Special Fruit's Softripe ripening cells conducted consumer surveys, which indicated taste scores are 25% higher than for conventional avocados, mainly due to the stronger nutty taste. Also internal appearance and external appearance score at least 8% better and shelf life is extended by 7 days.
Softripe is an AI-based technology that showed even better fruit quality and a significantly longer shelf life, even without the use of additives. This reduces fruit waste to a minimum.
In addition, research bureau FreshInsight conducted a consumer needs analysis and this fitted in well with what they are achieving with Softripe.
Consumers usually prefer the ripeness of the fruit when choosing avocados. Their biggest frustrations are brown spots in the flesh, a RTE product that doesn't live up to its promise and plastic packaging material. They prefer cardboard.
When it comes to quality, the most important things are smoothness, homogeneity and even colour. The taste should be particularly nutty.
Softripe also presented the consumer panel with some newer technologies, such as coating to extend shelf life. Coating comes across as unhealthy and unnecessary. The preference is for a ripening process that ripens from within the fruit, without additives.
In short, Softripe is the natural way to reduce food waste and increase consumer satisfaction, so shoppers will buy more often and the category will perform better.
For more information:
Sarah Hellemans
Special Fruit
Tel: +32 3 317 06 60
Email: Sarah.Hellemans@specialfruit.be
www.specialfruit.be