PHILADELPHIA, PA - Innovative post-harvest technologies and reduced food waste are in sight for AgroFresh Solutions and fruit retail operator Pagoda Group. The industry forces have formed a strategic collaboration to evaluate and develop post-harvest technologies to improve the quality of fresh fruits and vegetables and help reduce food waste in China.
“We are excited to collaborate with the incredible team at Pagoda as we expand our presence in China,” said Clint Lewis, Chief Executive Officer of AgroFresh. “By partnering with Pagoda, we will be able to expand our impact on the Chinese fresh produce industry, improve its post-harvest management solutions, and further reduce food waste around the world.”
According to a press release, AgroFresh’s senior leadership team, led by Lewis, held in-depth discussions with Huiyong Yu, Founder and Chairman of Pagoda Group; Shan Yikang, Vice President and Senior Director of Strategic Development and Investment and Financing Center of Pagoda Group; and Pagoda Group's quality control and post-harvest research and development team.
The meeting resulted in the signing of a strategic technical collaboration.
“The missions and ideas of both AgroFresh and Pagoda are highly compatible,” noted Yu. “We are excited to invest across the produce supply chain with AgroFresh as we work toward a more sustainable food system. This consensus provides a good foundation for cooperation between the two parties and a unique opportunity to export more fruit from China.”
As the release went on to note, Pagoda's expertise and experience in quality control and post-harvest management establishes a strong foundation for the two parties to enable further collaboration and identify business opportunities. Pagoda currently operates two R&D centers in China, and AgroFresh operates seven worldwide. Together, the duo plans to establish another R&D center in China with the goal of strengthening its capabilities and driving the development of new innovations that will help to reduce produce loss and waste in China.
More insights on the deal can be found here.
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