Reducing food waste, from harvest to table
Freshness has a deadline.
We push it back.
Peak Harvest Agritech is a Canadian research and technology company helping fresh fruit and vegetables stay market-ready for longer, giving growers, distributors, and retailers more time before food becomes waste.
Why it matters
Most food is lost before anyone gets the chance to eat it.
By some estimates, close to half of all fruit and vegetables grown are lost before they reach a plate. Not in the field, but in the days after harvest, as produce moves through storage, transport, and retail faster than it can be sold and eaten.
That loss carries a cost far beyond food. The land, water, labor, and energy that went into growing it are lost too, and the emissions from food that never gets eaten rival those of entire countries.
Peak Harvest Agritech was founded in Canada to close that gap. We're a research and technology company building on decades of postharvest plant science first developed with the University of Guelph, working toward a platform of solutions that keep fresh produce fresher, for longer, at every step of the journey.
The scale of the problem
45%
of all fruits and vegetables produced are wasted, more than any other food category.
Source: FAO, Global Food Losses and Food Waste
Our solution
FreshExtend™
Our flagship product is a postharvest treatment for fresh fruit and vegetables, developed over 15+ years of research and field trials. It helps produce stay market-ready for longer, without changing how it's grown, handled, or eaten.
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Naturally derived
Built on ingredients naturally occurring in many fruits, Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) certified in the US.
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Independently tested
Safety confirmed through a multi-year biosafety program following OECD guidelines.
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Field-proven
Developed through 15+ years of field trials, under research originally patented with the University of Guelph.
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No residue, no trade-off
No effect on taste or smell, with no residue remaining on produce 24 hours after application.
How it's applied
- Pre-harvest spray
- Post-harvest dip
- Post-harvest vapour
Where we help
Food is lost at every stage between harvest and the table. We help at every one of them.
Peak Harvest works across the entire fresh produce supply chain, not just at one point in it.
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01
Growers
Higher yields from less crop loss during and after harvest, and more time to move what's picked before it spoils.
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02
Transport
Produce that holds up better over longer distances and longer transit times.
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03
Warehouse & distribution
A wider window for storage and logistics planning, with less pressure to move stock immediately.
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04
Retailers
Less shrink and markdown, with fresher product on the shelf for longer.
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05
Customers
Produce that stays fresh at home for longer, with more time to consume everything before it spoils.
Results
What extending freshness looks like in practice
A summary of field trial results and peer-reviewed postharvest research behind FreshExtend, validated across a wide range of crops, climates, and institutions.
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Different fruits and vegetables confirmed to show increased freshness, out of a wider range tested
6 days to
6+ weeks
of extended freshness, depending on the crop
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Different countries and climates where field trials have been conducted
Source: peer-reviewed postharvest research conducted with the University of Guelph and partner institutions.
Late 1980s
Foundational research begins at the University of Guelph into the plant science behind freshness and spoilage.
Following decades
The science extends into fruit and vegetable postharvest trials across multiple institutions worldwide.
15+ years
Of dedicated field trials refining the treatment now known as FreshExtend.
Today
Proven across 17 crops, tested in 10 countries worldwide.
Partners & affiliates
Grounded in world-class research and collaboration
Research & academic partners
Selected industry & grower partners
Get in touch
Let's talk about extending what you grow.
Whether you're a grower, distributor, retailer, or research partner, we'd like to hear from you.