Frits
Popma
Frits Popma is the managing director of Popma Fruit Expertise. Frits has
been active in the fresh produce industry since 1973. He worked with SVZ
in Netherlands, a leading company in Europe for processing/preserving
fruit and vegetables. In 1990 he joined Chiquita Banana Company as a Quality
Inspector for tropical fruit. In 1991 he became Chief Quality Inspector
in port of Antwerp, Belgium. Responsible for the quality inspection of
bananas and tropical fruit. He worked in Europe, Central and South America
and was involved in Quality Control from "Farm to Shelf" of
bananas and other tropical products. Frits role was to set up quality
systems for tropical fruit and to work on banana plantations to understand
the whole logistic, harvesting, packing and etc. 
He became Manager
Ripening and Technical Services, responsible for the European market since
1995. He worked on projects like Chiquita 2000, a new ripening systems
exclusive for Chiquita´s own customers. A container ripening for Eastern
Europe and new ripening tools. Furthermore he was the project manager
for the construction of new ripening facilities in Belgium, Germany, France
and the UK.
In 2000, he was
"user adviser" for a Dutch cooling company, specialized in banana
ripening rooms.
In 2001, he founded
POPMA Fruit Expertise, an advising firm specialized in ripening tropical
produce. The services include, training ripeners and their staff, process
management, project management for new construction, problem solving techniques.
At present, Frits
is working together with universities and knowledge centres to develop
new ripening tools.
Frits Popma is the managing director of Popma Fruit Expertise. Frits has
been active in the fresh produce industry since 1973. He worked with SVZ
in Netherlands, a leading company in Europe for processing/preserving
fruit and vegetables. In 1990 he joined Chiquita Banana Company as a Quality
Inspector for tropical fruit. In 1991 he became Chief Quality Inspector
in port of Antwerp, Belgium. Responsible for the quality inspection of
bananas and tropical fruit. He worked in Europe, Central and South America
and was involved in Quality Control from "Farm to Shelf" of
bananas and other tropical products. Frits role was to set up quality
systems for tropical fruit and to work on banana plantations to understand
the whole logistic, harvesting, packing and etc. He became Manager
Ripening and Technical Services, responsible for the European market since
1995. He worked on projects like Chiquita 2000, a new ripening systems
exclusive for Chiquita´s own customers. A container ripening for Eastern
Europe and new ripening tools. Furthermore he was the project manager
for the construction of new ripening facilities in Belgium, Germany, France
and the UK. In 2000, he was
"user adviser" for a Dutch cooling company, specialized in banana
ripening rooms. In 2001, he founded
POPMA Fruit Expertise, an advising firm specialized in ripening tropical
produce. The services include, training ripeners and their staff, process
management, project management for new construction, problem solving techniques. At present, Frits
is working together with universities and knowledge centres to develop
new ripening tools.