Hazel Technologies

Hazel Technologies is a postharvest technology company founded in 2015 in Chicago, Illinois, by a group of chemists focused on reducing fresh produce loss between farm and retail shelf. The company develops controlled-release active packaging that slows the natural ripening and decay of fruits and vegetables during storage and transport, addressing the shrinkage that packers, shippers and retailers face across the supply chain.

Its core product lines are Hazel 100, a sachet that releases the ripening inhibitor 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) at a controlled rate inside produce packaging, and Hazel Breatheway, a breathable film that regulates gas exchange around packed produce. The company reports that growers using its sachets have measured shelf-life extensions of over 30 percent on ethylene-sensitive crops such as apples, avocados and tomatoes, and states it serves more than 300 customers across 13 countries.

1. Hazel 100: sachet that slow-releases 1-MCP to block ethylene receptors and delay ripening.

2. Hazel Breatheway: breathable film that actively regulates gas exchange inside produce packaging.

3. No new equipment: sachets are added during standard pack-out with no line changes required.

4. EPA residue-exempt: dry, atmospheric application leaves no chemical residue on produce.

5. Crop coverage: validated on 15+ crop types including apples, avocados, berries and mangoes.

6. Global reach: used by 300+ customers across 13 countries.