Fresh Tec Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Fresh Tec - Case Study Example First, there was the naturally occurring aging and decaying process of fruits and vegetables, known as senescence. Senescence involved transpiration and respiration, processes that went on in the fresh produce even after being detached from the mother-plant. Secondly, the kind of packaging used for delivery and storage did nothing to extend the life of harvested produce or effectively alleviate senescence. Instead, the packaging necessitated quicker, and costlier, options of delivery from the farms to the consumers, and all the agents that fall in-between. Thirdly, the produce was prone to physical injury, temperature injury and disease. The physical injury was mostly caused by shipping produce in splintered or damaged crates and boxes, or the way the shipping was handled. Such injuries presented bacteria with entry points, resulting in diseases. Most modern packinghouses invested in the use of washing and spraying fungicides before shipping to reduce chances of disease, but had no g reat impact on how long the produce could stay after harvesting. Temperature injury was caused by extreme temperatures both during storage and shipping, soon rendering produce unsuitable for the market. Given all these external factors, FreshTec was not well positioned to be much more successful in the industry than other players, because they would all use the same processes and players involved. FreshTec saw a single solution to all the factors degrading the quality of produce in all its processes and stages before finally reaching the consumer; packaging. The right type of packaging could increase the life of produce. The retailers and warehouse operators would be able to keep more stocks for longer without having to throw them away as waste when they went bad (USDA, 2010). The farmers, marketers, brokers and distributors would choose cheaper delivery and shipping methods that, although take longer, keep produce fresh, retain moisture contents and keep produce tasting sweet. This aspect would also enable consumers to have off-season produce that has been stored from the last harvest, because the packaging and storage enables them to last longer. SmartPac, developed by FreshTec, offered customized modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) for any variety of produce. This enabled them to climb an edge above all previous technique. The packaging exchanged heat from the box, allowing sealed contents to be cooled while using a naturally oxidizing sanitation system to sterilize and clean produce during transit. In this way, FreshTec could ensure produce reached the consumer while still fresh, undamaged and naturally sweet. This also eliminates the need of having to harvest farm products before they are optimally ripe. Fresh produce had to be harvested just before ripening in order to allow for senescence during transportation to distant destinations, tempering with natural taste. Question Two FreshTec may use several options to approach the issue of industry adoption o f their new packaging. The first would be to justify the cost of the new packaging, which averaged at an extra $1 to $1.5 in comparison to standard packaging. All this was in view that the new packaging was being launched into a tradition-bound and conservative industry. However, if the produce could still be delivered cheaply for longer periods and reach new markets that were previously inaccessible while still fresh, the pricing burden can easily be shared between the retailers and consumers. With the United States