SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. (February 26, 2020)—Apeel Sciences BB #:345580, a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer and one of TIME Magazine’s 50 Genius Companies, appointed Taylor Sokol as the company’s Director of Foodservice. Sokol will establish and manage relationships with both commercial and non-commercial foodservice customers including distributors, foodservice management companies, independent restaurants and wholesalers. By shaping Apeel’s strategy and partnering in the foodservice channel, Sokol will play an integral role in furthering the company’s growth on a global scale.
Food waste is one of the leading contributors to climate change, and more than 80% of it occurs downstream within retail and foodservice establishments (ReFED). Following its rapid expansion over the last year, propelled by the expansion of avocado distribution and new produce categories with Kroger, and landing on European retail shelves at Edeka in Germany and Salling Group in Denmark, Apeel is now extending its plant-derived food-waste fighting solution beyond retail into the foodservice channel.
At Apeel, we’re constantly uncovering ways for the food supply chain to realize new value from longer-lasting produce,” said James Rogers, CEO of Apeel Sciences. “For foodservice operators and their staff, Apeel’s longer-lasting produce means every order can be maximized and business operations can become more flexible and efficient. This is equally great news for growers who will have an easier time selling ‘the whole tree’.”
“Apeel is at the forefront of addressing food waste as one of the biggest problems we face as a planet,” said Taylor Sokol, Director of Foodservice at Apeel Sciences. “It’s an exciting time to join as we help foodservice distributors and operators reduce waste while enabling them to serve consumers delicious food with better quality produce made possible by Apeel.”
Restaurants in the U.S. alone generate an estimated 22 to 33 billion pounds of food waste each year, and non-commercial institutions including schools, hotels and hospitals generate an additional 7 to 11 billion pounds per year (NRDC). While much of this is caused by over-prepared food, Apeel can provide foodservice operators with more time to serve produce at its peak condition, while reducing overall waste and increasing margins. As more high-volume operators look to increase their fresh fruit and vegetable offerings, Apeel can also address the challenges of spoilage during supply chain adjustments.
Prior to joining Apeel, Sokol provided strategic foodservice guidance for plant-forward start-up CAULIPOWER, and over the last decade served in sales and market development roles at public and private food companies including Ocean Hugger Foods, J.R. Simplot Company, Flagship Food Group and Sysco.
For business inquiries, visit apeelsciences.com/trade.
ABOUT APEEL PRODUCE
From strawberries to peppers, every fruit and vegetable has a protective peel or skin that nature uses to keep it fresh. Made from materials found in fruit, Apeel adds a little extra “peel” to the surface of fresh produce to slow water loss and oxidation (two factors that cause spoilage). Apeel produce stays fresh for much longer, so you have more time to enjoy it at its most delicious — and much less food and money is wasted. For suppliers and retailers, Apeel’s technology creates an optimal microclimate inside every fruit or vegetable, maintaining quality, extending shelf life, and transportability—with reduced reliance on refrigeration and controlled atmosphere. For more information, see the Apeel FAQ.
ABOUT APEEL SCIENCES
Apeel Sciences is a company that is fighting the global food waste crisis by utilizing nature’s tools to prevent waste in the first place — a sustainable approach to the world’s growing food demands. The company’s plant-derived technology helps fresh food growers, suppliers, and retailers maintain produce quality and extend shelf life, which minimizes food waste from the farm to the retail shelf to the kitchen table.
Apeel Sciences was founded in 2012 with a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help reduce postharvest food loss in developing countries that lack access to refrigeration. Today, Apeel formulations have been proven effective at reducing the rate of spoilage for dozens of USDA Organic Certified and conventional produce categories, and the company works with partners ranging from smallholder farmers and local organic growers to the world’s largest food brands and retailers.
Founded by CEO James Rogers, PhD, Apeel Sciences investors include Andreessen Horowitz, Viking Global Investors, Upfront Ventures, S2G Ventures, Powerplant Ventures, DBL Partners, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UK Department for International Development, and The Rockefeller Foundation. The company is recognized as a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer, a Friend of Champions 12.3, and a 2019 CNBC Disruptor 50.
