Compac, the post-harvest company, is moving from machinery to technology and plans to expand the Latin America region

After being acquired by TOMRA, a company providing sensor-based technology to a variety of industries, Compac, the provider of integrated post-harvest solutions and services, invests more and more in technology. Being part of TOMRA Food, allows Compac to offer a number of mind-blowing, high tech solutions, including sensors developed for the aerospace industry. Jacinto Trigo, Regional director LATAM, met Fructidor during Asia Fruit Logistica in Hong Kong, and shared further plans and innovations.

“Compac has grown dramatically since the acquisition by TOMRA” tells Mr. Trigo and adds that this year the combined companies are investing 8% of the total revenue just in research and development of technology. “We are investing heavily in internal grading, such as dry matter reading technology, so our customers can decide which fruit can go overseas and still arrive in good condition, and which fruit should stay for the domestic market. It saves money for the growers, increases profit, but also if you see the big picture - it is about taking care of the world. Right now, 42% of the fruit and vegetable is being wasted. This is something TOMRA Food and Compac are fighting to improve. Reducing waste is good for the pocket of the customer and for the world”.

According to Jacinto, consumers in all markets are increasingly demanding closer cooperation with their suppliers. That is why TOMRA Food and Compac is investing heavily in the Latin American market. The company will hire more people for Peru and Mexico and will open a new TOMRA office in Santiago later this year. A broad set of technologies from both TOMRA and Compac will be available for demonstration. “Our customers, the exporters of fruits, need to know more about the details of each fruit than ever before, because the final consumer demands increasing levels of quality. For example, when you ship avocados from Chile to Europe, you must be sure the fruit in the container arrives in perfect condition after 30-35 days of transportation. This is why making a good decision on when and where to ship that fruit -in Chile, or in Peru or Mexico- is a critical step to avoid waste. No one wants to waste fruit: some fruit can stay local, other can go to Asia, USA or Europe”.

Talking about the future Jacinto Trigo mentions: “Right now we buy our fruits just based on how they look. However, in a couple of years we will be able to understand what is happening inside: Is the fruit good for my body? Is it ready to eat? Is that taste experience good for me and for my kids? Where exactly did it come from? That is why Compac, together with TOMRA Food, focuses on developing technology that can help our customers better understand the internal qualities of the fruit”.

For further information about Compac, please see www.compacsort.com.

For further information about TOMRA Food, please see www.tomra.com/food