Israeli startup Phresh has announced that its fruit and vegetable preservatives crowdfunding campaign has exceeded its target of $20,000.
Phresh is raising funds to complete the building and delivery of a healthy organic solution that prevents fruits and vegetables at home from spoiling. At this stage, the first food preservatives items are only available through Kickstarter for the next 14 days (through March 23, 2016).
Phresh's 20 year-old founder and CEO Amit Gal-Or is currently in China to finalize production agreements and ensure product quality. The product, which Phresh calls Kitchen Heroes, seeks to extend the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables by three times. It is based on an organic non-toxic powder developed by Phresh, which resides in stylish packages in the shape of a robot or apple.
Currently, one packet of the powder is designed to extend the shelf-life of cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, apples, lemons, lettuce, grapes, mushrooms, strawberries, and peppers. Other fruit and vegetables will be added soon.
Based on over 12 years of research at Israeli startup BotanoCap, Phresh's powder is made from essential oils, which are natural preservatives created by plants, such as oregano, spearmint, and mustard oil. Using a patented micro-encapsulation process, each grain of Phresh's powder extends the effect of preservatives to over a month. The powder sublimates to create a protective shield that extends the life of the produce. "The Food Protectors product we have been developing is coming to life and can transform the way we consume and preserve fruits and vegetables", said Amit Gal-Or, founder and CEO of Phresh. "Our campaign offers people all over the world the opportunity to support the cause of saving food produce from spoilage and be the first customers to receive our exceptional product, which we rightly call Kitchen Heroes."
According to Phresh, limited early access to the food preservatives, at a 20% discount, saw products fly off the shelves in less than 24 hours. The food preservatives are still available in groups of one, two, three or four, making sure that they cover every inch of the customer's kitchen. The creators have also added a new refill feature that allows customers to obtain more powder for many years, based on their preference. Around 45% of the campaign's 362 backers are women, compared with an average of 20% of women in Kickstarter campaigns, according to Phresh. The backers come from all over the world, notably from cities such as Beijing, Hong Kong, Tel Aviv, London, and New York, highlighting the global reach and need for reduced food waste.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 8, 2016
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