Why do we continue to find fruit varieties with poor flavor when tastier alternatives already exist? Why do we still see packaging that fails to protect fruit properly, even though more advanced technologies are available?
These are questions that many professionals in the fruit and vegetable sector ask themselves every day. Although the benefits of adopting new technologies are clear, their implementation within companies progresses far more slowly than expected.
The diffusion of innovation is a topic widely studied in business schools, as it directly influences economic development and business competitiveness. In this analysis, we explore why innovation is so difficult to implement and what companies can do to accelerate this process.
The Company as a System: Technology, People, and Costs
Every innovation is introduced into a business system with specific economic objectives. Following the vision of W. E. Deming, a system is a set of interrelated processes working together to achieve a common goal.
This means that optimizing one part of the system does not necessarily optimize the system as a whole.
Example 1: The Purchasing Department
If a cheaper package is purchased but provides poorer protection for the fruit, the initial savings are offset by increased claims and customer losses. What appears to be a short-term saving becomes a global loss for the system.
Example 2: New Varieties Without Internal Coordination
Introducing a new variety without coordinating with the sales team can generate production peaks that the market cannot absorb. Fruit accumulates, quality declines, and complaints arise from both producers and customers.
The key is not to choose the most advanced technology, but the one that best fits the system, with the lowest total cost (operational + human) and the lowest risk of failure.
What to Consider Before Adopting an Innovation
When a company considers how to improve fruit shelf life, for example, the solution may come from different approaches:
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Investing in genetic improvement
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Designing better packaging
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Improving logistics to reduce cooling and transport times
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Increasing cold storage capacity
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Or a combination of all the above
In many cases, human improvements are more important than technological ones:
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A positive working environment
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Clear objectives
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Proper training
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Reliable tools
A clear example is inventory management: errors in this process cause delays, loss of shelf life in cold rooms, and quality deterioration. This does not require advanced technology, but rather a well-managed process.
Similarly, a motivated sales team with up-to-date field information and strong alignment with purchasing can achieve better quality outcomes than introducing a new variety or new packaging.
Production planning before the start of the season helps avoid peaks, improve coordination with retailers, and ensure quality. This type of planning is part of the strategies we develop within our services.
Recommendations to Accelerate Innovation Adoption
To answer the key question—how to accelerate innovation adoption—here are several recommendations applicable to any horticultural company:
✔️ Study the Entire System
From genetics and production to packaging, transport, and distribution.
This helps identify where innovation can deliver real improvements.
✔️ Clearly Define the Objective
Before selecting technology, the company must know what it wants to achieve and seek the easiest and most cost-effective solution.
✔️ Compare Technological Alternatives
Analyze different approaches to the same objective and choose the option with the lowest total cost and operational complexity.
✔️ Assess Financial Viability
Evaluate whether the technology is economically viable and how long it will take to recover the investment.
✔️ Consider the Human Impact
Determine how the innovation will affect staff, whether it will make their work easier, require additional training, or generate resistance.
✔️ Coordinate the Entire Value Chain
Changes in packaging, production, or logistics must be aligned with all actors in the chain, including retail.
Many of these aspects are regularly reviewed in the case studies we analyze at FruitProfits.
Conclusion
Accelerating the adoption of innovation in the horticultural sector requires understanding that a company is a complete system, where improvements must be integrated across all processes and the people involved.
Technology can act as a catalyst, but its success depends on coordination, economic viability, and human adaptation.
To explore innovation strategies, productivity improvement, and technological development in fruit and vegetable operations, you can contact our team through the contact page or visit FruitProfits.