Turning Toward Nature to Harness a Technology for Delaying Fruit Spoilage—and Helping Reduce Food Waste

Scalability Across the Food Supply Chain—and Across the Globe

One such initiative that does just this is Ryp Labs, a small startup company based near Seattle, Washington in the United States, which developed a method to prolong the shelf life of fruits simply by applying a small sticker—a technology that it has termed StixFresh. Company CEO and co-founder Moody Soliman recently traveled to Tokyo to discuss this creative approach, along with the science behind it, at SusHi Tech Tokyo 2025—a conference held May 8-10 at Tokyo Big Sight. Soliman was also among the exclusive group of seven finalists selected in the SusHi Tech Challenge 2025, which recognizes startup companies that best encompass the conference objective of "realizing sustainable cities with high technology".

Ryp Lab's approach to reducing food waste is a simple one. By applying the StixFresh adhesives to fruit (either directly or to its packaging), the freshness level can be extended by up to two weeks—thereby preventing discard due to spoilage. This solution, Soliman points out, is also one that promises the potential for widespread application.

"When we looked at the problem of food waste, we recognized it as a massive socioeconomic and environmental problem that literally affects every single person on the planet," he explains. "We wanted to come up with a solution that was very easy to use, and could be applied anywhere along the supply chain—from the largest distributors down to small farmers.
So what we ended up developing is our 100% safe, natural, food-grade formulation."

The Science Behind the Sticker

Soliman notes that the idea for the startup was born from a multidisciplinary collaboration, beginning with a young inventor from Malaysia who devised the concept. Soliman and his business partner, who worked in the medical device and biotech industries, began building up their small team—which today numbers 12 people—to perfect the technology and bring it to market, which he says is a process that took around 7 years.

"We ended up working with some of the top master plant physiologists, microbiologists, chemical engineers and material scientists to dive deep into the technology, to be able to develop and optimize it to bring it to where it is today," he explains.

"You're probably asking: How in the world can you do this with one sticker? Well, we turned to nature," Soliman continues. "Plants have been producing natural compounds for millions of years to protect themselves, known as secondary metabolites." Using the example of lavender plants, he explains that their fragrance can in fact be related to a protective mechanism against invasive species such as pests, fungi or bacteria; wherein the plant will release compounds in the air to form a protective barrier—a process that is bio-mimicked by the StixFresh stickers.

"And that's where our plant physiologist and microbiologist come in," he says. "Out of the tens of thousands of compounds that are out there, we can identify which ones are going to be the most effective against the disease that affects them. Our chemical engineers and material scientists developed what we call a matrix, which is really a formula to encapsulate these compounds and control their release rate."

Keeping Things au Naturel

Soliman notes that the StixFresh formula to delay the aging of fruit can be applied to almost any surface, with sachets available in addition to stickers. He also emphasizes that the technology does not introduce any elements that would impede the natural process of fruit aging—a particularly important factor with respect to being able to return fruit skins back to the natural composting cycle, for example.

"This is a huge differentiator that allows us to use our technology in the market without disrupting the current practices," he notes. "And that's very important for our customers, who include farmers and growers that have been doing the same thing for the last few decades, and don't want a solution or technology that's going to come in and disrupt what they're doing."

StixFresh's ability to optimize freshness preservation and quality control is guided by its database of plant-based compounds already approved in the market, which they test and subject to data analysis in order to find synergies or additive effects between the formulations.

"While we do not use AI for this purpose today," he adds, "in the future I think there is absolutely an opportunity to use AI to optimize that process to make it a lot more efficient."

Global Connections in Tokyo and Beyond

Soliman explains that Ryp Labs' expansion into Japan is something that makes good business sense, beginning with the luscious fruit available around the archipelago such as strawberries and mangoes. "As you know, the fruit here in Japan is really high quality. It's picked extremely ripe, ready to eat, and that also translates into having a short shelf life—so a technology like this becomes very valuable to the Japanese market."

He adds that the company works with regions such as Southeast Asia that typically export a lot of fruit to Japan. "When you are transporting it over long distances, there are what we call breaks in the cold chain. You harvest the fruit and you typically refrigerate it, but when you put it in a container for two or three weeks, it is not going to maintain a consistent temperature, so the food is going to go bad. And so this is another area where our technology becomes very valuable."

Key to facilitating Ryp Labs' expansion into the Asian market is a partnership with its official Japanese distributor, Sanyo Trading, which Soliman notes is a company that shares Ryp Lab's commitment toward sustainable practices. In addition to facilitating connections with farmers, fruit packers, researchers, and other clients in Japan, Sanyo Trading also paved the way for Ryp Labs to exhibit at SusHi Tech Tokyo 2025—which Soliman describes as being an ideal venue for the company's objectives.

"It immediately made sense for us to apply to a conference that's focused on tech and sustainable technologies, which is a perfect fit for what we're trying to do. Our technology addresses sustainability, and environmental and social issues, and this is just a great environment. We came here of course for the potential introductions, and exposure to customers and even investors. Overall, it's been a very productive event—and also so humbling to have been selected as a competition finalist."

Soliman adds that he and his entire family are also enamored of Tokyo, to the point that they can even envision themselves living here one day. "It's a beautiful city, with the architecture and great coffee shops. It's also very safe and clean, with wonderful, kind, and welcoming people. It's also a very safe place to have children."

A Company Built on Relationships—and a Mission

Soliman reiterates that one important factor in Ryp Lab's recipe for success is that its StixFresh technology can be applied anywhere along the supply chain—by farmers, distributors, retailers, or consumers—as well as anywhere in the world, from highly urban areas to developing countries that may have an insufficient infrastructure. This scalability, he says, is something that has attracted many investors to the company.

He also observes that a crucial factor in the company's success is its partnerships. "In this business, it's about relationships of trust—and this takes time, investment, and commitment to build these relationships."

"It all starts with having a very clear mission," he adds. "You know, as a startup, you're competing. Especially in Seattle, you're competing with big tech companies hiring people. But we are trying to solve a very big problem, and so by always going back to your mission, it always gives you purpose and attracts like-minded people—even if they had better opportunities elsewhere."

"For startups in general, I would say to really always find a real problem to be solved.
Really look at the problem with a laser focus, and then develop and optimize the solution based on what your customer needs. I think that's a good recipe for success."

Movie: Tokyo Metropolitan Government

Moody Soliman

Soliman is the CEO and co-founder of Ryp Labs, an experienced entrepreneur and startup founder with more than 17 years of experience in the Medical Device, Biotech and AgTech industries. His wide breadth of experience spans multiple disciplines including executive leadership, business development, sales, marketing, program management, operational excellence, and manufacturing engineering. He has a deep passion for delivering products that ultimately improve people's health, safety, and quality of life.

SusHi Tech Tokyo, short for Sustainable High City Tech Tokyo, is a Tokyo-based concept that aims to create sustainable new value by overcoming global urban challenges through cutting-edge technology, diverse ideas, and digital expertise.
SusHi Tech Tokyo | Sustainable High City Tech Tokyo