• Apeel Sciences, producer of edible coatings to extend the shelf life of fruits, announced that it will provide its coating to selected produce for ASDA (the UK’s third-largest supermarket) and Tesco. 

• Apeel partnered with ASDA in 2019 to trial the coating on clementines at two ASDA stores. Upon successful trials, Apeel will now provide its plant-based coating for avocados and citrus fruits sold across 150 ASDA stores. The partnership reportedly marks the first time the technology has been used on a relatively large scale in the UK.

• With Tesco, Apeel has now signed to trial the coating on Jaffa Oranges, Jaffa Sweet Easy Peelers, and Lemon Packs sold across 80 Tesco Extras and Superstores in the Peterborough area. 

Analyst Quicktake : As mentioned in our insight on Apeel Sciences, the company’s key strategy for product commercialization and growth has been to partner with produce suppliers and retailers. As of 2021, the company was offering its solution to a network of 30 suppliers and 40 retailers across 11 countries. The two new partnerships come amidst the company’s plans to add 10 more to its supplier network and distribute to more retail partners.