CHICAGO, IL – Hazel Technologies Inc., a USDA-funded technology company delivering new solutions for fresh produce to extend shelf-life, increase sales, and fight food waste, announces a completed melon export campaign with Dan Andrews Farms, grower of premium melons since 2007. The campaign focused on the export of honeydew melons incorporating the Hazel™ for Melon post-harvest quality technology from Hazel Tech.
According to the USDA, over $7B worth of fresh produce grown in the US was exported abroad in 2019 alone (source). One constant challenge with exporting perishable products such as melons is ensuring quality on arrival. The Hazel™ for Melon line addresses this market need.
A small biodegradable packet placed in the box during packing, Hazel™ helps extend the shelf-life of fresh melons and fight costly rejections and food waste following transit in the supply chain. Following initial testing, the technology received grant funding from the USDA to further development.
The key differentiator for Hazel™ Melon has been the ease of use. Fresh melons are traditionally field-packed, which makes extra post-harvest treatments extremely challenging unless the solution is very simple. Dan Andrews Farms employed the technology for all export containers again this year with consistent positive feedback from import receivers.
“Exporting melons is a high risk business. Without employing the latest technologies to ensure quality during long transit times that can exceed 28 days, it’s difficult to be consistently successful,” commented Dan Andrews, Owner of Dan Andrews Farms. “Hazel Tech enables us to more confidently export higher volumes with more peace of mind.”
“Globalization is increasing to levels never seen before, and as Dan and his veteran team can attest to, this trend is growing in the food supply chain as well ”, said Aidan Mouat, CEO Hazel Technologies, “As food producers across the world just like Dan Andrews Farms seek to stay competitive in a global market while minimizing waste, we will see even more demand for food quality technologies”.
About Hazel Technologies, Inc.:
Hazel Technologies is a USDA-funded startup company that develops new solutions to extend the quality shelf life of fresh produce and reduce food waste. Founded in 2015, Hazel Tech® services over 150 of the world’s largest fresh produce packers, shippers, and retailers. Selected as a Finalist for Fast Company’s 2020 World Changing Ideas and winner of “Best Sustainable Packaging”; at the 2020 World Food Innovation Awards, the company’s patent-pending technologies have been tested by top academic research programs including UC Davis, Cornell University, and Oregon State University. In 2020, Hazel is on track to be used with over 3.2 billion pounds of fresh produce, preventing more than 270 million pounds from going to waste.For more information, visit www.hazeltechnologies.com.
About Dan Andrews Farms:
The Andrews Company dates all the way back to 1900, when Dan’s grandfather, Sam Andrews, and three of his brothers (from a rather large family of five boys and five girls) immigrated to the United States from Lebanon. Today, Dan Andrews Farms has earned a reputation of honesty and integrity with its customers and vendors. We also have implemented Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Integrated Pest Management (IPM), water testing, monthly employee safety meetings, food security policies and annual third party audits of our farming practices. For more information, visit http://danandrewsfarms.com/
