New Zealand label technology company Ripesense, of Auckland, has announced a UK distribution partnership agreement with Fresh Technologies UK.

Cameron McInness, general manager of Ripesense, said: “Ripesense is delighted to team up with Fresh Technologies, as a seasoned and professional industry supplier with extensive coverage of the fresh produce market.

“Fresh Technologies has extensive knowledge of the fresh produce market. This gives Ripesense additional momentum in its quest to educate consumers and minimize wastage by selecting fruit after viewing our ripeness indicator labels.”

Fresh Technologies of Chelmsford, Essex, has developed a unique way to package Ripesense as it changes in appearance as the contents change in ripeness.

The coloured film changes as the enclosed fruit ripens by reacting with natural volatile compounds in the fruit. Starting out at red, the film indicates that the fruit is firm. As the enclosed product ripens, it changes from red to orange and finally to yellow when fully ripe.

Consumers are able to easily and consistently select the ripeness of fruit they require with a simple glance at the indicator colour, eliminating confusion at time of purchase and enabling them to plan out the ‘fruit-life’ better.

Richard King, chief executive of Fresh Technologies, said: “This is both new and exciting technology to the UK sector and compliments our existing business activities perfectly. We look forward to introducing this technology through our existing marketing channels”

Ripesense was launched in 2004 with technology for packaging pears in a clear clamshell pack. In 2008, Ripesense introduced its new convenient free flow packaging, which allows for the automation of the packing process and reduces the overall amount of packaging required.

Following 18 months of product development and laboratory testing, Ripesense will be commercially releasing its new avocado indicator in January 2009.

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