RipeLocker, a company working in extending the postharvest life of perishables, is ramping up commercial sales of its containers to Sorbatto Fresh (formerly Blueberry Hill), an early adopter of the technology.
As a heatwave hit Eastern Washington over the summer, it affected the blueberry harvest and flooded the market with fruit that yielded lower than normal prices. Growers were faced with either selling their crop at a discount immediately or dumping their fruit into the processor market.
Jeff Weijohn, owner of Sorbatto Fresh, and wife Terri. Sorbatto used RipeLocker containers to help save blueberries that would have otherwise been lost to last summer's heatwave.
“2021 was a very challenging season for us,” said Jeff Weijohn, owner of Sorbatto Fresh, a grower in Yakima, WA. “The heatwave not only affected fruit quality but also caused the market to collapse during the high production season. Using the RipeLockers allowed us to ride out the turbulent market by storing fruit that would have gone to waste. The fruit that came out of the RipeLocker’s technology not only retained its quality but was able to be sold at a much higher price two months later when the market recovered. Due to this extended season’s success, we are excited to commit to a week’s worth of process capacity in RipeLockers next year.”
The benefits of RipeLocker’s patented postharvest technology creates value to growers and retailers in providing consumers with quality fruit for longer periods of time. Sorbatto Fresh plans to use the RipeLocker containers it leases to store its blueberries and potentially other perishables in the future. The company endeavors to scale up to between 500 and 600 containers for next season.
Sorbatto Fresh plans to use the RipeLocker containers it leases to store its blueberries and potentially other perishables in the future.
RipeLocker containers offer a patented system to manage the atmospheric pressure, humidity and gas composition (oxygen and CO2) within the containers to extend the life of fresh produce and flowers. Based on the specific needs of each type of fresh produce or flower, RipeLocker tailors operating parameters, such as internal pressure, oxygen and CO2 levels, to optimize longevity and freshness. The system responds to changes in the storage or shipping environment, making automatic precise adjustments to prevent damage and reduce decay.
RipeLocker designed its pallet-sized containers so that they can easily be deployed and used in the existing cold chain. Produced using novel materials and highly scalable manufacturing processes, the RipeLocker container can be delivered cost-effectively in mass volume.
RipeLocker has patents on both the container design and method of operation.
For more information:
Selynn Vong
RipeLocker
Tel:+1 (206) 855-5053
[email protected]
www.ripelocker.com