Venture is based on electric and magnetic technology developed at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and incubated at PARC
PARC, a Xerox company, announced today the spin out of EverCase, a new start-up incubated at PARC that aims to disrupt the global cold supply chain technology and food storage markets by extending the shelf-life of meats, seafood and produce.
Freezing is a critical part of the cold supply chain, but it has problems. Food contains water, and when water freezes it expands, rupturing cells – an effect that dramatically compromises food texture. Once a food item is thawed, fluids leach out, reducing the overall quality of the item. Traditional refrigeration can preserve that food quality, but at a cost to a food’s shelf life – leading to significant waste rates across the food distribution chain.
EverCase is a device that sits inside freezers and keeps food subzero without any ice crystals forming, allowing the food to retain its original quality and texture. EverCase works with freezer infrastructure, using pulsed electric and oscillating magnetic fields to keep food at a temperature below freezing without actually freezing the food. The technology is safe, chemical free and inexpensive to make.
“Freezing food can extend its life and reduce food waste, but once ice crystals form, the texture and flavor of the food are simply not the same,” said Chris Somogyi, Founder and CEO of EverCase. “EverCase’s technology can mitigate this issue, delivering food to consumers that has the same texture, flavor and quality as it had the day it came off the farm or out of the ocean.”
PARC identified the technology behind EverCase working with its inventor Dr. Soojin Jun, Professor, Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Dr. Jun also works with the university’s Office of Innovation and Commercialization which signed a license agreement with Evercase in 2022. The technology is the subject of 13 publications and 9 years of research.
Chris Somogyi was part of the team at PARC that incubated the technology working closely with Dr. Jun. “When I saw this technology and worked with the PARC team that incubated it, I realized how impactful it can be. We have a real opportunity with EverCase to improve food quality, reduce waste and generate new food experiences,” said Somogyi. “It’s time to disrupt and improve cold storage by stopping ice formation, so we get better quality to consumers, improve revenues, and most importantly, respect the effort and resources producers put into growing food in the first place.”
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