Plant-based food coating company Apeel has launched its waste-cutting Apeel-coated avocados in Europe.
Apeel is a family of plant-derived coatings that fresh food growers, suppliers, and retailers use to keep produce fresh.
Produce with Apeel stays fresh two to three times longer, the company says, which promotes more sustainable growing practices, better quality food, and less food waste.
Apeel is made of plant-derived materials — lipids and glycerolipids — that exist in the peels, seeds, and pulp of all the fruits and vegetables we already eat.
The European Commission has authorised the use of the ingredients in the plant-derived coating, paving the way for our EU expansion.
Our Apeel Avocados are the first Apeel produce category to arrive in Europe, but other categories are expected to roll out in the future
Apeel’s supply partner in Europe, Nature’s Pride has now integrated the Apeel solution across its expansive avocado value chain to bring Apeel Avocados to Edeka and Netto in Germany, and Salling Group stores, Føtex and Bilka, in Denmark.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to extend our impact on food waste and to bring avocados that stay fresher, longer to consumers in Europe, where avocados cross an ocean to arrive in stores,” the company said.
The Apeel solution has already demonstrated a greater than 50 percent food waste reduction on average at the retail level in the United States.
Consumers can discover Apeel produce by the Apeel brand mark on labels and in-store signage.
“Our Apeel Avocados are the first Apeel produce category to arrive in Europe, but other categories are expected to roll out in the future.”
Food waste
Food waste in Europe has reached 88 million tonnes annually, with associated costs estimated at 143 billion euros (European Commission).
In German households, for example, every eighth grocery item is thrown away. This means that 6.7 million tonnes of food goes to waste in homes every year.
Calculated per person, this means wastage of two fully packed shopping carts weighing about 82 kilograms with a merchandise value of 234 euros.
For growers, suppliers, and retailers, Apeel is the only postharvest solution that creates an optimal microclimate inside every piece of produce, which leads to extended shelf life and transportability — with reduced reliance on refrigeration and controlled atmosphere.
Apeel keeps moisture inside produce and oxygen out, which dramatically slows the rate that produce spoils.
By maintaining moisture and reducing oxidation, Apeel supports the plant’s natural abilities to protect against environmental stressors, the company says.