FreshHold™

One third of all food produced globally is lost or wasted before it's eaten. In many parts of the world, communities struggle to feed growing populations — not because there isn't enough food, but because it doesn't last long enough to get there.

That's not New Zealand's problem. But it is New Zealand's opportunity. Our export industry is the backbone of this economy, and every piece of fruit that arrives fresher, lasts longer, and travels further is worth more — to growers, to packhouses, to the brands that sell it, and to the people who eat it.

FreshHold™ is a bio-active barrier coating or adhesive that extends the shelf life of fresh produce. It works with packaging already in use — no new formats, no new infrastructure. Natural compounds interact with the fruit's own physiology to slow ripening and reduce spoilage from the moment of application.

We started with labels. The bio-adhesive is applied to standard produce labels, meaning it integrates directly into existing packing lines. But the technology works across packaging formats — anywhere a coating meets fresh produce. Importantly, FreshHold is not a fruit-sprayed coating, it’s a visible fruit label or other packaging format that consumers can simply remove to speed up the ripening process once again.

Our avocado trials have been independently verified by NZ’s best postharvest lab, showing measurable shelf life extension under lab conditions. We're currently trialling across additional fruit categories as we work toward a commercial-ready product.

FreshHold is in active development. If you're a grower, packhouse, exporter, or brand interested in what longer shelf life could mean for your supply chain — we'd love to talk.

Email us

zac@zedlab.co.nz