“We are thrilled to achieve this major milestone and provide successful post-harvest solutions"

Verdant Technologies announces the rollout of its HarvestHold Fresh product life extension solution to the produce industry, after receiving EPA registration in early September. HarvestHold is a 1-MCP-based post-harvest solution that extends the usable product life of fruits, vegetables and flowers by an average of 40-50% and significantly reduces wastage in perishable supply chains. Verdant’s floral life extension solution, HarvestHold Bloom, was made available to global floral markets in late 2020. Verdant plans to offer HarvestHold in all fifty states and many countries worldwide, with product availability following individual state and country approvals.

“We are thrilled to achieve this major milestone with HarvestHold,” said Gordon Robertson, Chief Executive Officer of Verdant Technologies. “This product has been in development for some time and trialed extensively as a solution to decrease environmental losses and increase financial performance for customers in perishable supply chains. Our initial conversations and commercial trials with potential customers have been incredibly promising. The market is ripe for innovation and HarvestHold offers a revolutionary change in ease of use, flexibility, consistency and targeted delivery of 1-MCP with significant efficacy proven on a variety of fruits and vegetables.”

Verdant was acquired by Gulftech International in June 2021 and has since initiated plans to rapidly scale for growth across the United States, Mexico and Colombia. “It’s an incredibly exciting time for us. We are ramping up activity in all areas, working to hire top talent as quickly as we can to support our expansion and provide excellent products and service to our customers,” said Robertson.

Performance results
The effects of food waste have far-reaching environmental repercussions and cause the value to disintegrate throughout the supply chain. HarvestHold provides superior protection and maximizes freshness, giving growers, distributors, and retailers a new, more reliable tool to ensure their products reach consumers as intended. With the ability to target application, HarvestHold extends product life, reduces shrink, and improves profitability for growers and retailers – and provides consumers with longer-lasting products. HarvestHold also helps to lessen negative impacts from wastage, expand markets and opportunities and provide nourishment for more people in more places.

On average, customers can expect a 40-50% increase in usable product life and improved color, firmness, and quality. HarvestHold has demonstrated promising results in tomatoes, melons, broccoli, papayas, avocados, and peaches. Robertson said, “customers have been eager to trial our product in their own packing operations. HarvestHold is an enticing offer: Protect your investment, provide a superior product and easily incorporate it into existing packing operations. Time is money and HarvestHold adds days to the clock while also simplifying the application method and improving the reliability and efficacy of this proven shelf-life stabilization technology.”

Delivery of 1-MCP
HarvestHold contains the active ingredient 1-MCP (1-Methylcyclopropene), which has been used for decades to block ethylene, the natural plant hormone that stimulates the ripening of produce. 1-MCP is approved by the EPA and regarded as safe by the US FDA, the EU, and more than 30 other countries around the world. HarvestHold utilizes a proprietary, patented 1-MCP delivery and activation system that can be printed on a variety of standard packing materials including plastic sheets, paper stock, and labels. As produce is harvested, growers and packers simply insert a sheet of HarvestHold directly into the box. HarvestHold is activated by natural plant respiration and humidity and requires zero liquid water, special handling, or complicated application methods. Ripening slows to an optimal pace and the amount of time the product is viable is significantly increased. HarvestHold can also be reapplied if desired at any point in the supply chain.

“Our team has been focused on freshness for decades and the launch of HarvestHold™ in the produce market has substantial implications for the industry. Improved freshness provides more value and supports a more sustainable future,” says Jon Fobes, Chief Scientific and Technology Officer. Launching a new product amid COVID-19 has been sometimes challenging, but the pandemic rallied the team around its mission. “At a time when supply chains are especially stressed, HarvestHold offers a solution to alleviate some of the pressure. Everyone is working as hard as they can to put high-quality products on the table and make what they have last longer. From growers to retailers to consumers, HarvestHold can help make the most of everyone’s efforts.”