BIG interview: Greg Akins on safer ethylene application and the future of ripening technology

Achieving fruit ripeness exactly when and how the market expects it remains one of the trickiest parts of the fresh produce chain. Ripening operators are expected to deliver uniform colour, texture and flavour while keeping operations safe and efficient — all under tight retail timelines. When ethylene application is inconsistent, the result can be uneven ripening, quality complaints and higher shrink at store level. At the same time, many facilities are rethinking traditional compressed-gas systems and looking for simpler ways to manage the process.

For Greg Akins, President & CEO of Catalytic Generators, the conversation around ripening is increasingly shifting toward control and visibility. Operators want to know exactly what is happening inside their ripening rooms and be confident that ethylene is applied safely and effectively. In this interview, Akins discusses what is driving the growing interest in ethylene management, which fruit categories benefit most from precise application, and the technologies his company will be highlighting at Macfrut.

What is driving the current surge in demand for ethylene management across global produce supply chains?

Greg Akins: Having information about a facility’s processes helps management make faster, proactive decisions. This will now include ethylene application. We’ll soon be able to give our clients instant, real-time data about our generators and the ripening process. Ensuring that the application is taking place as desired is not only great peace of mind for the busy ripener, but it also guarantees that the fruit will ripen properly from an ethylene standpoint. We want our clients to have the best possible outcome in terms of ethylene efficiency, effectiveness, and fruit quality.

What sets your catalytic ethylene technology apart from other ethylene application solutions on the market?

G.A.: Creating ethylene in the ripening room with our Easy-Ripe Generator and Ethy-Gen II Concentrate rather than bringing in a vast amount of it in a compressed gaseous state makes ripening less complicated. Our technology creates pure ethylene in a manner that is easy and safe; we are subject to testing by TÜV SÜD, an accredited technical services provider, to ensure that our ethylene generators comply with international safety standards. Our Ethy-Gen II is evaluated for environmental compliance by plant protection product agencies. We’re all about safety and ease of use, with a system that is not complicated by unnecessary, inconvenient methods, all at attractive price points supported by local sales and service.

Which fruit and veg categories are seeing the strongest performance gains from ethylene application today?

G.A.: Bananas will likely always be the fruit that needs and benefits from ethylene more than any other. They simply will not properly ripen without the application and would clearly not be marketable. Since they do not ripen on the tree, avocados owe a great deal of their popularity to an external ethylene application. While they will eventually ripen after harvest without external ethylene, it greatly helps to have uniformity within a box of fruit and to speed the ripening process. So, having ready-to-eat fruit at the supermarket owes a big thanks to ethylene application.

Can you share measurable results in shelf-life extension or waste reduction from recent deployments?

G.A.: Uniformly and properly ripened fruit will offer consumers an appealing choice at retail, and will result in increased sales and less shrink.

What innovations or system upgrades will you be highlighting at Macfrut?

G.A.: We will have the flagship product Easy-Ripe® and Ethy-Gen® II Concentrate on display, plus information on our upcoming SmartRipe® system – remote, wireless ethylene application monitoring.

Companies interested in improving their ripening operations or learning more about catalytic ethylene technology can send their inquiry.