The global fresh produce market is constantly evolving, with consumers demanding higher quality, longer shelf life, and more sustainable solutions. At the forefront of technological innovation in fruit ripening and cold storage is Frigotec, a company with over 30 years of experience in ensuring that fruit reaches consumers in optimal condition. The company's CEO, Roland Wirth, explains their cutting-edge solutions and their vision for the future of fruit ripening and storage.
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A Legacy of Innovation
Founded in 1991, Frigotec began its journey specializing in the apple and banana industry, focusing on ripening and controlled atmosphere (CA) storage. "Our company is now over 34 in business," Roland explains. "From the beginning, we specialized in storage and long-term storage using controlled atmosphere rooms, and also in the fruit ripening field. Initially, apples and bananas were our main focus, but over time, we diversified into other fruits and some vegetables as well."
This focus on innovation has driven Frigotec to continually improve and expand its offerings. Since 2017, the company has introduced a revolutionary and patented technology to the European market: Softripe®, a dynamic, fruit-driven ripening system that optimizes fruit quality in a way that conventional ripening rooms cannot.
Fruit-Driven Technology
Softripe represents a significant leap forward in ripening technology. Unlike classic systems, which apply fixed ripening processes, Softripe communicates with the fruit itself, dynamically adjusting temperature, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and ethylene levels based on the fruit's physiological condition and ripening stage.
Softripe adapts to variations in fruit from different countries and seasons. By continuously analysing data on each batch's respiration and physiological state, the system can adjust and fine-tune ripening parameters. According to Roland, this ensures consistent quality, regardless of origin or seasonal differences.
"Fruits are alive," Roland emphasizes. "They breathe, take in oxygen, and release CO₂. In a pressurised and gas-tight ripening cell, we can measure their respiration. This is the signal we use to communicate with the fruits, guiding them through their optimal ripening process."
Ethylene, the natural plant hormone that triggers ripening, plays a key role in the system. Traditionally, ethylene was applied in fixed amounts, often leading to fruit stress and uneven results. Fruits could become overripe or fail to ripen properly. Softripe, in contrast, adjusts ethylene dynamically, allowing fruits to 'tell' the system when and how much ethylene they require. The result is consistently high-quality produce, with reduced stress on the fruit and minimal losses for growers, distributors, and retailers.
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As any consumer of fresh produce will know, it is often very difficult to manage the ripeness of the products at home. Fruits, for instance, will usually arrive either unripe or overripe, especially fruits that are notoriously difficult to ripen consistently, such as avocados, mangoes, and kiwis. According to Roland, Softripe ensures that by the time the fruit reaches the store shelf, it is at the perfect ripeness, giving shoppers a consistently enjoyable experience and reducing the likelihood of waste at home. "With Softripe, we are able to ripen fruits in an optimum biological and physiological way. This ensures the fruit reaches the consumer in peak condition, with the right texture, aroma, and flavour. People are always very surprised to see how stable and good the shelf-life situation is."
Market Reception and Global Reach
Softripe has already made its mark in Europe and beyond, with installations in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Spain, and Switzerland, as well as in Brazil and Chile. "Our system is now up and running in twelve countries," Roland notes. "The feedback from wholesalers, ripeners, retailers, and producers has been overwhelmingly positive. They see the advantages and more and more of them want to use this system."
Despite its success, Roland admits there is still significant room for growth. "We are still at the beginning in terms of marketing. There are large markets such as the US, China, India, Japan, and South Korea where we need to raise awareness about the system. The technology is proven, but more people need to know it exists and understand the benefits."
According to Roland, Softripe offers a win-win scenario for all players in the supply chain. Reduced losses, improved quality, and better shelf life translate into tangible advantages for consumers, retailers, and producers alike. "When consumers taste the fruit, they notice the difference. The challenge now is to connect that high-quality fruit with more customers worldwide," Roland explains.
Sustainability and Environmental Responsibility
In addition to improving fruit quality, Frigotec is committed to sustainable solutions in cold storage and refrigeration systems. The company has transitioned from direct cooling systems to indirect systems using water-glycol fluids, which allow for more precise temperature control while using environmentally friendly refrigerant.
"We mostly use propane as our refrigerant," Roland says. "It's a naturally occurring material, has zero ozone depletion potential, and almost no global warming potential. The parts and service costs are like a classic freon direct system. Combined with our precise fluid temperature control, clients achieve superior storage quality while being ready for future environmental standards."
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By optimizing the ripening process and reducing fruit losses throughout the supply chain, Softripe also contributes to lowering CO₂ emissions. Less waste means fewer resources used in production, transport, and disposal, making the system a truly sustainable solution for modern fruit supply chains. "When fruits are ripened optimally, we reduce waste at every stage—from arrival at the ripening facility, to distribution, to the consumer's home," Roland adds.
According to Roland, the system even improves the shelf life of delicate products like mangoes shipped in containers, elevating their quality to a level comparable to air-freighted produce while maintaining taste and texture. This, Roland notes, is a major breakthrough for retailers and consumers who expect consistent and high-quality fruit, but also demand sustainability.
Advanced Technology Meets High-Tech Service
Roland's company's approach is not limited to ripening alone. Their long-term controlled atmosphere storage systems also benefit from data-driven insights. By monitoring respiration and adjusting storage parameters, Frigotec can optimize and find the lowest possible oxygen levels to extend storage life. All the while maintaining quality, reducing losses, and ensuring longer shelf life once products reach retail.
The company is also investing in service infrastructure to support its growing global presence. Roland: "In the near future, we are opening a Softripe worldwide service centre to assist clients with support, maintenance, and optimization, ensuring that high-tech systems deliver consistent good results across multiple countries."
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AI and the Future of Fruit Ripening
At the heart of Frigotec's innovation is artificial intelligence, Roland explains. "Softripe is a self-learning system that automatically optimizes its ripening 'recipes' for different types of fruit based on data from the fruits themselves and client requirements. The fruit is the boss, and each ripening chamber has its own DNA," Roland says with a smile. "The system listens to the fruit and adapts accordingly."
Looking ahead, Roland sees a promising future for fruit ripening and storage technology in Europe and beyond. Consumers increasingly demand fresh, high-quality produce, and sustainability concerns are becoming central to industry practices. "With Softripe, we can significantly reduce losses, improve sustainability, and ensure that every consumer gets fruit that is ready to eat, tastes great, and stays healthy for longer," he explains.
The challenge, he adds, is to expand globally while maintaining service quality. "Our goal is to bring this technology to more countries, to educate markets, and to create a consistent standard of excellence in fruit ripening worldwide."
It's real, practical, and it works
For over three decades, Frigotec has combined deep expertise in controlled atmosphere storage and ripening with cutting-edge technology to redefine the quality of fresh produce. Their Softripe system, with its fruit-driven, AI-supported approach, ensures optimal ripeness, extended shelf life, and reduced losses, all while promoting sustainability. Roland emphasizes: "This is not fancy technology for the sake of it—it's real, practical, and it works. The fruit tells us what it needs, and we make sure technology delivers exactly that. That's the future of fruit ripening and fruit quality."
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