AUSTRALIA | The Australian avocado industry has launched an Australian-first trial of a retail ripeness scanner, addressing top frustrations for growers, consumers and retailers.
The Avocado Retail Ripeness Scanner aims to support consumers to confidently choose avocados at their desired ripeness stage and reduce consumer-induced bruising.
Bruising in avocados has been a shared frustration of growers, retailers and consumers alike. Industry research confirmed that most avocado bruising is caused by consumers squeezing them.
Further, 47 percent of consumers are squeezing three or more avocados before purchasing. This is a heartbreaking statistic for growers who have invested years of effort and capital to deliver bruise-free fruit to the shelf consistently.
Supported through the Monitoring Avocado Supply Chain Quality project (AV22011), the trial is evaluating the potential of a retail ripeness scanner developed by Dutch agri-tech company OneThird to address key industry challenges.
The consumer-facing device uses near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to rapidly and non-destructively assess avocado firmness, providing customisable guidance on when the fruit will be ready to eat. This may be of value to consumers who are less confident in assessing ripeness on their own.
This Australian-first small-scale trial reflects the Australian avocado industry’s ongoing investment in improving fruit quality and enhancing the consumer retail experience. It could solve some of the industry’s biggest pain points for both consumers and retailers.
Tackling a key consumer challenge
Finding a ripe avocado remains one of the most common consumer challenges and is a contributing factor to bruising.
Industry insights show that around 75 percent of consumers are looking for avocados that will be ready to eat within the next two days. The scanner, which features a customisable ripeness scale, reduces uncertainty by allowing consumers to simply scan any avocado in-store and receive guidance on when it is likely to be ready to eat, along with corresponding storage recommendations.
Avocados Australia CEO John Tyas said the trial reflected the industry’s focus on solving practical challenges faced by consumers, to drive domestic consumption.
“Finding an avocado at the right stage of ripeness is a key frustration of consumers. If we can help consumers select avocados with greater confidence, we support better eating experiences, reduce bruising and further strengthen trust in Australian avocados.”
Of course, it’s not just high-tech scanners that can tell you if an avocado is ripe. However, emerging tools like this scanner may offer additional support to consumers while helping reduce handling and potential bruising.
Benefits for retailers and the broader supply chain
In addition to supporting consumers, the technology provides retailers with a tool to attract more customers into the store and with valuable analytics that can help monitor on-shelf firmness profiles, reduce store waste, improve merchandising strategies, and correlate ripeness with sales.
Early trial results show that the retail ripeness scanner is being used on approximately 45 per cent of the avocados sold in-store each week. The associated analytics platform also provides insights into peak shopping periods and ripeness on display, which support fresh produce managers in objectively measuring and improving stock management and ensuring a consistent display of ripe avocados.
“The Australian avocado industry invests significantly each year in research and innovation to improve quality and make it easier for consumers to enjoy avocados with confidence,” said Tyas.
“Trials like this allow us to explore how technology can support growers, retailers and consumers alike.”
Backed by research and international trials
Ahead of deployment in Australia, more than 500 Hass avocados from different growing regions were assessed in the laboratory, demonstrating the device’s ability to consistently classify fruit into distinct ripeness categories suitable for the Australian market.
The OneThird technology has also been trialled internationally across Europe, including at retailers such as Kaufland and Tesco, as well as in retail outlets in Thailand.
The Australian trial will evaluate consumer engagement, operational practicality and potential future applications within domestic retail environments.
More global news here
