introduced an interactive directory to connect growers to agricultural technology start-ups.

The Packer's editor-in-chief Tom Karst and retail editor Ashley Nickle discuss some of their takeaways from the first day of the Canadian Produce Marketing Association's annual convention.

MONTREAL – The Canadian Produce Marketing Association has announced a trio of new tools to help members reduce food waste, understand consumer perceptions and connect with tech startups.

SALINAS, Calif. — The devastation of Florida’s citrus industry from Huanglongbing (HLB) could become the future for California citrus ­­– or not.

The National Center for Electron Beam Research is sponsoring a workshop on using the technology on food for safety purposes.

SALINAS, Calif. — Blockchain, the digital transaction technology that enables cryptocurrency, has found a new user — the food industry.

The Wonderful Co., whose products include Wonderful Pistachios, Halos mandarins and other citrus and POM Wonderful products, pledges to use 100% renewable electricity at its operations by 2025.

Miami-based WP Produce is shipping Desbry brand avocados in a box it designed to lengthen the fruit’s shelf life.

The Port of Wilmington, Del., is modernizing with fully electric and eco-friendly cargo handling equipment from KoneCranes Inc.

Catalytic Generators debuts a redesigned Easy-Ripe ethylene generator used in the fruit ripening process at CPMA’s convention April 2-4 in Montréal, Quebec.

Los Angeles-based Hurst International is touting item-level traceability capabilities of its patented Print on Demand (POD) Versaprint labeling system.

Proseal, which specializes in tray sealing equipment, has a new testing system that allows fresh-cut processors to determine the optimal seal and peel strength for packaging.

Tomra Food’s BBC Technologies, which specializes in packaging equipment for small fruit, has a new Tray Tipper, designed to evenly distribute blueberries to a sorting machine.

Greenhouse grower Mastronardi Produce is partnering with an entrepreneur noted for building well-known tequila and hair care brands in a venture to promote high-density farming systems across the globe.

​​​​​​​Peach grower-shipper Lane Southern Orchards, Fort Valley, Ga., is doubling the capacity of its packinghouse in a $4 million project to be completed before the 2019 season.

Speakers from Microsoft, Wells Fargo and other companies are scheduled on the Produce Marketing Association’s Tech Knowledge Symposium agenda.

Gordon Food Service, Grand Rapids, Mich., has formed an exclusive partnership with indoor farming company Square Roots, expanding the greenhouse company’s reach from its New York base.

Speakers from Microsoft, Wells Fargo and other companies are scheduled on the Produce Marketing Association’s Tech Knowledge Symposium agenda.

Natalia Peres envisions a day when light from a machine resembling a spacecraft helps prevent powdery mildew from damaging strawberries.

The University of California Postharvest Technology Center is offering its 25th annual Fruit Ripening & Ethylene Management Workshop.

An important senior management responsibility involves assessing potential threats to an organization, identifying areas of concern and developing mitigation plans.

Escondido, Calif.-based Ancon Development Corporation said the company has been picked as a finalist in the Energy and Sustainability category in the 2019 Edison Awards for its new AGT Hybrid Greenhouse.

Tasked with shifting food safety oversight from a reactive to proactive role, the Food and Drug Administration has released a plan on methods to stop unsafe food from being imported into the U.S.

Michael Robach has joined Clear Labs’ board of directors.

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Danielle Gould is excited about biodiversity because you don’t even have to care about sustainability to like it — biodiversity just tastes delicious, she said. 

On the heels of a $40 million joint venture and a new office in Dubai, Sonia Lo is fighting for what she calls digital distributed agriculture, an emerging industry-wide infrastructure that works with indoor farms. 

Netherlands-based Manter International B.V. showcased its new bag placer and semi-automatic bagger at Berlin’s Fruit Logistica recently.

Netherlands-based Manter International B.V. showcased its new bag placer and semi-automatic bagger at Berlin’s Fruit Logistica recently.

BERLIN — FF Robotics is close to commercializing its robotic apple picker, according to company co-founders Avi Kahani and Gad Kober, and U.S. growers are expressing interest.

A Michigan company specializing in packaging solutions for small fresh produce such as blueberries is teaming up with an Australian company that specializes in vision grading machines for small produce.

Emerson is releasing the GO Real-Time Flex Tracker, which monitors the ambient temperatures, relative humidity and pulp temperature readings for fresh produce in transit.

Hy-Vee has launched a pilot program that lets shoppers buy products approaching their “best before” date at a significant discount.

Hy-Vee has launched a pilot program that lets shoppers buy products approaching their “best before” date at a significant discount.

The Center for Produce Safety, which recently announced an Innovation Challenge award with a total possible payout of $500,000, is having an informational web seminar about the event.

Apeel Sciences plans to bring its shelf-life extending technology to European avocado marketer Nature’s Pride.

Houweling’s Group has partnered with investment firm Equilibrium to modernize and expand production at its greenhouses.

Foodservice supplier US Foods Holding Corp. is expanding its Marrero, La., facility, nearly tripling its size to support growth in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Houweling’s Group has partnered with investment firm Equilibrium to modernize and expand production at its greenhouses.

Windsor, Ontario-based LabelPac, a company providing equipment that prints and applies labels on fruit, has a partnership with Australian company Label Press.

Windsor, Ontario-based LabelPac, a company providing equipment that prints and applies labels on fruit, has a partnership with Australian company Label Press.