Nearly half, or 42% of produce grown locally is spoiling before it can be consumed, leading farmers to suffer. Imagine the number of people that 42% could have fed if it didn’t end up in landfills due to spoilage.
Ensuring access to sufficient and nutritious food is still an issue faced worldwide, and it requires careful planning and action in order to promote the wellbeing of the general population. There are numerous roadblocks to resolving food security concerns, including population growth, rising food consumption, diminishing varieties of crops, as well as food waste and losses, among various other factors. There is a huge opportunity to address food waste and losses especially in developing nations where agricultural innovations are rare.
A team from the first batch of the Voyage program offered by AEV’s Transformation Team, came up with a novel method of tackling the issue of food waste and losses in our community by combining digital and physical solutions. The Voyage program is a 12-week program that guides A-People in transforming their innovative ideas into viable ventures, while also equipping them with the attitudes and behaviors that drive the growth of the world’s fastest-growing companies.
Alyssa Virrey, one of the launchers of Fresh Depot, is grateful for her exponential growth after going through the Voyage journey.
The Voyage program empowers every participant with the foundations needed to become capable leaders of their ventures. The program has taught me to see things holistically – from understanding issues and crafting appropriate solutions – to finding the best strategies and utilizing appropriate technologies to ensure the success of our venture.
–Alyssa Virrey, Co-Launcher, Fresh Depot
“Combining the lessons I learned from the Voyage program and the stakeholders we’ve talked to along the way with the Aboitiz core values, I am learning how to prioritize the needs of our target market by listening to their feedback and working with them to provide tailored services that meet their satisfaction,” shared Virrey.
After 12 weeks of voyage, Virrey, along with her co-launchers Lester Gimeno and Bianca Gempesaw, realized they have a shared concern over the agricultural landscape of the Philippines and saw an opportunity to contribute to achieving food security.
Lester Gimeno explained that missed opportunities to maximize agriculture to contribute to food security is the motivation behind their venture. “Nearly half, or 42% of produce grown locally is spoiling before it can be consumed, leading farmers to suffer. Imagine the number of people that 42% could have fed if it didn’t end up in landfills due to spoilage. It is also a missed opportunity to uplift the lives of farmers through maximizing the earning potential of their harvests. In nations such as India, modular cold storage units and digital tools are being utilized effectively to diminish food waste and enhance crop yield. Drawing ideas and best practices from innovative agricultural systems, we are confident we will have significant contributions in the lives of our farmers and the country at large,” explained Gimeno.
Bianca Gempesaw looks back on their venture’s growth since they finished the voyage program with pride. “Our project has evolved since we completed the voyage program. We began as a modest cold storage solution which later on evolved in transforming the agricultural process in the Philippines through sustainable and data-driven solutions. Empowering farmers by giving them access to capital and connecting them directly to markets. Connecting physical and digital spaces and capturing the complete value chain will allow farmers to maximize their crop and earning potential,” said Gempesaw.
Fresh Depot will launch their first pilot site this month at Mankayan, Benguet. During this launch, the team is set to digitize information about farmers’ land, planting practices, pre-harvest, harvest, and market data. This will enable the team to provide advisory services, identify opportunities for market linkage and financial inclusion programs, and establish a database of information that the government can use for their agricultural programs.
The Fresh Depot team is dedicated to involving all stakeholders in achieving their vision. As part of this commitment, they have been seeking input from farmers on how to improve customer experience once their services are available. They have also consulted with different government units and agencies to learn how their solutions can leave a positive and lasting impact on the entire country.
To ensure that Fresh Depot’s products and services meet global standards, the company has enlisted the help of leading experts in AgriTech: Ecozen Solutions Pvt. Ltd. and Cropin Technology Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
Ecozen has developed a modular hybrid cold storage unit called Ecofrost, which incorporates climate-smart deep tech to utilize solar energy as the power source. It also features a proprietary technology that enables battery-less backup, keeping the produce fresh and market-ready for 24/7 after pre-cooling.
CropIn’s services include farm monitoring and management, as well as an easy-to-use communication solution that connects farmers, agri-businesses, and field officers. Their technology also helps digitize farm activities.
Fresh Depot has also been selected by Basel Agency for Sustainable Energy (BASE), a Swiss foundation and Specialized Partner of United Nations Environment, to participate in a three-month international Incubator Program. The Incubator will support Fresh Depot in digitizing inventory management and monitoring shelf-life of stored crops in real-time through an app.
For more information on Fresh Depot, please visit https://www.freshdepot.ph/ or follow them on Instagram through https://www.instagram.com/freshdepot.ph.
