Rohlik Group present the appealing future of food: Apeel's longer-lasting fruit

Czech Republic, 24. March 2021 - Keep fruit & vegetables fresh for up to 2x longer than before. Rohlik Group (Rohlik.cz, Gurkerl.at, Kifli.hu) have begun a mission with Apeel to create a more sustainable global food system by using the power of nature to enable longer-lasting produce that fights food waste.

Store and enjoy oranges up to 2x longer than before with plant-based ingredients     

With this statement, the Rohlik Group have started to cooperate with the Californian company Apeel, which has set itself the goal of keeping fruit & vegetables fresh for up to twice as long – by using plant-based ingredients. Longer-lasting Apeel oranges are now available through the Rohlik Group family (Rohlik.cz, Kifli.hu, Gurkerl.at). The motivation behind this partnership stems from the challenge surrounding the growing global food waste issue. 

Apeel’s plant-based protection creates an edible “peel” that can be applied to freshly picked produce such as oranges. The edible layer surrounds the fruit and serves to keep the moisture inside, while the oxygen that removes that moisture remains outside. Apeel’s protective extra peel slows the water loss and oxidation that causes produce to go bad.

“A respectful approach to the environment is important to us. Therefore, for Rohlik Group, Apeel means two things: firstly, we manage to keep fruit & vegetables fresher for longer, and secondly, we are once again helping to avoid food waste” commented Olin Novák, Group CCO.

“We're thrilled to have partners like Rohlik who recognize that giving their customers more time to enjoy produce isn't just good for the planet, it's good for business,” said James Rogers, CEO of Apeel, who continues, “Apeel's plant-based protection helps produce last two times longer, which means Rohlik's customers have access to high-quality produce that is much less likely to go to waste.”

Using the Apeel technology is a great step in our sustainability plan. It is interesting to note that the substance used to create the 'second skin' is plant-based and derived from materials found in all fruits and vegetables. The use of this substance does not affect the taste or the aroma of the food.

Oranges of excellent quality

The Rohlik Group are supplying customers with oranges directly from the grower - the Iberhanse group; a Spanish producer of citrus and stone fruit. The stable climate in the region together with the ideal conditions for growing fruit ensure the highest quality. 

Iberhanse has more than 25 years of experience and commitment in the citrus and stone fruit sector, which guarantees their expertise. In addition, the Iberhanse group applies the method of bio-inclusive agriculture on its farms.

“We are very pleased to start this partnership with Rohlik and Apeel, and we are proud to be able to take the next step together in developing and expanding sustainable food and combating food waste,” said Luis Bolaños, CEO of Iberhanse, who continues, “We have been successfully cooperating with Apeel for almost 2 years and we can only absolutely confirm how well their product works.”

Thanks to the Rohlik Group, customers can enjoy tasty sweet oranges, which last longer thanks to Apeel and! thanks to Iberhanse, support and protect biodiversity.

Inspired by nature: plant-based with Apeel 

By extending the shelf life of fresh fruit and vegetables, the edible Apeel protective cover helps to reduce food waste along the entire supply chain right down to households. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) states that fruits and vegetables have some of the highest food waste rates at 45 % globally. 

Together, the Rohlik Group and Apeel are working to bring further fruit and vegetable varieties to the market and protect nature. At Rohlik Group, we want people to ‘eat well and live well’.

About Rohlik Group

Founded in 2014 in Czech Republic, Rohlik is the European leader of e-grocery in Central Europe. Already active in the Czech Republic (Rohlik.cz), Hungary (Kifli.hu) and Austria (Gurkerl.at), the company will be launching in the coming months in Germany (Knuspr.de). By owning its end-to-end operations, including all technology in-house, Rohlik provides a superior customer experience and the freshest food from local farmers and artisans. Rohlik turnover exceeded €300 million in 2020 representing 101% annual growth, and 750,000 customers. It currently has 750,000 customers across three international markets. 

For more information visit www.rohlik.group

For media enquiries

Eliška Čeřovská, eliska.cerovska@rohlik.cz