“We were already moving toward iceless broccoli in some divisions,” Roberts said. “When this was presented again as a way to get rid of ice but maintain or even improve freshness, it made sense to test it.”

Matthew Aronson, chief revenue officer at Verdant Technologies, noted that when it comes to already-iceless broccoli, the company is helping forward-thinking retailers like Harps set the bar higher than ever on quality, with results that aren’t just seen on the wet rack, they’re also showing up on the bottom line.

“Harps continues to set the bar for how retailers can use innovation to improve freshness, reduce food waste and drive stronger performance in the produce department,” he said. 

The HarvestHold Fresh sheet is placed directly in the broccoli case at the point of packing. From there, it moves seamlessly through distribution to store level without altering existing handling practices. Produce managers simply remove the sheet when stocking.

“It doesn’t change anything operationally,” Roberts said. “It’s no different than paper in pear boxes. The produce manager really doesn’t notice it.”

What they are noticing, however, is stronger product performance. In addition to the impressive shrink reduction, Roberts noted the sheets help broccoli retain moisture and weight, a factor that directly impacts both freshness perception and retail returns.

“The more it weighs, the fresher it is,” he said. “And the better product the consumer takes home.”

Roberts added that shelf life can improve by as much as seven to 10 days, giving store teams more opportunity to sell through product rather than discard it. With greater confidence in longevity, produce managers may also allocate more display space to broccoli, driving incremental sales.

The financial upside is clear: reduced shrink and better sell-through translate into savings. But Roberts emphasized that the broader value proposition centers on consumers and sustainability.

“There’s a lot of food that gets thrown away in this country, much of it from home refrigerators,” he said. “Anything we can do to help customers get more life out of what they buy is a win.”

At the same time, fresher produce can encourage higher consumption of fruits and vegetables, a public health positive.

“It’s one of those deals where everybody wins,” Roberts said. “We want our consumers’ dollars to go farther and for them to enjoy the items we offer in our produce department.”

The full rollout began in February, with Ocean Mist Farms packing broccoli using the HarvestHold Fresh sheets and AWG coordinating distribution across Harps’ network. Roberts noted that successful produce innovation depends on collaboration across the supply chain.

“In produce, you don’t do anything by yourself,” he said. “It takes relationships and partnerships to get things done.”

Looking ahead, Harps may explore expanding similar technology into other categories, including peaches, where shelf-life extension could deliver similar benefits. For now, the focus remains on broccoli and on proving that small, behind-the-scenes innovations can make a meaningful difference at retail.