The challenges of a growing global population is well documented and by 2050 the world’s population will reach 9.1 billion, 34 percent higher than today. That’s a lot more people to feed, which is a challenge and a great opportunity for our industry. As the demand for food increases, especially healthy and fresh, it’s a great time to be working in the horticulture industry! The challenge above requires us to increase production by more than 30 percent in around 30 harvests and when you think about it that way, there is not a lot of time. It’s great to see Hort Connections this year is aiming even higher than that and it's inspiring to know that many believe it’s possible. We certainly do at Compac and TOMRA Food and we are constantly evolving our solutions to help growers, packers and food processors achieve greater efficiency.
After the inaugural event last year, which saw AUSVEG and PMA Australia-New Zealand come together to deliver the successful Hort Connections convention,
the event is taking place again this year at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on 18th – 20th of June and we’d love to see you there. The theme for this year’s show is ‘halving waste and doubling productivity by the year 2030’. To achieve this the whole supply chain will have to work together and that’s what makes Hort Connections such a worthwhile event, as growers, packers, processors, shippers, importers and exporters, wholesalers and retailers, foodservice companies gather over two days.
Halving waste and doubling productivity
Almost a third of food produced worldwide is never eaten, leading to an estimated 1.3 billion tons of food waste each year. This is an incredible figure in 
today’s data-rich world and there is an enormous opportunity to address this. It’s our job to know everything about a piece of produce as it passes through the processing and packaging stage. Although the majority of this waste happens in other areas of the supply chain, there is still a massive opportunity for us operating in the packing and processing area. Spectrim is a prime example of a sorting machine now well established in the market that is helping to solve this problem. The inspection system continues to evolve as a platform, using continuous improvements in hardware and software, to enable packhouses to sort and grade, finding an optimal-format pack for their produce. Having the ability to grade with very high accuracy protects your brand, as you can meet exact specifications and also allows you to create a wider range of products, resulting in less food waste and a positive impact on the bottom line, as more produce can find a market.
If you’re interested in diving deeper on reducing Food Waste click here for a 10-minute read: Tomra food waste white paper
Come talk us at Hort Connections
| HORT CONNECTIONS 2018 | |
| When: | 18th – 20th of June |
| Location: | Brisbane Convention Centre |
| Booth: | 81 |
| Show registration | Book a meeting | |
Compac and TOMRA will be exhibiting together at booth 81 and we are welcoming guests, clients, partners and anyone visiting Hort Connections to come and see us and hear about some of our latest innovations.
We will have a range of senior representatives there keen to catch up and also talk about raising productivity and reducing waste using a range of solutions. Come and visit us and learn more about our latest innovations, and more about our two companies. Feel free to visit the booth at any time throughout the show, or book a time to make sure the right people are available.
Book a time here to talk to our experts at Hort Connections
Here’s a quick view of the types of solutions we have available:
- Spectrim - Spectrim is our external inspection system for fresh produce. Spectrim’s ability to reduce cost-per-pack while increasing the consistently and quality of produce packs is vital for any packhouse, especially those accessing export markets.
- Inspectra2 - Inspectra2 was officially launched at Fruit Logistica 2018.
Inspectra2 uses a spectrometer to measure the internal properties of fresh produce, ensuring a quality eating experience for consumers. The first two Inspectra2 systems have just been installed in New Zealand for the apple and kiwifruit seasons. Both are in the final stages of validation and all indications are that Inspectra2 is both more accurate and easier to use, which will deliver better performance day-to-day, batch-to-batch and season-to-season. The release is in full motion and production slots are already filling up for the end of the year. - TOMRA 5A- The TOMRA 5A potato sorting machine brings more than 98% removal rate of foreign objects, quality inspection and peel quality control to c
ustomers. Running the highest capacities in the industry, this sorter significantly increases the level of food safety and yield. - TOMRA 5B- TOMRA 5B is a highly efficient, intuitive sorting machine that has been designed to improve yields and product quality, with minimal product waste and maximum uptime. These benefits are made possible by three integral features, namely the delivery of optimum performance, improved ease of use and enhanced hygienic design.
- Total View - Total View is the latest upgrade to
Compac’s cherry grading solution. A combination of learnings from Compac’s Spectrim platform and newly developed End View camera, allowing cherry packers to see the whole cherry at production speeds. The solution was installed and proved very successful during the recent New Zealand cherry season. - Compac Care: is Compac’s service package and aims to optimise sorting machine operating time to prevent breakdowns and enable you to consistently operate to your potential to deliver on your brand promise. This is a program we’ve developed with strategic investments in platforms such as ServiceMax, and the establishment of regional offices to enable local support across the globe.
We look forward to seeing you there but if you can’t make it and want to discuss any of the above don’t hesitate to contact us.
