CHICAGO, IL – Hazel Technologies, a USDA-funded company providing new technologies to extend the quality shelf life of produce and fight food waste, announces the launch of a new organic compatible product line, Hazel™ O, with Miami, FL-based WP Produce, the largest grower of tropical avocados in the world. As part of the partnership WP Produce has incorporated Hazel O into its supply chain and much anticipated 2-count bag launch.
The Hazel O product is a sachet placed in a box of produce by the packer immediately following harvesting and packing. The sachet works by reducing the ethylene sensitivity of fresh produce. Ethylene is a hormone that many types of fresh produce release during the ripening process which triggers further ripening, softness, and development of maturity and eventually spoilage.
As part of the partnership, WP Produce 2-count Desbry® tropical avocado bags have been co-branded with the slogan “Fresher with Hazel Tech®” on the front left corner of each bag. Shipments have already been received at over 180 store locations of major US retailers, including Kroger. The goal of the partnership is to assure retailers and consumers that they are receiving products with the highest possible quality, shelf-life, and sustainability. Retailers receive not only a great tasting product in an eye-catching bag that educates about this relatively new type of avocado that consumers love, but also a product that is friendly to our planet and carbon footprint.
“Incorporating Hazel O into our supply chain is just one of the many steps WP Produce has taken to grow the tropical avocado category for our retail customers” said Chris Gonzalez, VP of Sales at WP Produce, “Offering consumers across the nation the convenience and food-safety protection of a 2-count bag, plus usage tips and other education, and the ultimate shelf-life, was too prime of an opportunity to pass up.”
“Organics are one of the fastest growing segments in the produce aisle, but also have more shelf life challenges than their conventional counterparts,” said Aidan Mouat, CEO of Hazel Technologies. “Developing a next-generation organic solution to address organic shelf life is one more step in our company’s mission to provide holistic supply chain solutions for the fresh food industry”.
Desbry® Tropical Avocados are grown in Florida and the Dominican Republic and are available year-round for worldwide distribution. For more information or to place an order, contact Chris Gonzalez at (305) 326-8333, sales@wpproduce.com or visit wpproduce.com.
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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 the WP Produce:
Founded in 1984, WP Produce is a family-owned, multi-regional grower, packer and shipper of fresh, tropical fruits and roots. WP Produce has been a pioneer in the tropical avocado market since 1992 and is now the largest importer and distributor of Dominican tropical avocados worldwide. With farms and partnerships with growers in Florida and the Dominican Republic, WP Produce offers a wide variety of tropical produce and root vegetables under the Desbry® brand. To learn more, visit wpproduce.com.
