Carrier Refrigeration

XtendFRESH ™ | ContainerLINE 2016 "We tested XtendFRESH quite extensively," Rook said. "It was a nice collaboration between ourselves, Carrier, Hamburg Süd and our growers." To help with the initiative, Carrier Transicold and Hamburg Süd conducted educational sessions for Nature's Pride in Rotterdam. "These were very informative for both myself and the buyers and our quality assurance and quality control teams," Rook said. Rook explained that thoroughly understanding and testing systems is key to quality assurance and factors into the guidance Nature's Pride offers its grower partners. Not every system makes the grade. "It's really important when we have new growers that we teach them which systems to use and which systems not to use," Rook said. "We have developed some preferences." To the Consumer, Just in Time In transit, avocados are kept cool within refrigerated containers, and the XtendFRESH system actively manages oxygen (O 2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) levels. As O2 is consumed by the avocados through respiration, it is maintained at lower levels to reduce further respiration and delay ripening. Elevated CO 2 levels are maintained to help to delay softening. The XtendFRESH system automatically removes any ethylene produced by avocados inside the container, which could otherwise accelerate ripening. Once avocados arrive at the Nature's Pride facility in Maasdijk, they are moved into one of 50 ripening chambers the company newly built in 2013 and 2016. Ripening conditions are meticulously controlled and monitored in the rooms. "The amount of detail that goes into the process upon arrival here is extreme," Rook explained. "Besides the ripening, there is sorting and repackaging, so this is really quite a complex process. And we try to give our clients at least a week of shelf life on these products." With precision, Nature's Pride determines when perishables will be ready for market, then packages them with the "EAT ME" label or the customer's preferred label for delivery. "All of it is just-in-time logistics. You need to ripen just in time, go out just in time and be with the client just in time," Rook explained. Demand has grown steadily for Nature's Pride's ready-to-eat produce and especially fast for avocados, which provides added challenges that the XtendFRESH system is helping the importer meet. "To get the right produce here, and get it here on time under the right conditions – that's where the CA systems come into play," Rook said. Timing is everything! w " We tested XtendFRESH quite extensively," Rook said. "It was a nice collaboration between ourselves, Carrier, Hamburg Süd and our growers." Nature's Pride custom packages ready-to-eat perishables such as this kit with all the ingredients for guacamole. 5

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