“Using dynamic, low-atmosphere containers, RipeLocker can extend a crop’s after-harvest life by weeks, and often months. Not only that, but longer-term, the technology can even extend a season far past traditional competitor’s seasons, giving them an edge on demand and availability,” George Lobisser, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the company, told me over an early morning call from his Bainbridge Island, Washington, office. “This means that grower/packer/shippers reduce food loss and consumers benefit from a better taste, longer shelf-life, and seasonal availability.”

For full article – click here

“All these pressing issues in our pandemic world are accelerating investment in innovations for the postharvest packinghouse,” Ernest “Boomer” Cardinale, U.S. Director of Marketing and Business Development with Decco, says. “The larger food storage and packing facilities are investing in automation, including robotics, to help close the gap in labor disruption. Automating routine functions, like packing, loading, and quality assurance, through AI (Artificial Intelligence) and robotics are game changers but still reserved for the larger well-funded operators. Once economies of scale are met, these automated solutions will be more accessible to all levels of operators.”…

Food Waste
At RipeLocker, grower partners are seeking improvement in postharvest operational efficiencies to not only reduce defects but also decrease food loss and waste. According to Director of Marketing Selynn Vong, delaying senescence or degradation of fruit to prolong its freshness and tasting quality is attainable through technologically advanced postharvest solutions that do not involve additional coatings, fungicides or picking fruit green before natural ripening. This disruptive innovation in a hi-tech low-atmosphere storage solution allows for the picking of fruit at later stages of the ripening process, resulting in healthier and better tasting fruit, she says.

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Investment Round Entirely from Previous Investors in the Company; Funds to be Used Primarily to Manufacture RipeLocker Containers for Commercial Availability

Seattle, WA—April 21, 2021— RipeLocker, a leader in extending the post-harvest life of perishables, today announced it has raised $5 million in series B capital from angel investors. The investment round is all from previous investors in the company, many of whom are renowned in the agriculture industry, including academics, agriculture executives and growers/packers/shippers. The new funds will be used to continue to enhance the company’s RipeLocker containers, utilize the precise operating data the company has accumulated after years of trials, and manufacture the containers for commercial availability for select clients this summer.

RipeLocker’s patented, dynamic, low-atmosphere RipeLocker containers are used for storing and shipping fresh produce and flowers, and extend the post-harvest life by weeks, often months. They are pallet-size, made from recycled materials and are reusable. The company has already completed efficacy trials with several high-value commodities such as berries, pomegranates, cherries, papayas, fresh hops and flowers.

“Over the past few years, we have been actively working with some of the largest growers in the world to test our RipeLocker containers. We are the only company with the data as to how perishables respond under low-pressure vacuum over long periods of time to delay senescence (aging) and decay.” said George Lobisser, founder and CEO of RipeLocker. “This infusion of significant new capital enables us to leverage this data, begin manufacturing the commercial product and scale the company to meet the increasing demand from global and national produce and flower growers.”

RipeLocker also announced today that the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) has started trials using the RipeLocker container as a chemical-free quarantine replacement.

The Technology Behind RipeLocker Containers  

RipeLocker containers offer a unique, patented system to precisely manage the atmosphere (oxygen, pressure, CO2 and humidity) within the containers to extend the life of perishables. Based on the specific needs of each type of fresh produce or flower, RipeLocker tailors these operating parameters to optimize the longevity and freshness. The system also responds to changes in the storage or shipping environment, making precise adjustments to prevent damage and reduce decay.

The company designed its containers so that they can easily be deployed and used in the existing cold chain. They are pallet-size, stackable and 40 of them fit into an ocean or truck reefer (refrigerated container). Produced via injection molds, the RipeLocker container is the first solution that can be delivered cost effectively in mass volume. RipeLocker has patents on both the container design and method of operation.

Selected Recently Announced Trials of the RipeLocker Container

RipeLocker made the following public announcements in the last six months about successful trials of its RipeLocker containers:

• Flowers. RipeLocker containers held freshly harvested roses in beautiful condition for four weeks. The trials were with Queen’s Flowers, the premier breeder, grower, importer and bouquet manufacturer in the floral industry.
• Blueberries. RipeLocker containers held freshly harvested organic blueberries in pristine condition for eight weeks. The company used six of its pallet-size RipeLocker containers to store fresh organic blueberries from Blueberry Hill in the trial.
• Fresh Hops. RipeLocker containers extended the life of fresh hops by six weeks. Trials were conducted in collaboration with CLS Farms, which provided 240 pounds of its fresh Comet and El Dorado® hops, and Thomas Hooker Brewing Company, which ultimately brewed “Cultivate” beer with the fresh hops. Yakima Quality Hops, a well-known hop dealer, helped facilitate the collaboration.

All harvesting companies in the above trials plan to use RipeLocker containers when they become commercially available this summer. RipeLocker is also actively taking additional orders for use of its RipeLocker containers with produce and flower categories on which it has conducted significant efficacy trials.

About RipeLocker
RipeLocker is a leader in extending the post-harvest life of perishables. The company’s patented, dynamic, low-atmosphere containers are used for storing and shipping fresh produce and flowers, and extend the post-harvest life by weeks, often months. When RipeLocker containers are used, consumers benefit from better taste and shelf-life, and retailers experience less waste at their stores. RipeLocker, founded in 2016 and based in Seattle, WA, US, is a science-based and data-driven company. It has been testing the efficacy of its RipeLocker containers for several years with many of the largest growers in the world. For more information, go to www.ripelocker.com

Websites of companies mentioned in this news release:

RipeLocker:  https://ripelocker.com
Queen’s Flowers: https://www.queensflowers.com
Blueberry Hill: https://www.bhberries.com/
CLS Farms: https://clsfarms.com
Thomas Hooker Brewing Company: https://hookerbeer.com
Yakima Quality Hops:  https://www.yakhops.com

# # #

Efficacy Trials Recently Completed with Blueberry Hill; RipeLocker Containers Available for Commercial Use this Summer

Seattle, WA—January 13, 2021— RipeLocker, a leader in extending the post-harvest life of perishables, today announced its RipeLocker containers recently held freshly harvested organic blueberries in pristine condition for eight weeks. In the trial, the company used six of its pallet-size RipeLocker containers to store fresh organic blueberries from Blueberry Hill. Based on the strong results, Blueberry Hill plans to lease commercial RipeLocker containers this summer.

In addition to growing its own blueberries, Blueberry Hill owns Sorbatto Fresh, a packing and storing facility for 20 blueberry growers in Washington State. About 90% of the blueberries managed by Sorbatto Fresh are organic. By using RipeLocker containers, Blueberry Hill can greatly extend its normal selling season for blueberries, increase margins and provide higher quality for longer periods of time to its many customers. Retailers and consumers gain better eating quality berries with longer shelf-life.

The patented, dynamic, low-atmosphere RipeLocker containers are used for storing and shipping fresh produce and flowers, and extend the post-harvest life by weeks, often months. They are pallet-size, made from recycled materials and are reusable. RipeLocker containers are leased to customers on an annual basis and the realized returns far exceed the cost of the lease. The company has already completed efficacy trials with several high-value commodities such as berries, pomegranates, cherries, papayas, fresh hops and flowers, and it expects to announce additional orders of RipeLocker containers soon.

“Using RipeLocker containers to extend the post-harvest life of fresh produce and flowers quickly translates to better quality, longer selling seasons and greater margins for growers and packers,” said George Lobisser, CEO and co-founder of RipeLocker. “We have seen excellent results in our efficacy trials, including this one with Blueberry Hill, and are confident we will soon become the preferred container for storing and shipping perishables around the world. In addition, the ultra-low oxygen and pressure environment of our RipeLocker containers makes them perfect for organics.”

“We were extremely pleased with the pristine quality of the blueberries that had been stored in the RipeLocker containers for eight weeks. They looked like they came right out of the field,” said Jeff Weijohn, owner of Blueberry Hill. “After seeing such great results, we quickly signed up to lease the RipeLocker containers as we anticipate a strong ROI from using them.”

Blueberry Hill plans to use the RipeLocker containers it leases to store and ship its blueberries and potentially other perishables in the future. The company expects to be able to use each container 4-5 times each season.

The Technology Behind RipeLocker Containers

RipeLocker containers offer a unique, patented system to manage the atmospheric pressure, humidity and gas composition (oxygen and CO2) within the containers to extend the life of fresh produce and flowers. The containers suppress pathogen growth, resulting in significantly less decay. In addition, RipeLocker containers can provide a vehicle for delivering organic fungicide vapors to kill the pathogen.

Based on the specific needs of each type of fresh produce or flower, RipeLocker tailors operating parameters, such as internal pressure, oxygen and CO2 levels, to optimize the longevity and freshness. The system responds to changes in the storage or shipping environment, making automatic precise adjustments to prevent damage and reduce decay.

RipeLocker designed its containers so that they can easily be deployed and used in the existing cold chain. Produced using novel materials and highly scalable manufacturing processes, the RipeLocker container is the first solution that can be delivered cost effectively in mass volume. RipeLocker has patents on both the container design and method of operation.

About RipeLocker
RipeLocker is a leader in extending the post-harvest life of perishables. The company’s patented, dynamic, low-atmosphere containers are used for storing and shipping fresh produce and flowers, and extend the post-harvest life by weeks, often even months. When RipeLocker containers are used, consumers benefit from better taste and shelf-life, and retailers experience less waste at their stores. RipeLocker, founded in 2016 and based in Seattle, WA, US, is a science-based and data-driven company. It has been testing the efficacy of its RipeLocker containers for several years with many of the largest growers in the world. For more information, go to www.ripelocker.com

# # #