CHICAGO, IL - It is always tragic when a melon—or any fruit or vegetable—is forgotten until it is time to sadly toss that product into the trash. But it is not a sad story that a new partnership is seeking to make this a thing of the past. Grower Alliance, one of largest importers of melons from Mexico into the United States, has forged a partnership with ​Hazel Technologies Inc. to focus on using Hazel for melon packaging technology to rescue melons from waste.

“Melons were one of the first crops that we saw a huge potential in for Hazel’s technologies and they are still a major focus area for us,” said Aidan Mouat, CEO at Hazel Technologies, Inc. “We are thrilled to continue this partnership with Jorge Jr., Jorge Sr., Luis, and the Grower Alliance team and help them continue to provide the highest-quality melons to retailers and consumers alike.”

Luis Caballero, one of the Managing Members at Grower Alliance, started Grower Alliance in 2007 along with Jorge Quintero, Sr., and Jorge Quintero, Jr. The business has grown to supply over 100 retailers and distributors and is one of the largest Mexican honeydew melon importers in the U.S.

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"In our extensive testing, we found that the Hazel for Melon technology resulted in a 45 percent longer shelf-life with our honeydew melons and a vastly improved eating experience 21 days after harvest," said Caballero.

A USDA-funded technology company, Hazel Tech delivers new technology solutions for fresh produce to extend shelf-life, increase sales, and fight food waste. According to a press release, its partnership with Grower Alliance will focus on use of a USDA-funded technology that works by reducing the respiration rate of melons following harvest, resulting in a longer shelf-life.

To work, a single Hazel sachet is placed in each box during the packing process, and the technology, which is designed for the fresh melon supply chain specifically, protects melon quality during transit from the farm to retail shelves and, eventually, to the end consumer.

Hazel® patent-pending technologies have been tested by many of the country's top academic research programs including UC Davis, Cornell University, and Oregon State University.

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