The Apofruit stand at Macfrut.
Apofruit Italia PO - with 4,187 producers and 271,580 tons of produce collected in 12 facilities and 15 collection and storage centres - registered a turnover of over €106 million during the first 7 months of 2016, i.e. +27.1% on 2015, with 128 million tons collected against the 97 thousand of the previous year. At Canova, the organic branch, the turnover reached almost €45 million (+18.9%) with 24 thousand tons (+31.9%). Mediterraneo Group only grew by 9.6 and 9.4% in turnover and volumes, with a turnover of almost €28 million.
The Apofruit stand at Macfrut.
In order to keep growing like this, the Group will have to focus on innovation. This is why it is working to develop a series of projects to place only products of the best quality on the market. Solarelli strawberries have therefore become a model to be followed. Between 2012 and 2015, volumes went from 1,500 ton to almost 20,000. Growth reached 15% last year alone.
This model is being applied to a particularly delicate segment of the market - soft fruit. The Group has already purchased the possibility of using Adelita® raspberries from Planasa, which will be introduced in 2017.
Purple apricot (Source: Apofruit)
The first selections of purple apricots have been planted in experimental fields to test their productivity, adaptability and organoleptic qualities. New red apricot varieties with different ripening stages than Kioto are also being tested - Monabrie (-25 days), 11-72 selection from Cot International (-20), Fuego (-15), Cheyenne (-5), Montier (same as Kioto).