North America Edition
Extending the shelf life of fruit by a couple of weeks with a simple sticker. That is the promise made by Ryp Labs. The Belgian start-up created “StixFresh”, a solution based on the compounds naturally emitted by plants to protect themselves from diseases.
Mangos, strawberries, raspberries, grapes, peaches, cherries, avocados...The start-up claims to have successfully tested its “StixFresh” device on many different fruits.
Mango with and without StixFresh sticker after 7 days/© Ryp Labs
Ryp Labs is conducting pilot projects with retailers and global distributors who have reported an impressive 15 to 30% reduction of losses for strawberries, blueberries, nectarines and mandarins.
“Nearly 60% of the consumers agree that fresh products go bad before they are able to consume them. Besides, 57% of them are interested in non-GMO and organic fruit, which generally deteriorate faster. Additionally, food waste accounts for about a quarter of our landfills, most of which is fruit and vegetables due to their perishability,” explains Moody Soliman, CEO and founder of Ryp Labs.
“Our target customers, who include packers-distributors and global retailers, really count on their reputation to offer high-quality products.”
The stickers can be kept for up to three months in their original, resealable packaging. Once removed from their packaging, the stickers activate.
The company plans to expand its device to the general public. “Consumers are our next target segment. We want them to be able to buy stickers that they can use at home.”
For more information:
ryplabs.com
