Westfalia Fruit

Westfalia Fruit and Neolithics set new standards for reducing food loss & enhancing freshness

Westfalia Fruit, a leading multinational supplier of avocados and other fruits known for its innovative approach, is proud to announce a new partnership with Neolithics.

Neolithics is pioneering non-destructive fruit testing capabilities with Westfalia Fruit across the globe. The inspection technology provides a substantial improvement to current manual fruit inspection, significantly minimising produce loss, driving efficiencies, and maximising consistent quality. ‘’Westfalia is focused on reducing food loss and optimizing the value of natural resources used throughout the supply chain.” says Andy Mitchell, Head of Innovation at Westfalia Fruit, “Neolithics shares our values, and its technology enables us to achieve these goals more quickly."

Non-Destructive Grading

The Neolithics hardware delivers spectral analysis of various organic materials, both internally and externally, without damaging a single piece of fruit, while the software provides comprehensive data management for accurate grading and prediction. The platforms integrate seamlessly into any production environment while enhancing productivity and significantly reducing food loss in the supply chain.

Using hyperspectral imaging in wide spectrum, the technology captures thousands of data point images per second of each avocado as it moves through production. Optical sensors collect the reflected data for real-time analysis and quality grading by advanced deep learning models and AI-based algorithms.

Several months of robust testing demonstrated that the technology can replace almost all current destructive inspection processes. “With this new technology, we expect the volume of fruit used within quality checks to be reduced by more than 90% with the additional benefit of using real-time data to efficiently and consistently grade and sort fruit,” continues Mitchell.

Intelligent Solutions

Initially, Westfalia Fruit will be using the systems to gain critical insights, such as firmness, defects, rot, maturity, and shelf-life predictions. The insights will improve grading and help maintain consistent quality, ensuring fruit reaches the market efficiently while reducing loss and waste.

Three different Neolithics solutions have been introduced across several Westfalia Fruit locations to inspect fruit:

  • Neolithics Light™: A portable, agile solution delivering granular control and analysis. It replaces almost all lab-based, destructive inspection processes and moves easily across the production factory floor.
  • Neolithics Box™: A larger solution that allows analysis of even greater quantities of produce.
  • Neolithics Inline™: This solution integrates into any processing stage, from arrival to departure.

“Westfalia is a well-respected, leading innovator in the fresh produce category,” said Guy Morgan, COO and Co-founder of Neolithics. “Through this cooperation, we’re supporting their digital transformation, helping them achieve more sustainable practices and driving efficiencies."

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Notes for editors

About Westfalia Fruit

The multinational Westfalia Fruit Group is a leading supplier of fresh and processed produce to international markets, offering a diverse range of quality fruit and related products via its vertically integrated supply chain. Founded 75 years ago on guiding environmental, social, governance & sustainability principles. These practices, premised on the legacy of Dr Hans Merensky are at the heart of all that is done by the Group – “To Do Good”, – of which continue to underpin our approach today.

Today, operating in 17 countries spread over 5 continents, the Westfalia Fruit Group prides itself on advancing sustainable agricultural practices and being a responsible corporate citizen within the communities in which it operates.

As a frontrunner in the avocado industry, Westfalia grows, sources, ripens, packs, processes, and markets accredited avocados across the globe throughout the year. Value-added products include avocado oil, low-preservative guacamole, frozen avocado, and dried fruit.

Westfalia grows fruit in all major origins in the Americas and Africa and sources from partner orchards, giving the Group the most diverse avocado-growing footprint in the world. Westfalia’s dynamic and integrated supply chain from research to the consumer benefits all stakeholders. The Group’s research division, Westfalia Technological Services, is the world’s largest privately funded subtropical fruit research unit. Its dedicated team of scientists and technicians focus on varietal development, innovation, and environmental matters, and provides a pivotal role in defining the future of the global avocado industry.

A supplier of choice to retail, wholesale, and food-service customers, Westfalia operates sales offices in the UK, Europe, North America, Latin America, southern Africa, and Asia. Fruit is packed in diverse formats and expertly ripened to deliver optimal eating quality. For more information visit www.westfaliafruit.com.

 

About Neolithics

Neolithics, an AI agritech company revolutionizing the fresh produce industry, offers automated, non-destructive produce inspection systems leveraging sophisticated food science and advanced AI and optical technology. The company’s mission is to reduce food loss, ensure food safety and quality, and provide objective standards across the produce supply chain. The technologies provide wholesalers, distributors, food processors, and retailers an alternative to manual inspection, reducing OPEX, minimizing produce losses and maximizing the volume of saleable products. The Neolithics hardware delivers spectral analysis of various organic materials internally and externally without destroying a single piece of fruit, while the software provides comprehensive data management for accurate grading and prediction. The platforms integrate seamlessly into any production environment while enhancing productivity and without destroying a single piece of fruit.

For more information, visit www.neolithics.ai

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Editorial enquiries

Danielle Willems
Westfalia Fruit

+27 011 076 8358

danielle.willems@​westfaliafruit.com

Kim Vermeer
EMG

+31 164 317 026

kvermeer@​emg-marcom.com

 

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