Increasing demand for convenient food solutions has led retailers to enhance their fresh-cut produce offerings. Astra Inc., a Japanese manufacturer based in Torrance, California, is witnessing a trend of repeat customers for their fruit peelers.
Ryo Takeshita, sales manager at Astra, stated that a New Zealand fresh-cut factory supplying supermarkets recently purchased multiple units of Astra's commercial model FAP-1001 after their initial purchase. Similarly, a US mango processor bought several units of the Astra KA-730 mango peeler within months of their first purchase.
Takeshita noted that this pattern of repeat purchases is a global phenomenon, occurring in countries from France to Colombia. Astra is currently developing peelers for large grapefruits and pomelos, a task that has been technically challenging due to the fruit's thick skin.
Takeshita believes that the rising consumption of fresh-cut fruit worldwide will lead to an increased demand for automatic peelers. He asserts that Astra's peelers, which mimic the method of hand-peeling, offer a faster peeling speed, smoother surface, higher yield rate and less juice loss compared to traditional round-type peeling units.
Source: supermarketperimeter.com
