Jun 15, 2022

Fresh Storage Company RipeLocker Closes Deal With Cut Flowers Company

RipeLocker has closed its first purchase agreement with The Queen’s Flowers, a floral importer and grower in Colombia and Ecuador with wholesale and distribution warehouses across the U.S.

The Queen’s Flowers made the decision based on commercial trials conducted earlier in the year, according to a news release from RipeLocker. Suppressing the senescence and decay of fresh-cut roses, the RipeLockers extended the post-harvest life of vvpreviously harvested roses by an extra 2-4 weeks. In anticipation of the need for more inventory during the high-demand seasons of Valentine’s and Mother’s Day, Queen’s partnered with RipeLocker to proactively solve this problem and use the innovative containers to prolong the freshness of their roses and increase the quantities available for sales during peak seasons.

“The data and technology around the RipeLocker containers will help us manage production ups and downs, assuring a better supply and freshness of our roses,” David Gonzalez, chief operating officer of The Queen’s Flowers, said in the news release.

Founded in 2016, RipeLocker is based in Seattle, Washington.

George Lobisser, CEO and co-founder of RipeLocker, said it was an honor to work with The Queen’s Flowers “excellent in-house technical team.”

RipeLocker containers offer a unique, patented system to manage the atmospheric pressure, humidity, and gas composition (oxygen and CO2) within the containers to extend the life of fresh produce and flowers, according to the news release. Based on the specific needs of each type of fresh produce or flower, RipeLocker tailors operating parameters, such as internal pressure, oxygen, and CO2 levels, to optimize longevity and freshness. The system reports and responds to changes in the storage or shipping environment, making automatic precise adjustments to predict and prevent damage and reduce decay. RipeLocker has designed its pallet-sized containers so that they can easily be deployed and used in the existing cold chain.