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AgroFresh Solutions

agfs · NASDAQ Consumer Defensive
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Ticker agfs
Exchange NASDAQ
Sector Consumer Defensive
Industry Agricultural Farm Products
Employees 201-500
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FY2020 Annual Report · AgroFresh Solutions
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Annual Report 2020
We grow confidence.™

2020 IN REV IEW

Tenacity in times 
of uncertainty.

Leveraging our unmatched depth of agricultural experience, product expertise 
and data-driven insights, we have remained resilient through the disruption of 
the COVID-19 pandemic. While it has presented challenging operational and market 
environments, we have never been better positioned for industry-leading service 
and long-term growth.

Our success is a credit to the dedicated efforts of each of our global team members. 
We are incredibly proud of their determination to maintain uninterrupted service 
across our facilities in Yakima, WA; Sparta, Michigan; Valencia, Spain; Lleida, Spain; 
Neuquen, Argentina; Curico, Chile; Vacaria, Brazil; Bologna, Italy; and Melbourne, 
Australia. To ensure the protection of our entire staff, we implemented and maintained 
robust health and safety measures. 

Pushing possibilities in freshness. 

Throughout the year, we held firm to our decades-long commitment to building 
the freshest future possible. We are always imagining new ways for growers, packers, 
and retailers to ensure the highest quality produce for the consumer – while 
minimizing food loss and waste.

As guardians of the world’s fresh produce, we are prepared to lead the industry 
towards more sustainable practices. Customers trust us to be stewards of the 
environment – through constant innovation and a customized approach to loss 
and waste prevention. 

3

 
LET TE R FROM  THE CEO

Dear Shareholders,

This is an important time in AgroFresh’s journey and I am thrilled to communicate with 
you as the Company’s new Chief Executive Officer following my appointment in April 
2021.  AgroFresh has an excellent foundation with global operations in approximately 50 
countries that supports a diverse base of more than 3,500 customers. The Company’s 
strategy to drive growth through diversification is sound and our prospects for the future 
are bright.

“

I aim to help this great organization identify and execute an 
operational plan that will provide consistent profitable top-line 
growth for years to come.”

I bring a deep appreciation for agriculture following 12 years of executive leadership 
experience in animal health at Pfizer, and subsequently Zoetis, the largest animal health 
company in the world and market leader following the carve out of that business from 
Pfizer to the public markets in 2013. I’ve worked with farmers, ranchers and retailers 
all over the world, and will leverage those experiences with our AgroFresh team to 
build upon the great relationships we already have in place across the industry and to 
bolster our competitive prowess as we pursue our diversification strategy.

As I reflect on full year 2020, I am reminded of the resilient nature of our organization 
as we navigated the unprecedented complexity that was brought about by the 
COVID-19 pandemic. While this caused some delays in new diversification project 
rollouts and unpredictable short-term customer purchasing decisions, our business 
was better insulated from the pandemic’s effects than others. This was due to our 
team’s hard work in driving efficiencies and optimizing our cost structure over the 
past two years, which translated to consistent gross margin performance in 2020 
and demonstrates the value of the AgroFresh service model. Additionally, we were 
extremely pleased to execute on our July 2020 comprehensive refinancing amid the 
disruption, which was supported by our strong cash-flow generation and provides us 
the stability necessary to pursue our objectives.

AgroFresh is a trusted brand in the post-harvest industry known for our 
commitment to providing quality products and end-to-end solutions. Our 
reputation is supported by our experienced sales and technical teams that 
deliver a high-touch service model that customers have come to rely on. 
This is visible in the diversity of our portfolio, our attractive margin profile, 
and our geographic breadth. Our close proximity to our customers 
is the cornerstone of our market leadership and a genuine point of 
differentiation and value for our customers that we believe will allow 
us to deliver sustainable growth for years to come.   

Sincerely,

Clinton A. Lewis, Jr.  
Chief Executive Officer

5

 
 
FINANCIA L HIGHLIGHTS

Regenerating our 
financial flexibility.

This year, our new strategic investment partner, Paine Schwartz Partners 
(PSP), helped solidify our foundation for our next chapter of growth. 
In becoming a major equity investor in AgroFresh, PSP enabled us to 
successfully close a comprehensive refinancing transaction in July. This 
marked a significant milestone for AgroFresh, as it allowed us to accomplish 
three critical financial goals – reduce debt, improve our financial flexibility, 
and strengthen our credit standing with ratings agencies.  

“

Having developed a long-standing 
thesis in post-harvest technology, 
we couldn’t be more excited about 
partnering with a stand-out leader 
in this sector.”

– KEVIN SCHWARTZ, CEO & CO-FOUNDER, PSP

30 
%

REDUCTION IN DEBT 

BALANCE, REDUCING OUR 

NET LEVERAGE RATIO BY 

APPROXIMATELY 2X

With the support of PSP and an improved capital structure, we have greater 
opportunities to leverage our strong global footprint and expand to new 
crops and technologies.

7

 
DIV ERSIF ICATION INITIATIVES

Powering diversification 
through our R&D 
registration engine. 

As we continue to develop opportunities 
in new crops and geographies on 
an individual basis, new product 
registrations have proved to be our 
greatest growth drivers. 

New developments. 

Our ongoing investment in R&D has 
been critical for expanding our product 
portfolio beyond apples and establishing 
new customer bases. 

By pursuing customer research trials for 
various crops in Australia, Mexico, Peru, 
and the U.S. – among other operating 
geographies – we work closely with our 
customers to provide problem solving 
and key learnings for future innovation. 
Though the pandemic delayed our 
diversification project rollouts, we 
were able to successfully demonstrate 
our value-added service model and 
business-building approach.

50 
+

COUNTRIES WITH 

KEY PRODUCT 

REGISTRATIONS

375 
+

PATENTS & PATENT 

APPLICATIONS 

GLOBALLY

40 
+

SCIENTISTS, WITH 

OVER 50% HOLDING 

ADVANCED DEGREES

9

New registrations. 

Our product and service expansions:

DIV ERSIF I CAT ION   IN I TI ATI VE S

Securing new product registrations has always been a core competency for AgroFresh. 
This year, it allowed us to gain access to a variety of new markets. Our strong 
relationships and reputation among growers in Italy, Spain and Poland drove them to 
lead and accelerate the process for gaining emergency use permits for Harvista.

SmartFresh™ ProTabs for mangos in Peru 

Coating on apples in Argentina

Pyrimethanil fungicide use on citrus, 
apples, pears, cherries, peaches, 
nectarines and plums in Chile

Granted emergency use permits for 
Harvista in Spain, Poland and Italy, 
accommodating labor challenges and 
enhancing quality for local growers

Harvista™ 1.3 SC in Brazil and New Zealand 

SmartFresh ProTabs for apples, 
pears, and persimmons in Japan; 
for apples and plums in Morocco

SmartFresh™ Inbox for apples 
and kiwifruit in New Zealand; for 
extended use on broccoli, melons, 
cherries, peaches, nectarines, plums, 
persimmons and avocados in the U.S.  

Quality System

PRESERVING QUALITY AND 
LENGTHENING SHELF LIFE.  

The complete SmartFresh Quality System is designed to manage the ripening process of 
fresh produce, helping achieve optimal consumer-desired taste and texture. The efficacy 
of SmartFresh technology was recently confirmed in new research conducted by a leading 
post-harvest researcher, the University of California, Davis, which found significant post-
harvest quality benefits for plums and pluots.

We have dedicated over two decades to confirming crop-specific validity and obtaining 
additional regulatory approvals. In 2020, our efforts helped us expand the global application 
of SmartFresh, optimizing the consumer experience across a new range of crops – including 
avocado, broccoli, melon, tomato, mango and stone fruit. Additionally, we have extended 
the usage of SmartFresh™ InBox in the U.S. to broccoli, melon, cherry, peach, nectarine, 
plum, persimmon and avocado. AgroFresh™ Verified, our proprietary analysis and reporting 
service that confirms successful SmartFresh storage room applications, was enhanced in 
2020 by the deployment of a more efficient analytical device.

SmartFresh is available for use across a large number of crops, extensive geographies 
and a wide range of application environments.

FOR LARGE, TRADITIONAL 
STORAGE FACILITIES
A full-service solution

ProTabs

FOR TRADITIONAL 
STORAGE FACILITIES
A full-service or 
customer-applied solution

STORAGE ROOMS

Proprietary analysis 
and reporting service

RIPENING ROOMS

ProTabs

FOR RETAILER OR THIRD-PARTY RIPENING ROOMS

A customer-applied solution

ON THE MOVE

SmartTabs™

InBox

FOR SMALL ROOMS & TRANSPORT TRAILERS/ 

FOR TRANSPORT BOXES/REUSABLE 

SHIPPING CONTAINERS

CONTAINERS (RPCs)

Convenient, easy-to-use self-application

Convenient, flexible, easy-to-use self-application

11

MANAGING QUALITY JUST BEFORE HARVEST. 

Harvista 1.3 SC is our innovative near-harvest technology for controlling peak 
ripeness to generate larger, higher quality yields, while also expanding the harvest 
window to allow more flexible management of labor forces. It was a crucial 
component of our diversification strategy in 2020, as markets outside the U.S. 
doubled their revenue growth for the product, driven by recent approvals in 
Australia and Brazil.

Major European grower associations successfully petitioned regulatory authorities 
for the use of Harvista during the pome fruit season. Their influence drove 
authorities in Spain, Italy, and Poland to grant emergency use permits, making 
Harvista’s first year in Europe a promising success. The process for official 
registrations is ongoing and we anticipate it will be completed in 2023.  

As we drive towards greater market access, 
we received approval in New Zealand for use 
on apples, and in February of 2021, for use 
on blueberries in Argentina. This builds upon 
approvals in Chile and the U.S., which puts 
us in position to grow Harvista sales in 2021. 

8.5 
%

INCREASE IN GLOBAL 

SALES FOR HARVISTA

ENHANCING QUALITY AND EFFICIENCY 
ACROSS THE SUPPLY CHAIN.

FreshCloud is our cloud-based, digital technology platform for end-to-end 
visibility and quality management. Combining deep agricultural expertise and 
digital innovation, this service platform provides powerful supply chain insights, 
enabling more informed decision-making to maximize customer returns. In 
2020, we continued to integrate the FreshCloud platform into our near- to post-
harvest solutions, driving a formidable competitive advantage. 

Going forward, we expect long-term growth to be driven by additional customer 
adoption and the expansion of two commercially available breakthrough 
solutions, FreshCloud Harvest View and FreshCloud Quality Inspection. 

DIV ERSIF I CAT ION   IN I TI ATI VE S

FreshCloud Harvest View is an automated tool for optimizing 
and increasing the speed of fruit maturity assessment in the 
orchard, designed to enhance the use of our Harvista near-
harvest solution. Having successfully launched the service in 
the U.S. this year, we plan to expand geographically and further 
enhance the digital experience by continuing to add new features. 

12k

TOTAL FRUIT SAMPLES 

PROCESSED IN 

THE U.S.

HORTEC

Hortec, the leading fruit quality and maturity management provider 
in South Africa, will utilize FreshCloud Harvest View to optimize 
harvest management and enhance fruit quality and yield during the 
2021 apple season.

FreshCloud Quality Inspection is a cloud-based mobile inspection tool, built to 
standardize the quality control process. Providing a heightened level of transparency, 
it reduces testing time by 80% and increases sample frequency. FreshCloud is also 
lowering the amount of food loss and waste through better quality management 
processes, which in turn aids sustainability objectives across the industry. 

Montague, one of Australia’s largest fruit growers, was the first to 
adopt FreshCloud Quality Inspection to completely transform their 
quality assurance systems.

Throughout the year, the service was very well-received by customers outside our 
core apple business. We expect further adoptions upon the completion of trials with 
produce operators in North America and other regions worldwide, which have thus 
far yielded very positive results. 

Blue Star Growers, a pioneer in ripening technology for pears, was 
the first U.S. customer to adopt FreshCloud Quality Inspection to 
enhance their quality control processes.

13

OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES

Containing costs. 
Cultivating confidence.

Building on gains from 2019, we continued to drive cost efficiencies and generate 
positive operating leverage without compromising our high-touch customer service 
model. Through better management and operational execution, we improved our 
working capital while preserving our margin profile and generated strong, consistent 
growth in operating cash flow. We believe we are now in a strong position to drive 
profitable top line growth and operational resilience.

Even in the uncertain environment created by COVID-19, 
our corporate cost optimization efforts have paved the way 
for a nimbler organization and a stronger financial profile.

10 
%

REDUCTION IN 

$7m

INCREASE IN 

OPERATING EXPENSES 

OPERATING CASH FLOW 

(VS. 2019)*

(VS. 2019)

$7.3m

REDUCTION IN 

OPERATING EXPENSES 

(VS. 2019)

$27m

OF OPERATING 

CASH FLOW

%
73 

GROSS MARGIN 

IN 2020

%
38 

ADJUSTED EBITDA 

MARGIN

* Operating expenses defined as SG&A and R&D

15

OUTLOOK

Ripe for future growth.

Despite the challenges presented by the global pandemic this year, we are 
proud to have achieved major successes across our organization. 

We continue to lead as a near- to post-harvest service provider on a 
global scale. Now more than ever, we are an AgTech innovator, fueling a 
technologically enabled future for our industry and long-term growth for 
our business. 

As we forge ahead, we will hold firm to our commitment to delivering 
novel, confidence-inspiring solutions, tailored to unique customer needs. 

17

Start of 10K

End of 10K

 NON-GAAP FINANCIAL INORMATION 

This report contains the non-GAAP financial measures Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin. The 
Company believes these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information as they are 
used by the Company’s management to evaluate the Company’s performance, including incentive bonuses and 
for bank covenant reporting. Management believes that these measures enhance a reader’s understanding of the 
operating and financial performance of the Company and facilitate a better comparison between fiscal periods. 
EBITDA excludes income taxes, interest expense and depreciation and amortization, whereas Adjusted EBITDA 
further excludes items that are non-cash, infrequent, or non-recurring, such as share-based compensation, 
severance, litigation and M&A related costs, to provide further meaningful information for evaluation of the 
Company’s performance. The Company does not intend for the non-GAAP financial measures contained in 
this report to be a substitute for any GAAP financial information. Readers of this report should use these non-
GAAP financial measures only in conjunction with the comparable GAAP financial measures. A reconciliation of 
Adjusted EBITDA to the most comparable GAAP measure is provided below.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL INORMATION 

The following table sets forth reconciliations of the non-GAAP financial measures EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA 
to the most closely comparable GAAP financial measure, net loss.

GAAP net (loss) including non-controlling interests

Expense (Benefit) provision for income taxes

Interest expense1

Depreciation and amortization

Non-GAAP EBITDA

Share-based compensation

Severence related costs2

Other non-recurring costs3

Loss on foreign currency exchange4

Debt modification and extinguishment costs

Grant income

Litigation recovery

Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA

Year Ended 
December 31, 2020

$(52,966)

31,376

23,669

46,970

$49,049

3,598

885

3,240

2,836

5,028

(2,974)

(1,600)

$60,062

1   Interest on debt, accretion for debt discounts, debt issuance costs and contingent consideration.

2  Severance costs related to ongoing cost optimization initiatives.

3  Costs related to certain professional and other infrequent or non-recurring fees, including those associated with litigation 

and M&A related fees.

4  Loss on foreign currency exchange relates to net losses and gains resulting from transactions denominated in a currency 

other than the Company’s functional currency.

SAFE HARBOR

In addition to historical information, this report contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of 
the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Please see 
“Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” contained in our Form 10-K for more information.

We Grow Confidence™

HEADQUARTERS

510-530 Walnut Street, Suite 1350
Philadelphia, PA 19106

agrofresh.com

NOTICE: AgroFresh makes no representations of warranties as to the completeness or accuracy of any information contained herein (“Information“). Recipients must make their own 
determination as to its suitability for their purposes prior to use, and nothing contained herein is to be construed as a recommendation to use any product, process, equipment or 
formulation in conflict with any patent. AGROFRESH MAKES NO WARRANTIES OF ANY NATURE, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WHETHER REGARDING MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A 
PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OR ANY OTHER MATTER, ALL OF WHICH ARE EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED.

™Trademark of AgroFresh Inc. © 2021 AgroFresh Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.