PHILADELPHIA — Wenatchee, Wash.-based fruit grower-shipper Starr Ranch Growers has inked a deal with produce freshness specialist AgroFresh Solutions Inc. to use AgroFresh’s FreshCloud Quality Inspection to digitally integrate its quality inspection efforts. 

The solution uses aggregated data, machine learning and artificial intelligence to sustainably address food waste reduction and derive supply chain insights through the FreshCloud digital platform, allowing for real time decisions with live analytics, according to AgroFresh.

Before FreshCloud, Starr Ranch Growers conducted quality inspections manually, with almost no integration into larger platforms. By grading produce through the integrated application, FreshCloud Quality Inspection uses real-time data to help customers make crucial decisions on produce quality, harvest timing, packing, storage and market conditions.

“In the battle to protect produce against food loss and waste throughout the supply chain, which is facing more challenges than ever, customers have continued to look to and depend on AgroFresh for our innovative post-harvest solutions and direct high touch customer service model,” said Kim Bui, global head of FreshCloud infrastructure and analytics for AgroFresh. “Digital solutions like FreshCloud Quality Inspection require deep industry knowledge, and our team of industry experts work closely with our customers to digitize the quality inspection process and create new efficiencies that help maximize the quality of the world’s produce.”

“Every one of our QC inspectors has enjoyed using the FreshCloud Quality Inspection. It’s user friendly and has made sharing data easier than ever,” said Jake Gale, plant manager at Starr Ranch. “The AgroFresh team listened to our needs and ideas and made our transition to the FreshCloud Quality Inspection a breeze. We now have a QC platform we can be proud of.”