VegNET South Australia Regional Update

In the dynamic world of the fresh food supply chain, Airiel Solutions stands at the forefront, driven by the passion and innovation of two exceptional women—Suzanne Kambuts and Sharon Crane. Together, they bring unique expertise and unwavering dedication to tackling the challenges of efficiency, freshness, and safety the fresh food supply chain.

Suzanne Kambuts is the Founder and CEO. With a successful background as a sales and marketing expert in the medical field, Suzanne became deeply aware of the dangers posed by unhealthy indoor environments. Her exposure to a groundbreaking technology that mimics sunlight’s natural air purification process inspired her to channel her expertise toward a new mission: revolutionising the fresh food industry by prolonging shelf life, eliminating airborne pathogens thus extending freshness, reducing waste and improving efficiency in the cold food supply chain.

Sharon Crane, Airiel’s Research Engineer and Project Manager, complements Suzanne’s vision with her technical expertise. Sharon has played a pivotal role in validating the potential of this innovative technology, and documenting scientific evidence to showcase its effectiveness. She has recently overseen real-world trials with farmers with potatoes and Brussels sprouts, and also with cherries, berries and stone fruit. Her work ensures that Airiel’s solutions are not only visionary but also practical and scientifically robust.

Together, Suzanne and Sharon make an extraordinary team. Suzanne oversees executive functions and administration, while Sharon spearheads the details of research and development projects. Their complementary strengths drive our Airiel’s shared mission to make the fresh food industry more sustainable.

Transforming the fresh food supply chain

XtendaMax is Airiel Solutions innovative air cleaning device designed for cool rooms where fresh food is stored, processed or transported. XtendaMaX uses a chemical-free process that mimics the effects of sunlight to break down organic compounds, such as ethylene and pathogens, which contribute to spoilage. This technology creates a healthier storage environment, extending the freshness of produce and reducing waste. And it is compatible with organic production!

Airiel aims to have XtendaMaX transform the entire fresh food supply chain by maximizing the shelf life of fresh products, reducing waste, reducing energy use and costs, reducing chemical use and costs and enhancing profitability. For growers this obviously provides many benefits, not least of which are reduced cost of production and the ability to improve their returns by holding perishable produce back from market to await better prices, or gain access to alternative markets.

Value propositions across the fresh food supply chain

XtendaMaX delivers unique advantages across all segments of the fresh food supply chain. For farmers, it provides the flexibility to store produce for extended periods without spoilage, enabling them to avoid market gluts and secure better prices. In packing sheds, the improved air quality enhances handling and packing conditions, contributing to a more efficient workflow, and enhances food safety.

Transportation will also benefit greatly, as XtendaMaX facilitates the long-distance shipment of perishable goods, ensuring they arrive in prime condition.

Compared with refrigeration, which was introduced over 100 years ago as the technology for extending shelf-life, XtendaMaX uses much, much less energy.

For wholesalers and retailers, the extended shelf life reduces markdowns and waste, allowing for greater profitability and improved inventory management.

Hospitality businesses and institutions like aged care, and remote locations, have cool rooms with mixed produce. Mixed produce suffer from cross-infection, which hastens ripening and rotting. These situations benefit from maintaining fresher ingredients for longer periods, which enhances meal nutrition while lowering costs – and for remote locations where restocking is infrequent, XtendaMaX proves invaluable by overcoming logistical challenges, and ensuring consistent access to high-quality food.

And – unrelated to vegetables – XtendaMaX even has benefits in meat and seafood by eliminating odours and keeping produce safer.

A farmer’s perspective

George Antonas, Managing Director of IG Fresh, has recently participated in one of the trials to demonstrate the effectiveness of XtendaMax in a commercial farming environment. He is an enthusiastic supporter of both Airiel Solutions and their innovative product.

“I’ve always been interested in innovation in horticulture, and when I heard about XtendaMax it ticked a lot of boxes – but what really sold it to me is that they had lots of data to prove what they are saying,” he said.

“This is a complementary product that can help in so many ways, improving efficiency of equipment we already use as well as adding it to other innovations. We’re big on efficiencies, and this is magnificent, it doesn’t cost a lot to run and you get so much back from it, there’s a good return on investment. It’s perfect for cold rooms and sealed units, which is what it’s been designed for, but I think there’s potential to use it in a system for a greenhouse or plastic tunnel, and take it to the next level.”

Advisory expertise and shared values

Supporting Airiel Solutions is a diverse advisory board, comprising seasoned professionals in business, agriculture, and manufacturing. Each of its members guides Suzanne and Sharon on their start-up journey. This collective expertise strengthens Airiel’s foundation and bolsters its ability to innovate.

A commitment to a sustainable future

Airiel Solutions has achieved a significant milestone in bringing XtendaMaX into production and are working with stakeholders across the supply chains to incorporate this product into their management systems.

Suzanne and Sharon’s passion for fresh, high-quality food and their commitment to innovation and environmental stewardship are complemented by their commitment to working with growers and other industry stakeholders. Together, they are working to reshape the fresh food supply chain, creating a more sustainable and efficient future.

FIND OUT MORE
Please contact Peta Coughlin, AUSVEG SA on 0409 029 745 or email peta.coughlin@ausveg.com.au