Having partnered with Efficiency Technologies, the valorisation of the entire byproduct channel of avocado skins and stones is assessed to optimise use, with the most recent development being an innovative technology extracting a natural, sustainable dye from avocado stones, with SAGES London. This marks a significant advancement in total crop utilisation; the process extracts perseorangin (a rare and sought-after natural pigment) from avocado stones collected at Westfalia's UK facility. The pigment offers eight distinct shades ranging from light yellow to rich reddish-brown, creating new opportunities for sustainable colouring solutions across multiple industries. The specialised extraction method isolates perseorangin, which constitutes approximately 3% of the avocado stone, and processes it into a dried powder form, offering extended shelf life.
This breakthrough represents a significant step in our journey towards our total crop use strategy," says Andrew Mitchell, Head of Group Innovation at Westfalia Fruit. "By transforming what was once considered a byproduct into a valuable resource, we're creating sustainable solutions that benefit multiple industries. The ability to produce eight distinct natural shades while maintaining our commitment to using the entire fruit demonstrates the potential of innovative thinking in sustainable agriculture."
Expanding technology across industries
Besides the dye extraction, remaining materials from the avocado skins and stones are also processed into additional valuable products – for example, starches are directed to paper manufacture as a precursor to packaging production, while ground materials find applications in cosmetics as natural exfoliants, as alternatives to micro-plastics.
The natural dye extraction process represents a significant advancement in sustainable practices, particularly as industries increasingly seek alternatives to synthetic dyes. The powder format ensures stability and ease of use across various applications, while the range of the eight distinct natural shades offers versatility for different product requirements. This innovation comes at a time when consumer demand for natural, sustainable products continues to rise across fashion, beauty, and packaging sectors.
The commercial potential and versatility of the natural dye have already been demonstrated through several high-profile applications. The pigment's successful showcase at London Fashion Week highlighted its viability in sustainable fashion, while ongoing collaborations with industry leaders in cosmetics and packaging demonstrate its cross-sector appeal.
Away from the UK, the process shows scalability as plans are underway to understand how we could expand the technology to additional Westfalia Fruit facilities in Europe, where more avocado byproducts can be processed using the same techniques. This same application could also be expanded to Westfalia Fruit’s global operations. The company's integrated operations ensure efficient collection and processing of avocado stones and skins from multiple production sites, which will help to maximise the sustainable impact of the initiative and build upon Westfalia Fruit's commitment to sustainability and circular economy principles.
