VANCOUVER, CANADA – Oppy announced that it has completed a trial of a new shelf life extension technology from Hazel Technologies intended to achieve greener and more turgid stems of grapes, with no signs of shriveled grapes, and to maintain superior storage life under transit and warehouse conditions. 

Hazel’s new technology uses grape sachets that release active, shelf life-enhancing vapors to slow food waste during transit and storage. Oppy's trial with the new product was conducted with seedless red grapes and carried out using pallets that were shipped from South America to Los Angeles. A portion of the grapes were treated with the grape sachets while others were not. Upon arrival, the treated grapes had a crisper texture, showed no signs of dehydration, were greener and looked stronger than the untreated fruit. 

“Oppy enjoys an excellent reputation in the market for its unrivalled level of quality control, thanks to our commitment to innovation and technology across our operations,” said Patricio Mendoza, national quality control manager at Oppy. “The success of this trial is a reflection of our ongoing, focused efforts in being first to market with pioneering technology that adds tangible value to retailers and consumers alike.” 

The results of the trial suggest that Hazel’s technology is effective on varieties with drier stems, but further studies will be needed to explore broader applications of the product. This is one of several trials Oppy has carried out with Hazel Tech. 

“Our Hazel for grape partnership with Oppy, the largest importer of  South American grapes, demonstrates how impactful our technologies can be in improving sales, reducing food waste, and providing a better eating experience across the globe for consumers of fresh table grapes,” said Aidan Mouat, chief executive officer at Hazel Tech.