OneThird: AI-powered scanners to reduce food waste
Global food waste is a trillion-dollar burden that raises costs for the entire supply chain. An estimated one-third of all food produced in the world goes unconsumed, a staggering amount that, if reduced, could save millions, reduce inequality, and improve health outcomes.
OneThird is a Netherlands-based food tech company that has developed proprietary technology to tackle food waste. Combining AI with scanners that can “see” inside produce, OneThird can better predict the shelf-life of fresh produce.
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OneThird
Learn more about OneThirdThe global problem with food waste
The cycle of waste puts a greater demand on every stage of the supply chain while producing 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions. (1)
The United Nations estimates that 13.2% of food that is produced winds up lost between harvest and retail, while another 19% is wasted by consumers. (2) On its own, that food waste represents a considerable loss, both economically and ecologically, and yet those numbers don’t reflect the waste of water, land, and energy in the production of that unconsumed food.
If growers and retailers know with greater certainty how long their produce will last, they can better position their products to the consumer. To that end, OneThird has developed AI-empowered, infrared scanners that can determine the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables. These scanners are accurate to one day and do not harm the produce, all while connected to a data-sharing platform that bridges the entire supply chain. This innovative process takes out much of the guesswork in the industry.
Getting the most out of produce
OneThird’s innovation relies on a spectroscopy scanner, which provides an internal scan of the produce to measure the levels of water and sugar. The AI component then determines the ripeness and communicates that to actors in the supply chain. Currently, the tech is optimised for producers of tomatoes, strawberries, blueberries, and avocados.
Since 2021, OneThird has been an EIT Food RisingFoodStars member. The programme provides promising agrifood and foodtech scale-ups with coaching and networking opportunities.
"It's a long-term commitment from both sides. As a start up, nobody knows you in the beginning, so you try to build up a brand and a name. And, obviously, EIT Food is a very well-known institute writing about you on social media, what you’re doing now. We’ve done videos, we’ve done podcasts, so all those media activities have helped us boost our profile."
Growing towards a future without food waste
OneThird was honoured with a CES Innovation Award in 2023, with CES praising their technology as “a major contribution toward sustainable agriculture practices, and ultimately greater consumer satisfaction.” OneThird has successfully closed two funding rounds and have been doubling revenue each year.
The company has set a goal of preventing 150 million kg of food waste by 2027. They estimate that their tech would save millions of euros for growers and hundreds of millions for retailers, while helping to reduce GHG emissions.
"We will need to geographically expand if we want to get there and get more customers. That's our mission. That’s our inner goal."
Bringing fresher food to the shelves
Having greater confidence in the shelf-life of produce can transform the food industry. While base economics incentivises producers and retailers to reduce food waste, that hasn’t been enough. Even the most strategic inventory management systems can only be so accurate. (3) OneThird offers a state-of-the-art solution that can be adopted into any food production system with little effort.
Convincing retailers to adopt their technology is one of the biggest hurdles for OneThird, but it’s also a major opportunity. Getting retailers onboard will accelerate the adoption of this technology throughout the food chain and within international markets.
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