Fisher Ranch expands business with AgroFresh technology for melons

AgroFresh Solutions, Inc. and family-owned producer and exporter Fisher Ranch recently partnered to supply ripe California melons to global markets using SmartFresh technology.

Using SmartFresh technology, California-based Fisher Ranch has created new business opportunities by extending the storage window and gaining more inventory flexibility. The producer reported quality maintenance results using SmartFresh SmartTabs on Golden Dewlicious melons. According to Fisher Ranch, AgroFresh's post-harvest solution allows plant-ripened melons to maintain firmness and sugar content over long periods of transit.

SmartFresh SmartTabs helps growers and exporters keep fruit fresh and firm during transportation, resulting in a longer retail shelf life. SmartFresh has also been proven to help control rind disorders in melons for 26 days in cold storage.

“Following the successful completion of our commercial trials last year, SmartFresh has enabled us to deliver great-tasting, aromatic, high-quality melons to global markets, which was a new achievement for us,” says Mike Farrage, Sales Manager from Fisher Ranch. “With this success in mind, we have increased our export volume this year and will now apply SmartFresh to our entire shipment of export melons.

SmartFresh SmartTabs is an easy-to-use solution for shipping containers and small storage chambers. There is no need to manually place sachets in each product box.

“We are excited to help our customers optimize the quality of their fresh produce and expand their business, at potentially higher margins, to distant markets they otherwise might not otherwise be able to access,” says Fernando Edagi, business development manager at AgroFresh. "We are committed to helping growers like Fisher Ranch deliver melons that provide a great eating experience with consistently high quality, flavor, sweetness and firmness."

“In our industry, we’ve noticed an increasing shift toward long shelf life (LSL) melon varieties that lack aroma and flavor,” says Farrage. “By using SmartFresh, we can enjoy the same shelf-stable benefits offered by LSL varieties, but with enhanced characteristics such as aroma, flavor, firmness and texture that consumers prefer.”

SmartFresh technology empowers growers, packers and retailers around the world to preserve the quality and freshness of a wide variety of crops, including: apples, avocados, bananas, melons, tomatoes, mangoes, plums, persimmons, kiwis, lemons and watermelon .