Latest News From Packer Tech

Irvine, Calif.-based Western Growers has a goal of automating 50% of harvest within 10 years, and is spearheading a Global Harvest Automation Initiative make it happen across the fresh produce industry.

Unfold, a firm handling seed genetics, crop growing and agronomic expertise for vertical farming, welcomes Minos Athanassiadis as a company advisor and breaks ground on R&D vertical farm facility in Davis, Calif.

Artificial intelligence can tell which strawberries will taste better, according to new University of Florida research.

A new collaboration between Canada’s leader in applied horticulture research and innovation and INO will make innovative automation technology available for Canadian mushroom and greenhouse cucumber growers.

Concentric Power Inc.. has announced it has broken ground on a 5.0 MW microgrid for Tasteful Selections.

Chicago-based Hazel Technologies Miami-based WP Produce report strong growth in the volume of Dominican Republic tropical avocados treated with the technology.

Apeel has announced an expanded partnership network made up of more than 20 avocado industry leaders using Apeel’s plant-based protection in the U.S., Latin America and Europe. 

Hazel Technologies, Inc. announces the launch of the first-ever virtual Cherry Quality Summit.

“Since 2005, citrus growers have been plagued by citrus greening—a yield- and quality-robbing disease complex that has devastated the industry—causing farm gate losses of more than $8 billion,” says Ryan Bond.

Coral Gables, Fla.-based Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A. said it has partnered with Apeel to offer its customers longer-lasting avocados. 

Seeking to deliver functional foods, St. Louis, Mo.-based food tech company Benson Hill has announced the launch of its Ingredient and Fresh business segments.

Peruvian produce marketer Camposol will use Philadelphia-based AgroFresh Solutions, Inc.'s VitaFresh Botanicals plant-based, edible coatings to extend shelf life for ripened avocados bound for export markets.

Orlando, Fla.-based Kalera has announced the purchase of a facility in St. Paul, Minn., which they will convert to a vertical farming facility, according to a news release.

A $314 million ag-tech center ­— that will grow indoors, copack, distribute and sometimes process fresh greens, tomatoes, blueberries and other produce — is coming to South Carolina.

Murrieta, Calif.-based West Pak Avocado has partnered with Apeel to extended shelf life and reduce food waste for their premium avocados.

The Migiva Group, owner of South America fresh produce grower-exporter Agricola Andrea, has partnered with Chicago-based Hazel Technologies to trial Hazel Tech post-harvest application for grapes on a commercial scale.

Robotic kiosks that provide automated and contactless dispensing of groceries for consumers are being sustainably refrigerated by Carrier Transicold NaturaLINE units, according to a news release.

Chicago-based Hazel Technologies Inc. and Dominican Republic grower AMR Agro report the successful implementation of Hazel Tech solutions across their global product offering.

Aguair LLC. is proud to announce that several produce operators are utilizing its ClensAirTM six-stage air sanitizer to remove ethylene while simultaneously inactivating airborne and surface mold, bacteria, and viruses.

Tomra Food has introduced SmartGrade on its Spectrim platform.

ProAmpac, a global leader in flexible packaging, announced today that five additional facilities have been certified to the Safe Quality Food (SQF) program.

Oxnard, Calif.-based Mission Produce is launching a podcast on Feb. 25.

Worthington, Minn.-based Bedford Industries has introduced CloseIt Bio-Clip, its new plant-based bag closure containing 100% USDA certified bio-based content that is commercially compostable. 

New research is looking at warm spots in the strawberry supply chain.

Philadelphia-based AgroFresh Solutions Inc. has launched plant-based edible coatings for produce freshness under the VitaFresh Botanicals brand.

Richmond, Va.-based Proseal is offering advanced tray sealing machines for soft fruit growers.

Watsonville, Calif.-based Driscoll’s has announced a partnership with the Israel-based technology solutions company Consumer Physics to leverage its SCiO technology to innovate Driscoll’s quality measurement process.

Produce buying and selling platform Produce Live has launched.

Fresh Del Monte is partnering with an Australian university to identify new ways of growing bananas that are less susceptible to Tropical Race 4 (TR4), also known as fusarium or Panama disease.

Denver-based ROXBOX Containers has launched a line of 100% off-grid solar infrastructure containers with Australian partners, Black Stump Technologies.

Tomra Food has launched Packhouse Academy, described by the company as a comprehensive online learning resource for fresh produce packhouse professionals.

Chicago-based Hazel Technologies, Inc., is holding its first-ever virtual Stone Fruit Quality Summit.

Oppy is set to conduct two independent trials exploring the viability of new technologies that aim to further advance strawberry production practices by offering solutions to persistent issues faced by the industry.

Calif.-based Flavor Wave has started operating in Doral, Fla. with Mac Edwards Produce Wholesale, according to Patrick Kelly, spokesman.

London-based AgriDex, calling itself the “world’s first digital market place” for the food sector, has announced it will begin operations before the fourth quarter of this year.

It happened after Morehead, Ky-based AppHarvest and Novus Capital Corp. completed its business combination and related charter amendments.

The Allen Lund Company announces the celebration of its 45th anniversary in 2021.

TOMRA Food announced its new organization focused on two business areas, Fresh Food and Processed Food.

The Sorma Group, Cesena, Italy, has expanded the capabilities of its optical sorting machine with HyperVision, allowing it to analyze up to 15 pieces of fruit each second.

Calavo Growers Inc., Santa Paula, Calif., is using Apeel Sciences' plant-based solution to extend the shelf life of avocados.

ProAmpac, a leader in flexible packaging and material science, today announced the completion of a new investment from Pritzker Private Capital, strengthening their successful multi-year partnership.

Newark, N.J.-based AeroFarms won a BIG Innovation Award in the technology category, presented by Business Intelligence Group.

Seattle-based RipeLocker, a company that specializes in extending the shelf life of perishables, recently completed a test in which organic blueberries were stored in one of its containers for eight weeks.

Mann Packing Co. Inc. has opened a 130,000-square-foot fresh-cut facility in Gonzales, Calif.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking members for a new advisory committee for urban agriculture.

D’Arrigo California, Salinas, is proud to announce the launch of its newly redesigned website at www.andyboy.com.

A recent report on controlled-environment agriculture shows that greenhouse and vertical and indoor farm growers are overwhelmingly optimistic about 2021.

The Middleby Corp., a foodservice equipment supplier, has launched a line of indoor air purifiers, Bluezone by Middleby, that are promoted to extend the shelf life of produce when used in walk-in coolers.

Crowley Logistics has added 355 new refrigerated reefer cargo containers to its fleet in Central America to ensure availability for perishables in the supply chain.

Compac, which is part of Tomra, has a new generation box filler designed to handle delicate fruit.