The impact of longer-lasting limes on food waste
Apeel today shared U.S. sustainability impact numbers for its longer-lasting limes currently sold in…Apeel today shared U.S. sustainability impact numbers for its longer-lasting limes currently sold in more than 3,000 grocery stores coast-to- coast, including Kroger and CUB banner markets. Retailers across the country are continually exploring new ways to improve sustainability in their stores while also improving customer experience. New data shows that Apeel-protected limes maintain freshness and green color for 17 days more than untreated limes, which reduces waste and avoids environmental impacts. This provides retailers with quantitative evidence that Apeel’s technology can serve as a key component of their sustainability initiatives and also reduce customers’ in-home waste.
Over the last 18 months, retailers and Apeel made a measurable impact on food waste — a $2.6T global challenge — by preventing an estimated 4.7 million limes from going to waste. This resulted in 250 million liters of water conserved and 230 mT CO2eq of GHG emissions avoided.
Apeel’s edible plant-based protection doubles the shelf-life of produce by keeping moisture in and oxygen out--the primary causes of spoilage. For Apeel-protected limes, that means better color and less desiccation, and the avoidance of premature rot. This has afforded retailers with the chance to sell limes that normally would have gone to waste due to discoloration and has provided supply partners like Robinson Fresh®, Sicar and Colimex, and wholesalers like Peirone, a differentiated way to meet retailers’ quality and sustainability needs.
“Implementing solutions to the problem of food waste may be most impactful when facilitated at scale, upstream in the supply chain,” said Rob Lynch, director of strategic accounts at Robinson Fresh, a division of C.H. Robinson. “We work with suppliers, retailers and foodservice providers to find more sustainable solutions through our global suite of services.”
Shoppers are reaping value too with Apeel-protected limes showing 93 percent less desiccation and 85 percent reduction in yellowing severity compared to non-Apeel limes after 28 days in ambient conditions.
“Our collaboration with retailers that have the same objective as Apeel to reduce food waste has also proven to impact their bottom line with consistently strong ROI,” said David Nelley, VP of buyer sales, Apeel. “Retailers have realized increased sales due to more limes in shopping baskets versus waste baskets, also reducing shrink by 30 percent on average.”
“Since collaborating with Apeel to bring customers the best possible avocados and limes so far, we not only saw shrink go down, but our sales have gone up by the same margins. Consumers know by choosing an Apeel lime that they’re choosing one with peak ripeness that will last noticeably longer at home,” said Charlie Russell, director of produce and floral at Cub.