HOUSTON, TX - For as long as fruit has been packed and shipped, producers have judged the quality of a whole load by cutting open a handful of sample fruit. Minimizing the guesswork for growers, Orbem is offering producers non-destructive and non-invasive insight into the inside of every fruit to enhance their supply chains. The company's solution for the fresh produce sector, Genus Echo, uses AI-powered MRI to analyze fruit all the way to the core, reducing the guesswork in quality assurance.

"By turning previously inaccessible biological data into actionable intelligence, we help our customers make informed decisions in time. In watermelons, we catch defects like hollow heart, internal impact, and bruising damage, as well as over-ripeness," explains Pedro Gomez, Founder and Chief Executive Officer. "In avocados, we detect issues like flesh browning, rot, and the internal discoloration you normally only find once the fruit is cut open, along with maturity."

Orbem's story began in the poultry industry, where the company has used the same technology to identify the sex of a chick inside the egg before it hatches, sparing millions of male chicks from culling. To date, Orbem has scanned more than 200 million eggs. It has since brought these capabilities to fresh produce, focusing first on watermelons and avocados, with mangoes and other categories to follow.

Genus Echo is already installed with watermelon grower JimboFresh (Spain) and in use this season.

"Producers and retailers both benefit from better predictability. Today, a handful of sampled fruit stands in for an entire shipment, so most of the internal quality is inferred rather than measured," says Pedro. "With the visibility Genus Echo provides on every fruit, producers can ship at consistent quality and reduce their exposure to rejections and the rerouting costs, product-value loss, and admin work that come with them. Retailers, in turn, get a more dependable supplier, with positive downstream effects on consumer satisfaction, repeat purchase, and category performance."

Genus Echo integrates into a producer's existing packing line, with installation taking place during the off-season to avoid disrupting peak operations. It runs at line speed and communicates with the surrounding equipment, so fruit is sorted against the standards each producer sets, adding a layer of internal-quality information alongside traditional quality assurance.

"Speeding MRI up to line speed is the core breakthrough. A clinical MRI scan takes 20 to 25 minutes. Genus Echo brings that down to under a second per fruit, which is what makes it work on a packing line," says Pedro. "The imaging is optimized for the specific grading decision and paired with AI that classifies in real time, and that AI keeps improving in the field. In poultry, on the same hardware, throughput has risen by roughly 30 percent in about 18 months, almost entirely through software and model work. This is exactly why we won't stop at watermelons and avocados. Building on that vast dataset, we can easily translate what we've learned from one type of fruit to another."

As MRI moves from the hospital to the packing line, the fresh produce industry is gaining something it has never had: the ability to know, rather than guess, what is inside every piece of fruit it ships.

For more insights into the technology backing the fresh produce space, keep an eye on AndNowUKnow.

NASHVILLE, TN - Melon 1 is coming off of one of its largest production periods to date, with growers increasing production by extending acreage and broadening its supply time frame. Combined with increased distribution for existing and new retail partners alike, Marian Lapide, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, took some time to tell me how the company’s strategic stars are aligning for the supplier.

“At Melon 1, we pride ourselves on having strong relationships on both the retailer side as well as with our growers. The partnership and trust that we have built and continue to build on both ends is the reason we are able to continue to grow our business year over year,” she explained. “We practice and administer the highest of food safety standards. By going above and beyond what is expected and required of suppliers, retailers know they can depend on us to deliver a high-quality product year-round, and consumers know that when they see a Melon 1 sticker on a watermelon they can expect consistent delicious fruit.”

One example of increasing availability of this high-quality fruit is the company’s North Carolina crop, which extended into September this year.

“We have team members in all growing regions at all times. Our growers are not just our partners; they are like an extension of our families—watching a watermelon go from a tiny seed to a fruit in store and being involved in that entire process helps us to stand behind our product wholeheartedly,” Marian pointed out, explaining that it is crucial to the company’s commitment to quality that growers know they are fully supported. The promise of premium product is a team endeavor, working side-by-side to get to consumers.

That teamwork continues through the point of sale, ensuring retailers have what they need to maximize opportunities in the store. Specifically, Melon 1 is coming off of providing stand-out retail display bins to highlight summer sales.

“July 4th is always one of the most important holidays for the watermelon industry, so we wanted to do something extra special this year to help celebrate this important milestone in our country while promoting our product,” Marian said. “We created our bins to help celebrate the 250th anniversary of our country. The bins are festive, vibrant, and attract attention to not only the watermelon display but the entire produce department.”

Melon 1 delivered 300,000 45-count bins to retail partners through Labor Day, the perfect buoy into its next big event: Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Innovations in Nashville, Tennessee.

“We are looking forward to coming to Nashville, seeing our friends and colleagues in the industry, and talking about all things produce. It's always interesting and inspiring to see what other produce categories are doing to expand their businesses. We leave shows feeling motivated and recharged!” Marian shared.

As our industry of innovators gathers in Music City, be sure to shake hands with Melon 1 at booth #442 on Friday, September 11.