PHILADELPHIA, PA - AgroFresh is honing in on innovation in the citrus category as it announced the global launch of SmartCitrus™, a new quality platform designed to maintain freshness and reduce food waste. The new platform combines a comprehensive range of post-harvest solutions into a single treatment for citrus products.
“Since Tecnidex became part of the AgroFresh family, we combined forces, created synergies, and connected innovation efforts—because in agriculture and supply chain management, solutions, experience, service, and integration matter,” said Clint Lewis, CEO of AgroFresh. “SmartCitrus represents AgroFresh’s ability to deliver all four in a way that is seamless for our customers. While we honor the indelible legacy of the Tecnidex brand and founder Manuel Garcia-Portillo, we are building on those achievements by strengthening our customer-focused capabilities and bringing new products and technologies into the market.”
SmartCitrus is an AgroFresh branded platform which includes the extensive portfolio of Tecnidex, which AgroFresh acquired in 2017, according to a press release. The platform is powered by Control-Tec™ post-harvest technologies for end-to-end use on packinglines, degreening, and in storage rooms, including enhanced treatment water management and savings.
This Control-Tec equipment is integrated into the FreshCloud™ digital platform to enhance decision-making with rapid, easy data access for operations teams, allowing SmartCitrus to intelligently deploy a wide range of solutions—including broad-spectrum liquid fungicides such as ActiSeal™, Scholar®, and Tecto® 500 SC; FreshStart™ disinfectants; and the company’s recently launched VitaFresh™ Botanicals plant-based edible coatings.
“The launch of SmartCitrus and the unification of our products under the AgroFresh corporate umbrella is an important and critical next step for AgroFresh,” said Julian Herraiz, General Manager - Spain for AgroFresh. “The AgroFresh brand name and entire organization are synonymous with quality produce solutions, and unifying under one consolidated brand banner will simplify how we work with our customers and help us all build a bigger and more successful organization. Combining our heritage in the citrus industry with proven near- and post-harvest technologies such as Harvista™ 1.3 SC and the SmartFresh™ Quality System, along with the FreshCloud™ digital technology platform, enables us to provide greater benefits for the industry.”
AgroFresh citrus solutions are developed using certified ISO 14001 environmental management system standards. AgroFresh aims to help growers, packers, and retailers optimize the supply chain and increase sustainability by helping to reduce food loss and preserve citrus freshness. The company’s solutions and technologies currently reduce an estimated 10,000 tons of food waste per day.
What crucial innovation will this industry ally develop next on its mission to optimize the supply chain? Keep reading ANUK as we find out.
