AgriCoat NatureSeal believes the Asian market offers vast potential for its range of products aimed at maintaining the freshness of cut fruits and vegetables.

General manager Simon Matthews told freshinfo: “The market here is about five years behind the UK and Europe, although we do have some customers in Thailand and Malaysia and a lot in Australia and New Zealand.

“This region represents a learning curve for us - so much of the UK market is about apples, pears and carrots, but the Asian market will mean looking into different products and conducting different R&D.”

The company has already branched out into tropical fruits, and three months ago started working with starfruit out of South America, supplied into the UK. “The UK market is growing very well and continental Europe is starting to catch up,” said Matthews.

“At last southern Europe is getting into fresh-cut - we were always told the market wouldn’t go there but our sales are proving otherwise. It is inevitable Asia will follow.”