Innovation & Technology Innovation & Technology

Meet 'Denise,' a Triple Threat That Just May Help Rid the World of Produce Waste

By Brynn McNally | Published 9 years ago | About a 3 minute read

As we discuss all too often here at SB, food waste around the world is one of our most pressing issues; nearly a third of all food produced — over 1.3 billion tons per year — is wasted, according to the FAO. Potential solutions continue to emerge from every sector and industry throughout the developed world — from products, mobile apps, packaging improvements and consumer campaigns, to new business models, legislation and industry-wide collaborations.

Now, a Canadian startup called Jarre has thrown its hat into the ring with a new product that could revolutionize home produce storage.

“The Denise” is a container designed to hold fruits and vegetables for longer periods of time, without the use of electricity. The innovative container is divided into three portions:

1. Sand Section

For root vegetables such as shallots, celery, beetroots, carrots, and leeks.

Sand is used to naturally preserve the moisture of root vegetables. A tray allows them to be in their original vertical position — the design was inspired from cellars, which used to preserve vegetables throughout winter.

2. Fruit and Vegetable Bowl

For items such as tomatoes, cucumbers, gherkins, squashes, melons, zucchinis, peppers, apricots, lemons, oranges, kiwis, exotic fruits, peaches, pears, aubergines.

The second section is a ceramic bowl fitted with wooden slats that allows for the watering of fruits and vegetables, particularly those that aren’t suited to fridge temperature. Some fruits and veggies need to be hydrated daily while others do not tolerate low fridge temperatures. Collected water brings them the freshness and hydration they need, according to Jarre. The bowl can be fixed on a wall, put on the dining room table, or left on the kitchen counter.

3. The Dark Section:

For items such as apples, potatoes, sweet potatoes, garlic, onions, shallots**.**

This portion of the Denise is composed of two compartments — one for potatoes and one for garlic and onions — and a place for apples on top. Air is allowed to flow between these sections, as “they have mutual conservation properties,” according to Jarre.

“The Denise puts your fruits and vegetables in view every day. Forgetting them in the fridge is out of the question,” says a video on the product’s Kickstarter page. “They are ready for consumption and stay fresh for longer” — but the company does not specify how much longer produce is expected to last.