Miami-based Save Foods has announced it is teaming up with Auryon Holdings, a South African private equity firm, to make Save Foods’ green treatment available in sub-Saharan Africa.
Save Foods’ treatment can be beneficial for African countries, the company said, by helping to provide populations with fresher, healthier produce. According to the Save Foods website, its products are commercially validated on citrus fruits, mango, avocado, pears, bell pepper, microgreens and various fresh-cut vegetables. The company is in the validation process for bananas, apples, figs, berries, lettuce, papaya and more, according to the website.
Save Foods’ plan is to focus on South Africa, as it is the largest fresh produce grower and exporter in Africa, and the world’s second largest citrus exporter, according to a news release.
“We are convinced that Save Foods’ green treatments are the only realistic and cost-effective way to cut waste and ensure food safety in Africa,” Ziv Ben-Ami, managing Partner of Auryon Holdings, said in the release. “Teaming up with Save Foods to represent their all-in-one treatments was an easy decision for us. These products can provide security for the $3.3 billion fresh produce export industry and offer impressive potential for growth.”
Company officials said Save Foods’ treatments can reduce, on average, 50% of fresh produce waste all along the supply chain.
“With a strategy in place to extend Save Foods’ global reach and to address the increased demand for our green products worldwide, our next step is to help African farmers to get better quality and more value from their crops,” Dan Sztybel, CEO of Save Foods’ Israeli subsidiary, said in the release. “We want to equip growers and packers with Save Foods treatment to minimize waste and optimize the shelf life of their crops. Also, with global supply chains still impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and more recently by the Ukraine crisis, improving local food supply is becoming increasingly important.”
