Transfresh heads for Turkish market

The company manufactures a range of Tectrol systems, which control the atmosphere around a fruit product to extend product freshness during transportation, Transfresh claims. The Tectrol range will now be launched in Turkey, "a major production source of fruits and vegetables",​ later this month, the company said in a statement. "This is an excellent opportunity to reach an international audience with the message that we are now present in the vibrant Turkish market,"​ said Teresa Scattini, vice president of Transfresh international services. The firm is also hoping that the launch will encourage processors to take the technology into strong European markets such as the United Kingdom, Germany and Scandinavia, she added. The technology involves a mixture of carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen (N) around the product before it is loaded onto transportation vehicles such as refrigerated trucks, the company said. Once the Tectrol system is sealed, the degradation process is slowed to the extent that the product is protected even when taken out of transit and placed on retail shelves, the company claimed. "Turkish customers will be able to target higher end markets, expanding volume to realize better prices and profits,"​ she said. In order to kick-start the launch, Transfresh is planning to display the Tectrol range at the International Trade Exhibition in Turkey later this month, with the help of the service provider 2H. Scattini said that the firm will demonstrate its MA350 version of the technology at the show, which she claims is used by processors to ship strawberries and grapes long distance to consumers or retailers. Although Transfresh did not state how many systems it hopes to sell at the show, the firm said Tectrol systems have been present in the US for 35 years, and claims they are now used for the transportation of 1.3 million pallets of chilled berries in the country every year.