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We're a UK-based agri-foodtech company, developing products for the global fresh produce industry. By ensuring more of what we grow is delivered in peak condition for the consumer, we help reduce food wastage and support the industry's move towards a more sustainable future.
It's Fresh! has raised $8.0M across 1 funding round.
It's Fresh! has raised $8.0M in total across 1 funding round.
It's Fresh! has raised $8.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $8.0M Series B in January 2023.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1, 2023 | $8M Series B | — | Zintinus | Announced |
It's Fresh! has raised $8.0M in total across 1 funding round.
It's Fresh!'s investors include Zintinus.
It's Fresh! is a UK-based agri-foodtech company founded in 2010 that develops patented ethylene control technologies to extend the shelf-life of fresh fruits and vegetables, reducing food waste across the supply chain.[1][2][4] Its core products are discreet, high-tech sheets and solutions that naturally absorb ethylene—a gas produced by produce that accelerates ripening—without artificial coatings, enabling seamless integration into post-harvest, transit, and retail stages using sustainable, recycled materials.[1][3][5] The company serves growers, packers, distributors, and retailers globally, tackling the problem of 30-50% produce waste due to premature ripening, while delivering peak-condition produce to consumers and supporting sustainability goals.[2][4][5]
With traction in the US, South America, and Southern Africa, It's Fresh! raised £6.7M in funding to fuel global expansion and new innovations like modified atmosphere packaging bags, building on earlier grants and investments totaling over $15M across related efforts.[1][3][5] Revenue remains under $5M, with a small team (<25 employees) headquartered in Burntwood, UK.[2]
It's Fresh! was established in 2010 in Burntwood, United Kingdom, as a specialist in ethylene-removal technology for the fresh produce industry, drawing on expertise in agronomy, supply chains, materials science, and packaging.[1][2][4] The company's backstory ties into broader food freshness innovations; related efforts like 'is it fresh' (potentially an early iteration or affiliate) saw founders P.K. Mishra and Ben Park relocate from San Francisco to South Korea in 2016, developing NFC-enabled 'fresh-tags' sensors for tracking freshness via printed electronics and cloud services.[1] This Seoul branch won top honors at the 2017 K-Startup Grand Challenge, securing a $100K grant and $1M from 500 Startups, while participating in programs like Infinity Challenge and Orange Fab Asia.[1]
Pivotal growth came through commercialization of ethylene-control sheets, with leadership evolving under CEO & Investor Director Graham (Partner at Praesidium's Agri-FoodTech Venture Capital), whose background spans chemical engineering, MBAs from Chicago Booth, and scaling ventures in nutrition and renewables.[4][6] Early traction included awards and partnerships with research organizations, leading to £6.7M funding in a recent round to scale post-harvest solutions.[5]
It's Fresh! rides the agri-foodtech wave addressing UN FAO-highlighted global food waste (1.3 billion tons annually), where produce losses hit 30-50% post-harvest due to ethylene-driven ripening amid climate disruptions and supply chain delays.[4][5] Timing is ideal with rising sustainability mandates, consumer demand for fresh/local produce, and investor focus on climate tech—evidenced by its £6.7M raise amid agtech funding surges.[5] Market forces like e-commerce grocery growth, longer transit routes, and net-zero goals favor its solutions, which boost retailer margins by cutting spoilage and enabling premium pricing for peak-quality fruit.[2][5]
The company influences the ecosystem by partnering with research orgs and retailers, pioneering scalable post-harvest tech that complements precision ag and blockchain tracing, potentially cutting industry emissions and enhancing food security in emerging markets.[1][3][4]
It's Fresh! is poised for rapid scaling with its recent £6.7M infusion targeting US, South America, Africa expansion and new packaging tech, positioning it as a leader in ethylene management amid tightening waste regulations.[5] Trends like AI-optimized supply chains, regenerative ag, and circular packaging will amplify its edge, while climate volatility heightens demand for resilient freshness solutions. Its influence could evolve from niche innovator to supply-chain standard, driving broader waste reduction—echoing its founding promise to deliver "It's Fresh!" produce worldwide, waste-free and sustainable.[2][4]
