U.S. company Calavo Growers (NASDAQ: CGVW) has launched a new cloud-based technology called FreshRealm to help fresh food industry players connect with each other.

In a release, Calavo said the platform would allow traditional retailers, large and small enterprises, communities and food banks to "plug into an ecosystem resembling a national fresh food cooperative".

Calavo director of strategic development Michael R. Lippold will head up the new entity, which is majority owned by the company with a few minority partners.

"Fresh, healthy food should be more accessible in every corner of our country. There are no ‘Internet deserts’ in the United States," Lippold said in the release.

"It is time for an end to fresh food deserts, too We’re excited to connect best-in-class fresh food and logic to enable that shift."

The release said the new technology would create business value while reducing food waste, with a plant to give surplus food to the people and places that need it most.

"By acting in their own best interests, participants can help others as they help themselves. We feel like we have a business model that is prosperous for us, for other businesses, and helps us all collectively," Lippold said.

"There is plenty of fresh food, good people and good companies in this country. It is time to connect and logically incentivize the pieces to leverage one another, and evolve the fresh food industry for everyone," added Calavo chairman Lee E. Cole.

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