OneThird is changing fresh produce quality control with the launch of its AI-powered platform, designed to cut food waste and labor costs.
Using Near Infrared (NIR) technology, OneThird's solution now enables the analysis of Brix value, dry matter, visual defects, shelf life, and ripeness across an expanding range of fruits, including avocados, blueberries, strawberries, and tomatoes. 
OneThird's technology is already in use by leading retailers such as JUMBO (Netherlands), Nature's Pride (Netherlands and Europe), EDEKA and REWE (Germany), Migros and COOP (Switzerland), K-city Market (Finland), ICA (Sweden), and MENY (Norway). By providing precise, real-time quality data, the platform helps producers, distributors, and retailers make better decisions while saving time and reducing waste.
By optimizing customer allocation, shipping routes, expiry dates, and surplus product reuse, OneThird directly addresses the global food waste crisis. Currently, up to one-third of all food produced annually is wasted, representing an estimated €960 billion in losses—40% of which comes from fresh produce. OneThird's solution has been proven to reduce waste by up to 25%.
"OneThird is already successfully implementing its unique shelf-life prediction solution in the fresh produce supply chain," explains Henrike Langbroek, CEO of OneThird. "Expanding our technology to cover all quality control parameters addresses a key challenge for our customers. It simplifies the work of quality inspectors and allows sales teams to make quicker, more informed decisions—ultimately reducing waste." 
NIR scanner and the OneThird application / Photo: @OneThird
How OneThird's AI-powered quality control platform works
The OneThird quality control process begins with a simple step: capturing an image of a product batch and scanning it using the OneThird app. AI-driven algorithms then instantly analyze key visual quality parameters in real time. The non-destructive NIR scanner provides critical insights into shelf life, Brix levels, and dry matter content—all without damaging the product. Quality control teams can quickly assess both traditional and advanced quality metrics, with results available in seconds and shared instantly with stakeholders.
By leveraging real-time data, OneThird empowers producers, distributors, and retailers to optimize supply chain decisions—improving use-by-date management, shipping logistics, and surplus product reuse. The platform has been proven to reduce food waste by up to 25% while significantly cutting quality control labor costs by up to 50% by automating data collection and analysis.
Traditional quality control in the fresh produce supply chain is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and largely analog. Many current testing methods are subjective and prone to error, relying on visual inspections to assess defects and shelf life.
- Brix testing, which measures sugar content, requires manually squeezing juice from berries or fruit—an imprecise process that can lead to inaccurate quality assessments and unnecessary product rejections.
- Dry matter testing for avocados takes up to 12 hours in ovens.
- Shelf-life evaluations can span several days, delaying critical supply chain decisions.
OneThird's AI-powered digital platform eliminates these inefficiencies by delivering real-time, non-destructive quality assessments, revolutionizing the way fresh produce is evaluated.
"For years, the industry has relied on destructive and subjective Brix testing for berries and labor-intensive dry matter testing for avocados," says Marco Snikkers, founder of OneThird. "Many are surprised to learn there's a faster, more accurate way. Real-time data empowers growers and distributors to ensure the right quality reaches consumers—while significantly reducing costs and waste."
For more information:
OneThird
Michael Held-Hernandez
Mercury Global Partners for OneThird
Tel: +1 480 306 1154
onethird@wearemgp.com
https://onethird.io/