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Apeel Technology
Apeel Technology, led by James Rogers, extends fresh-produce shelf life with a plant-derived coating, backed by over $700M from Temasek, GIC, and the IFC.
Apeel Technology
Apeel Technology was founded in 2012 by James Rogers after a materials science doctorate at UC Santa Barbara. Concerned with the staggering volume of food lost to spoilage before reaching consumers — roughly one-third of all food produced globally — Rogers developed a fat-based, edible coating derived from plant material that slows oxidation and moisture loss in fresh produce. The firm has drawn capital from sovereign wealth vehicles Temasek and GIC, the World Bank's International Finance Corporation, and venture firms including Andreessen Horowitz and Viking Global Investors. Apeel's core product is a post-harvest treatment applied to fruits and vegetables that mimics the natural cutin layer, extending shelf life without cold storage. Deployment spans direct manufacturing partnerships with growers and packers, co-branded retail arrangements with Kroger and Wakefern, and licensing deals with international distributors. The firm's supply-chain footprint reaches North America, the European Union, and sub-Saharan Africa, where it runs pilot programs with smallholder farmers for cassava and mango shelf-life extension. The fund's recent capital raise — a $250 million Series E in August 2022 led by Temasek (per Reuters, 2022) — valued the company at $2 billion. Headquartered in Goleta, California, Apeel operates additional facilities in the Netherlands and maintains sourcing operations in Peru, Mexico, and Kenya. The firm's team has included scientists, food technologists, and supply-chain veterans. An adjacent vehicle, the Apeel Foundation, supports food-security research in low-income agricultural regions. In September 2023, the company announced a restructuring to align with commercial growth, reducing headcount by roughly 15% (per the firm, September 2023). Apeel's structural differentiator is its dual identity as a materials-science venture and a global supply-chain operator. Most agtech startups focus on seed genetics or farm equipment; Apeel innovates at the step where produce sits in a truck or on a retail shelf. The firm partners with major retailers to co-brand its coating as a quality guarantee, turning a technical input into a consumer-facing signal — a rare model in B2B food tech. Its intellectual property portfolio includes over 300 patents covering coating formulations and application methods.
General information
Firm type
Single Family Office
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Goleta
Corporate office
Goleta, CA, United States
Principals
James Rogers
Founder & CEO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Apeel Technology?
Apeel Technology is not an investment firm but a venture-backed operating company. While it raised capital from institutions including Temasek, GIC, and the IFC, it does not manage third-party funds or make external investments. Corporate strategy and capital allocation decisions rest with Founder and CEO James Rogers, who guides the company's manufacturing and commercial expansion.
Is Apeel Technology a single family office?
No, despite the Altss classification flag, Apeel Technology is an operating company that develops and deploys plant-derived coatings to extend fresh-produce shelf life. The firm is venture-backed and commercially scaled, not a wealth-management entity. Any family-office classification likely stems from a data ambiguity rather than the firm's actual structure.
How does Apeel Technology's coating work?
Apeel's edible coating is made from lipids and other plant-derived materials, formulated to create a microscopic barrier on the surface of fruits and vegetables. The coating slows water loss and oxygen exchange — the two primary drivers of spoilage — effectively mimicking the natural cutin layer plants produce. It is FDA-cleared and designed to double shelf life without refrigeration.
Which retail partners carry Apeel-treated produce?
Apeel-treated avocados, limes, asparagus, and citrus have been carried by Kroger banners, Wakefern-operated stores, and other U.S. and European grocery chains under co-branded arrangements. The company lists partnerships with major distributors across North America and Europe, though specific retail listings shift with seasonal supply contracts.
Does Apeel maintain any philanthropic structures?
Yes, the Apeel Foundation focuses on food-security research and shelf-life interventions in low-income agricultural regions, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The foundation operates separately from the commercial entity, with pilot programs supporting smallholder farmers who grow cassava and mango — highly perishable staples in West and East African markets.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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