Reducing Post-Harvest Losses: A Smarter Approach to Potato Storage

Cellar Insights Inc. (“Cellar Insights”), an agricultural technology company, is advancing post-harvest potato storage using sensor technology, data analytics and predictive modelling. Its system allows growers to remotely monitor storage conditions and detect early signs of decomposition and other issues before crop quality is compromised. Stored potatoes are susceptible to rot and excessive shrink, with losses of up to 5 percent, creating material impacts on grower yields and industry supply.

Cellar Insights recently announced a C$500,000 investment from SVG Ventures Pioneer Fund, an early-stage agrifood venture fund. The funding will support the company’s continued growth and commercialization of its technology. It follows an oversubscribed seed round last year, co-led by Tall Grass Ventures and Accelerate Fund IV, with participation from other strategic investors. A key milestone in Cellar Insights’ development has been deployment within Farm Credit Canada’s Innovation Farm Network in MacGregor, Manitoba. The commercial-scale operation provides real-world validation of its technology across varying regional storage conditions.

While potatoes remain the company’s primary focus, the technology can be scaled to other long-term produce storage. Terry Sydoryk, Chief Executive Officer of Cellar Insights, has explained that expansion largely depends on building crop-specific data sets and adjusting the algorithms accordingly.

The broader implications are considerable. A recent report from Canada’s largest food rescue organization estimates the value of avoidable food waste in Canada to be C$58 billion annually. By reducing losses at the storage stage, Cellar Insights’ technology has the potential to address a meaningful source of inefficiency in the food supply chain.