Building postharvest expertise across the cold chain
AHR recently delivered a postharvest training program for Regional Container Lines (RCL Group) in Bangkok, Thailand, helping strengthen technical knowledge across one of Asia's leading refrigerated container shipping companies.
Held over two days, the training was delivered by AHR postharvest research scientists Dr Jenny Ekman and Dr Sebastian Rivera Smith. Around 30 participants from RCL's commercial, sales, logistics and customer service teams attended, representing operations across China, Dubai, India, Thailand and Vietnam.
Designed for participants with a wide range of experience, the program catered for both those new to postharvest physiology and technology and those looking to refresh and expand their existing knowledge.
Rather than relying solely on traditional lectures, the training combined concise technical presentations with practical workshops and real-world case studies. Participants worked through realistic shipping scenarios, applying postharvest principles to solve problems and better understand how decisions made throughout the supply chain influence produce quality.
A central theme of the program was viewing the cold chain as one continuous process rather than a series of independent stages. From harvest and packing through transport and final delivery, every step plays a role in maintaining product quality. As the training emphasised, one weak link can compromise an entire shipment.
The program forms part of AHR's growing work in helping businesses build practical, in-house capability in postharvest management. While this training focused on refrigerated shipping, the approach is applicable across the fresh produce industry and can be tailored to any horticultural commodity.
Together, Jenny and Sebastian bring extensive expertise in the postharvest management of tropical, subtropical and temperate horticultural crops, enabling AHR to deliver evidence-based training across a broad range of production systems and supply chains.
AHR offers customised postharvest training for growers, packhouses, shipping and logistics companies, retailers, distribution centres and horticultural service providers, supporting businesses wherever fresh produce quality, shelf life and cold chain performance are critical to success.
Contact us for more information on how we can tailor training for your organisation.