Jüsto, Mexico’s first ecommerce supermarket, uses SavrPak’s active moisture-reducing sachets to deliver freshly packaged berries to consumers and reduce food waste.

December 5, 2022

4 Min Read
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Image courtesy of SavrPak

Starting this month, packaged berries ordered through Mexico’s first online supermarket include a small plant-based thermodynamic pouch that ensures the fruit remains fresh for consumers.

Jüsto uses moisture-control technology from SAVRpak that extends the shelf life of produce up to three times longer; moisture is the number one cause of mold on berries and other peel-less produce.

Made of FDA-approved food-grade materials, the SavrPak sachet or small pouch — the supplier refers to it as a patch — is placed in the plastic clamshells before they are sealed and shipped to customers. Within seconds, the Atmospheric Control and Transmission (ACT) technology removes 50% of condensation. It continues to prevent condensation by absorbing the moisture that leads to sogginess and harmful microbial bacteria.

“We’re excited [that] Jüsto is our first retail partner to integrate SavrPak into its food packaging to ensure shoppers have more time to enjoy delicious produce like berries that too often spoil before they are eaten,” says Grant Stafford, co-CEO. “Jüsto is truly an innovator for not only being the first online supermarket in Mexico, but for implementing new solutions like SavrPak that promise to help alleviate the food waste crisis.”

SavrPak was recognized as a Fast Company World Changing Idea and one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions.

According to studies, a whopping 30 to 40% of all harvested produce is never consumed, mainly due to spoilage throughout the supply chain. Stafford notes that everyone from farmers to distributors to retailers are looking for solutions to reduce the amount of food reaching landfills and allow for consumers to enjoy their fresh produce for longer.

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Details on size, cost, and benefits.

Stafford tells us that “each 2-inch by 4-inch SavrPak Drop-In patch weighs 20 grams and are made of FDA approved food-grade biodegradable materials. This solution is pennies on the dollar per unit. We aimed to make it affordable so customers and suppliers could easily implement the patch to protect their produce.”

The technology is available for online orders of blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries.

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“SavrPak patches are helpful in mitigating bacterial growth and preventing dehydration,” Stafford explains. "With food-safe antimicrobials, our patch absorbs the condensation that forms on produce and prevents harmful growth inside packaging. The patch acts as a two-way moisture conduit to keep the container at a higher humidity level when necessary to prevent dehydration — shrinkage/shrivel — and continues to remove additional condensation that may form on berries. As a result, berries can last up to three times longer since the condensation that causes premature spoilage is no longer a factor.”

In preliminary trials with various global produce growers, SavrPak extends the shelf-life of berries by four or more days.  

“At Jüsto, we not only promise to deliver the highest quality produce we can source, but we also want our shoppers to know that we are committed to deliver items in the most sustainable way possible,” says Ricardo Weder, CEO of Jüsto. “With the integration of SavrPak technology, our base of sustainably minded shoppers will feel good knowing that the produce they’re buying will have a positive impact on the environment. They’ll have a longer window of time to enjoy our berries — ultimately reducing food waste at home.”

Tech delivers for fast-food takeout and more.

While online and delivery grocery orders that increased by about 50% in North America during the pandemic is expected to continue to grow, Jüsto is one of the emerging examples of the rise of the food and product delivery sector in Latin America as the first 100% online and vertically integrated supermarket in Mexico. In produce, Jüsto works directly with fresh fruit and vegetable suppliers to offer shoppers the freshest produce available.  

“Since completing successful trials with some of the largest global produce suppliers, we’re excited to see the level of growing interest from all players throughout the supply chain,” says Stafford. “Jüsto is one of the first retail customers we can discuss publicly, but we will be making more announcements soon as we have various pilots/trials ongoing across more than 30 farms, as well as grocers in the US and Canada. Consumers will start to see SavrPak in individual packaging of their favorite berries and greens at select supermarkets starting this winter and spring.”

In addition to fresh produce, the food-waste-reducing technology is seeing adoption across diverse markets. It has been introduced for takeout and delivery foods, like french fries, pizza, and burgers, that too often get cold and soggy in transit from restaurant to home. SavrPak is used by hundreds of US restaurants in 41 different states to address the number one complaint for delivered food, condensation. 

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