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

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Trials Completed with Queen’s Flowers, the Premier Grower in the Floral Industry; Roses Remained Gorgeous to Delight the End Customer

Seattle, WA—March 17, 2021— RipeLocker, a leader in extending the post-harvest life of perishables, today announced its RipeLocker containers held freshly harvested roses in beautiful condition for four weeks. In recent trials with Queen’s Flowers, the premier breeder, grower, importer and bouquet manufacturer in the floral industry, RipeLocker demonstrated how its containers could support the company in supplying to global markets. Based on the strong results of the trials, Queen’s Flowers plans to use commercial RipeLocker containers when they become available this summer.

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. The company has already completed efficacy trials with several high-value commodities such as berries, pomegranates, cherries, papayas, fresh hops and flowers.

Especially attractive to Queen’s Flowers was that RipeLocker containers slowed down senescence (aging) and decay of the flowers. After being in the RipeLocker containers for four weeks, the roses also had better vase-life for end customers than those shipped via traditional methods.

Decay, primarily caused by Botrytis cinerea, is a major issue facing the flower industry due to the optimal conditions for fungal growth, rapid spread in growing environments and their tendency to quickly develop resistance to synthetic fungicides. The low atmosphere of the RipeLocker containers provide antifungal activities that suppress further decay development.

RipeLocker containers also will enhance Queen’s Flowers distribution chain management by enabling them to increase flower availability for special occasions such as Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and the December holidays. With RipeLocker containers, the flower company will be able to build up its inventory by holding freshly harvested flowers for several weeks prior to these holidays.

“RipeLocker containers can have a tremendous positive impact on the quality and lifespan of fresh produce and flowers, which leads to significant ROI for growers and packers.” said George Lobisser, CEO and co-founder of RipeLocker. “These great results with Queen’s Flowers, a preeminent global flower grower, build on strong results we have had with an increasing list of companies on an array of perishables.”

“RipeLocker containers are enabling us to look at our business in news ways,” said David Gonzalez, general manager at Queen’s Flowers. ”By extending the life of our flowers and minimizing decay, the RipeLocker containers enable us to offer our customers better quality flowers.”

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 responds to changes in the storage or shipping environment, making automatic precise adjustments to prevent damage and reduce decay. RipeLocker employees monitor all this remotely and in real time.

RipeLocker 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.

Availability of the RipeLocker Containers

The commercial version of the RipeLocker container is scheduled to be available this summer. RipeLocker is actively taking orders for use of its RipeLocker containers with produce and flower categories on which it has conducted significant efficacy trials. RipeLocker containers are leased to customers on an annual basis and the realized returns far exceed the cost of the lease. Purchase options are available with a lower user fee.

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

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