Equilibrium modified atmosphere packaging EMAP for fresh fruit & vegetables from South Africa The applicant, Dillewijn Zwapack B.V. (the Netherlands), and its partner, Pouch Dynamics (South Africa), will join forces to establish a joint venture which activities will allow fruit and vegetable growers and retailers to access the EMAP technology. With this technology, Equilibrated Modified Atmosphere Packaging, the respiration rate of each individual batch of fruit is measured at a farm/retailer. This information is rapidly transferred to the factory where a high precision laser perforates packaging plastic for that specific batch. This tailor-made foil is then brought to the farm/retailer where the fruit will be packed. Due to this technology South African growers can guarantee a longer shell life which is a criteria for high-level retailer and foreign export market.The project is located in Cape Town (Muizenberg), the foil production facility is next to the present factory of the local partner.The availability of high quality packaging will give a boost to the South African fruit and vegetable sector enabling especially medium-scale growers who cannot invest in the EMAP technology themselves, to expand their market.Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)The applicant indicate that they will follow the OECD guidelines, the ILO declaration, UN Convention for Biodiversity. The project will be certified against the Ethical Trade Initiative and British Retail Consortium social responsibility standards.In addition, several other CRS principals have been listed in the application. The ETI CBR and HACCP audits/certification are given in the Result table and as MoVs.Impact•	Employment and working conditionsThe joint venture will pay the employees at least 112% of current minimum wages. Staff will enrol in a pension scheme and medical insurance and will benefit from the on-the-job training etc. Health and safety regulations are respected at the local partner’s premises. The new joint venture will housed in a new building next to the existing one to prevent contamination in the view of BRC.•	Innovation / Transfer of knowledgeThe product as well as the whole approach is significantly new. The EMAP packaging is tailor-made for the situation in which each particular fruit or vegetable is. That might even depend from farm to farm and retailer to retailer. Therefore accurate respiration measurement and rapid production and transport are key to success.This is not the case with ordinary bags and normal MAP material which are produced in bulk.There is a product called MAPAX, of which the features is almost the same as that of EMAP, but the EMAP approach requires also an investment in respiration meters by the growers and the retailers.•	Chain effectsImpact on local suppliersIt is not clear if the basis material for EMAP (anti-mist coated PP film) can be locally purchased or not, depending on the quality. If not, it will be purchased either in the Middle East of in India.For each print, plates from a specialised company will be purchased. Also, the actual printing will be outsourced (in year 5 of the project). In addition, card board boxes and trays need to be produced.The joint venture will only purchase goods and will be only involved in the training of the users of the systems. For the time being, no large scale demonstration and open-day events are foreseen.Impact on local customers or consumersThe end product will be sold to South African retailers and growers. It will affect the customers positively since their product will stay fresh for a longer period of time increasing chance for the product to be sold. They will be able to sell their products on the European and local market.•	Impact on the sectorThe project might have an impact on other service providers but this is not laid down in one of the goals of the project.•	EnvironmentThe project will actively promote the environmental responsibility policy. It includes an IEA and a solid waste reduction policy (minimise packaging weight and volumes, introduction of compostable materials etc).•	Position of womenNineteen out of thirty-eight employees will be women of which six will have a medium-/high-level job.•	Impact on food safetyThere will be an small effect on the availability of food though the preservation of fruit and vegetables, but the goods will mainly to be exported.•	Impact on waterThere is no active policy on the water availability. The aim of the project is to establish a factory to produce on annual basis 70 million EMAP bags/foil for South African growers for export to e.g. the European market and for sales to the local high level fruit and vegetable market.