Improvements that increase product shelf life

The Fresh Herb Company, also known as VHB is the largest producer of fresh herbs in the UK.

Chill Chain

It has recently invested £250,000 in a new chill supply chain to maximise quality and freshness for all its cut and bunched herbs. This investment has led to an increased average shelf life of products by 22 per cent and has reduced waste in the supply chain by a further 11 per cent.

In order to achieve this The Fresh Herb Company first audited all grower chill supply chain practices and resulted in the company investing in both a vacuum cooler and a humidification system. The vacuum cooler removes heat from the products which in turn increases the shelf life. The humidification system converts the cold store into a conditioning room, by filling it with a light, but visible fog made up of minute droplets of purified water suspended in the atmosphere, which replaces lost crop hydration whilst in storage helping to maintain the quality. These changes have also allowed The Fresh Herb Company to halve the length of time stock is held before dispatch, making it a true just in time operation.

Alongside this, The Fresh Herb Company has improved its production scheduling system to make handling and packing more efficient. Harvest to pack times have been reduced by an average of 40 per cent for UK grown produce and 36 per cent for imported produce, which also contributes to the extended shelf life of the product. This reduction is as a result of further improvements including; reducing transport time, improved stock level management and ensuring products are harvested, packed and dispatched promptly to maximize freshness.

Ian Ball, Supply Chain Director, from The Fresh Herb Company said: “By improving the degree hours through the supply chain and reducing the harvest to pack time, we’re delivering higher quality, longer lasting fresh herbs to our customers. This is a prime example of how we, at The Fresh Herb Company, are constantly striving to develop our business and improve our products and service.”