Italy: Red Season, organic strawberries with a 10-day shelf-life

A strawberry production can be defined organic not just due to the certifications obtained, but also because there is no need to carry out treatments.

We are in Albania at the foothills of the Balkans not far from the sea. Three Italian entrepreneurs invested in a large company where they cultivate 40 hectares of strawberries. Giovanni Gianello, Stefano Burganti and Luca Leorato have named their brand Red Season.

"We need to be honest, the merit is not all ours. It is the soil and climate conditions that make treatments superfluous. The company is located on a soil of alluvial origin, reclaimed during the Communist regime. At the moment, nematodes and other parasites do not develop in this area. The breeze from the Balkans is extremely dry, so there is no fungi, and the temperature is rather constant."

Albion strawberries adapt perfectly to these conditions. "This is also reflected in the average Brix level, which fluctuates between 12 and 14, and in the flavour and texture. Shelf-life is 10 days."

Red Season strawberries are sold through LC Fruit srl and Burganti srl Divisione GDO in the Verona and Perugia platforms. After a few years when only spring produce was available, this year there is autumn produce due to remontant plants. They are planted on approximately 10 hectares and production will start in early November.

"No organic substance is needed to fertilise the soil as it is very rich in humus already. We grow plants in greenhouses and irrigate using only water. From the fields, the strawberries reach the Perugia and Verona platforms in 24 hours. Trucks embark in the evening, disembark in Bari and reach the sorting hubs the next day." The technology and materials are entirely Italian.

Contacts:
Giovanni Gianello
Tel.: +39 348 5728941
Email: info@redseason.it

Verona platform
LC Fruit srl
Via Fontana Nuova 29,
37032 Monteforte d'Alpone (VR)
Email: info@lcfruit.it

Perugia platform
Burganti srl Divisione GDO
via Bruno Colli
06135 Ponte San Giovanni (PG)
Email: info@burgantisrl.com