RipeLocker has announced that its bins recently contain freshly picked organic blueberries in what it has described as a "pristine state" for eight weeks.

The company, a specialist in extending the postharvest life of perishable produce, said it used six of its pallet-sized RipeLocker containers to store fresh organic blueberries from Blueberry Hill in the trial.

In addition to growing its own blueberries, Blueberry Hill owns Sorbatto Fresh, a packing and storage facility for 20 blueberry growers in Washington state, where approximately 90 percent of the blueberries managed by Sorbatto Fresh are organic.

By using RipeLocker containers, Blueberry Hill said it could greatly extend its normal blueberry sales season, increase margins and provide higher quality for longer periods of time to its many customers.

RipeLocker containers are used to store and ship flowers and fresh produce, and extend post-harvest life by "weeks, often months," the company said.

The bins are pallet-sized, made from recycled materials and reusable, and are rented to customers on an annual basis with returns made "far in excess of the cost of the lease."

The company has already completed efficacy trials with several high-value staples such as berries, pomegranates, cherries, papayas, fresh hops and flowers, and said it expected to announce additional orders for RipeLocker containers soon.

"Using RipeLocker containers to extend the post-harvest life of fresh produce and flowers quickly translates to better quality, longer sales seasons and higher margins for growers and packers," said George Lobisser, CEO and co-founder of RipeLocker. . “We have seen excellent results in our efficacy trials, including this one with Blueberry Hill, and we are confident that we will soon become the container of choice for storing and shipping perishable goods around the world.

“In addition, the ultra-low oxygen and pressure environment of our RipeLocker containers makes them perfect for organics,” added Lobisser.

“We were extremely pleased with the impeccable quality of the blueberries that had been stored in the RipeLocker containers for eight weeks; It looked like they came off the field, ”said Jeff Weijohn, owner of Blueberry Hill. "After seeing such excellent results, we quickly signed up to lease the RipeLocker containers as we anticipate a strong return on investment from using them."

Blueberry Hill plans to use the RipeLocker containers it leases to store and ship its blueberries and other potential perishables in the future, he noted.

How do they work

RipeLocker containers offer a patented system to manage atmospheric pressure, humidity, and gas composition (oxygen and CO2) within containers to extend the life of fresh produce and flowers.

Containers suppress pathogen growth, resulting in significantly less spoilage. Additionally, RipeLocker containers can provide a vehicle to deliver organic fungicide vapors to kill the pathogen.

Depending on the specific needs of each type of fresh product or flower, RipeLocker adapts operating parameters, such as internal pressure, oxygen and CO2 levels, to optimize longevity and freshness.

The system responds to changes in the storage or shipping environment, making precise automatic adjustments to prevent damage and reduce spoilage.