Smart Choice
Curriculum related activities
Surveys suggest that over half of all supermarket customers prefer to buy fruit ready-to-eat. Often customers will handle the fruit to test its ripeness before making their selection and purchase, which can result in damage and wastage – a major source of lost revenue for the vendor. RipeSense™ labelling removes the need to handle produce to determine ripeness, resulting in a significant reduction in wastage, as well as increased customer service and satisfaction, and therefore increased sales.
These Curriculum Links pages provide discussion points for teacher groups and senior students on the following concepts addressed in the Techlink ripeSense™ case study:
- Collaborative commercialisation of scientific research
- The influence of regulatory restrictions and consumer preferences
- Growing importance of active and intelligent packaging
Collaborative commercialisation of scientific research
Question 1:
The full development process of the ripeSense™ product took almost five years, from 2003 to 2008 – why did it take so long? In answering this question, explain the ongoing interaction of the two principal developers – HortResearch and Jenkins Group – in the development process in terms of the balance of knowledge and skills required.
Additional references:
- Jenkins Group website
www.jenkinsgroup.co.nz/showcase/portfolio/
www.jenkinsgroup.co.nz/eco-labelling/ - HortResearchscience programme: Biosensors & biomeasurement
www.hortresearch.co.nz/index/page/389
"RipeSense™ was launched in 2004 with technology for packaging pears in a clear clamshell pack. In 2008, ripeSense™ introduced its new convenient free flow packaging, which allows for the automation of the packing process and reduces the overall amount of packaging required. Following 18 months of product development and laboratory testing, ripeSense™ will be commercially releasing its new avocado indicator in January 2009."
Question 2:
Despite its success in overseas markets, ripeSense™ labels have yet to be seen on New Zealand supermarket shelves. How is this explained in the following Telegraph article? Do you consider that this technology has a future in New Zealand? Explain your answer.
"TESCO (UK) is planning to launch the packaging shortly and other supermarket chains are believed to be weighing it up. ...Richard King managing director of Fresh Technologies UK told the magazine "The technology is both new and exciting for the UK sector and complements our existing business activities perfectly. We look forward to introducing this technology through our existing marketing channels."
www.telegraph.co.uk/search/?queryText=ripesense&Search=Search
Regulatory restrictions and consumer preferences
Question:
What influences have regulatory restrictions and consumer preferences had on the way in which the ripeSense™ labeling has been developed? Explain.
