Apeel Sciences

One-third of food produced for consumption gets wasted globally, particularly fresh produce, due to its high perishability.

At the same time, fresh fruits and vegetables can offer much larger income opportunities for smallholder farmers than staple crops, and the demand for fresh products is increasing around the world. The challenge is that growing fresh produce is only beneficial if farmers can access markets and the products can survive the journey, maintaining their quality and freshness.

Apeel Sciences has developed an edible plant-derived coating called "Edipeel". Applied after harvest, Edipeel slows water loss and oxidation in fruits and vegetables, keeping them fresh for longer.

With a longer product shelf life and a more resilient supply chain, there is an opportunity for smallholder farmers and aggregators to access markets and benefit from better pricing for their products.

Throughout the WFP Sprint Programme, Apeel Sciences will validate whether their value proposition can increase income for farmers and the viability of this market approach in sub-Saharan Africa.

The project team is working with Kenyan aggregators and WFP’s Farm to Market Alliance to reduce post-harvest losses and improve income opportunities for Kenyan farmers. Factors causing the spoilage of fresh produce are addressed using the Edipeel technology.