What Apeel Sciences does

Apeel Sciences is a Goleta, California-based food-technology company founded in 2012 by James Rogers, Jenny Du, and Lou Perez. It develops plant-derived edible coatings that slow moisture loss and oxidation on the surface of fresh fruits and vegetables, extending shelf life and reducing post-harvest waste. The flagship product Edipeel applies a thin layer of plant-based mono- and diglycerides to conventional produce; Organipeel, a citric acid and plant-based coating for organic produce, has not been commercially available for over two years. Through the May 2021 acquisition of ImpactVision, Apeel also operates hyperspectral imaging computer-vision technology that helps suppliers assess produce quality and optimize distribution.

The company operates a B2B enterprise go-to-market, selling directly to food suppliers, produce companies, and retailers and integrating its coatings into packing operations. It markets Edipeel to conventional produce categories including citrus (oranges, lemons, grapefruits, mandarins, limes) and avocados. Geographic footprint spans North America, South America, Europe, Middle East, and Africa, and approximately 70% of current business is in EMEA following the loss of US customers Costco, Driscoll's, and Limoneira. Revenue is generated through product sales at undisclosed pricing; sustainability impact is quantified via ISO 14044-verified Life Cycle Analysis.

Apeel raised over $635 million across multiple rounds, including a $250 million Series E led by Temasek in August 2021 at a post-money valuation above $2 billion. The company scaled to roughly 450 employees at peak but reduced to approximately 50 after a coordinated online misinformation campaign beginning April 2023 caused over $60 million in alleged lost revenue and triggered customer departures. CEO Luiz Beling is leading a stabilization effort, including an August 2025 defamation suit against wellness influencer Robyn Openshaw that has since settled, alongside continued international operations and product development for the organic segment.

Name

Apeel Sciences

Legal name

Apeel Sciences, Inc.

Website

https://apeel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Apeel Sciences develops plant-based edible coatings, notably Edipeel, that extend the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables, selling B2B to food suppliers, produce companies, and retailers across North America, South America, Europe, Middle East, and Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Post-Harvest Coatings

NAICS

Fats and Oils Refining and Blending (311225), Starch and Vegetable Fats and Oils Manufacturing (31122), Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114)

SIC

Fats & Oils (2070), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Lipid-Based Emulsions & Encapsulated Oils (Spray-Dried Oils, Microencapsulation) (AFAJALAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialty & Tropical Oils Processing (Avocado, Sesame, Peanut, Rice Bran, Grapeseed) (AFAKAEAE)

Keywords

• Produce shelf life extension
• Edible food coatings
• Post-harvest preservation
• Plant-based coating technology
• Fresh produce supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Goleta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Plant-Based Coating Products: Apeel sells its Edipeel and Organipeel products to food suppliers and retailers for application to fresh produce. Revenue is generated through product sales integrated into packing operations along the produce supply chain.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Apeel Sciences manufactures and sells plant-derived edible coatings applied to the surface of fresh fruits and vegetables to extend shelf life. Its flagship Edipeel product is made from plant-based mono- and diglycerides and creates a thin edible barrier that reinforces the natural peel, slowing water loss and oxidation. The technology integrates into supplier and retailer packing operations to reduce food waste and replace traditional waxes, plastics, and refrigeration.

Product overview

Apeel Sciences offers plant-based protection products for fresh produce, primarily consisting of Edipeel (for conventional produce) and Organipeel (for organic produce). The company also acquired ImpactVision's hyperspectral imaging technology. Edipeel is made of plant-based mono- and diglycerides and is applied as a thin edible coating to fresh fruits and vegetables to slow moisture loss and oxidation. Organipeel, made of citric acid, baking soda, and mono- and diglycerides, has not been commercially available for over 2 years. The products are applied to citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, grapefruits, mandarins, limes), avocados, and other produce categories to extend shelf life and reduce food waste.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Edipeel: Plant-based coating product for conventional produce, made of plant-based mono- and diglycerides
• Organipeel

Products and services

• Edipeel Plant-based coating product made of mono- and diglycerides derived from plant peels, pulp, and seeds. Applied to conventional fresh fruits and vegetables (citrus, avocados, and other categories) at supplier packing operations to extend shelf life and reduce food waste.
• Organipeel Organic-formulation produce coating using citric acid, baking soda, and plant-based mono- and diglycerides, intended for organic produce growers and distributors requiring approved organic post-harvest solutions. Not commercially available for over 2 years.
• ImpactVision Hyperspectral Imaging Technology Hyperspectral imaging technology acquired through ImpactVision, offered to food suppliers to assess produce quality, reduce post-harvest loss, and optimize distribution.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.4+ billion pieces of fruit prevented from waste since 2021
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ImpactVisioncoreTechnology or Integration · 11 May 2021Apeel Sciences acquired ImpactVision to integrate hyperspectral imaging technology into its food waste reduction efforts. This technology helps food suppliers collect data on produce quality to reduce post-harvest loss and optimize distribution.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Bayer Crop Science: Global agricultural input major with broad crop protection and post-harvest product portfolios. Established incumbent in adjacent categories with the resources and regulatory infrastructure to compete with or acquire produce coating technology.
• Syngenta Crop Protection: Global agrochemical major with broad portfolio including post-harvest products and crop protection. Larger, established player in adjacent categories to Apeel with the distribution scale and R&D resources to enter the produce coating space.

Direct peers

• AgroFresh Solutions: Public post-harvest solutions provider offering coatings (e.g., Semperfresh, NatureCoat) and fungicides for apples, citrus, and other produce. Directly competes in the produce coating/shelf-life extension category with Apeel, with similar B2B enterprise sales motion to packers and retailers.
• Pace International (Sumitomo Chemical): Subsidiary of Sumitomo Chemical that manufactures post-harvest coatings, fungicides, and cleaners for fruits and vegetables. Direct competitor in the produce coating space with established customer relationships and global reach overlapping Apeel's.
• Citrosol: Spanish company specializing in post-harvest coatings and treatments for citrus and other fresh produce. Direct peer in the produce coating category with particular strength in the European market where Apeel now derives 70% of its revenue.
• Decco (UPL): Post-harvest coatings and treatments provider now part of UPL, serving fruit and vegetable packers globally. Directly competes with Apeel in the produce coating/shelf-life extension category with established enterprise customer relationships.
• Xeda International: French-Italian company developing post-harvest coatings, sanitizers, and fungicides for fruits and vegetables. Direct competitor in produce coatings with European market overlap with Apeel's EMEA-focused business.
• Hazel Technologies: Chicago-based startup offering plant-derived and 1-MCP-based shelf-life extension sachets and coatings for fresh produce. Directly competes with Apeel's Edipeel in the post-harvest produce treatment category with overlapping customers (growers, packers, retailers).
• Janssen PMP (Johnson & Johnson): Post-harvest fungicides and coatings provider for fresh produce as part of J&J. Competes with Apeel in the post-harvest produce treatment space, particularly for citrus and pome fruit categories.

Emerging players

• Cambridge Crops: MIT-spinout developing silk-based edible coatings for extending shelf life of perishable foods. Competes with Apeel in the edible coating/shelf-life extension category but with a different material platform and earlier stage of commercialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/apeelsciences
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/ApeelSciences
• Facebookfacebook.com/Apeel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/apeel
• Instagraminstagram.com/apeel_sciences
• Pinterestpinterest.com/apeelsciences

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds11 records

Investors31 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Apeel Sciences