The BayWa site in Kressbronn is huge, and the quantities of fruit it handles are enormous. The site covers 42,000 square meters, 28,000 square meters of which is building space. "We process 60,000 tons of pome fruit per year here," says Operations Manager Markus Bestfleisch. "Mainly apples, but also around 1,500 tons of pears." Each of the 20 CA storage facilities holds between 250 and 450 tons of apples, stacked in large crates. The five main varieties are Kanzi, Elstar, Gala, Jonagold, and Braeburn. BayWa Obst operates a total of five locations, including in Friedrichshafen-Ailingen and Oberteuringen.
© BayWa Obst GmbH & Co. KG
Storage is part of a sophisticated process chain that an apple goes through. Quality checks and sampling for laboratory testing take place as soon as the apples are delivered. When orders are received from retailers, the apples' CA hibernation comes to an end. In a sorting facility, the apples are immersed in a water channel, not to clean them, but to transport them gently. As if by magic, the system sorts the apples according to size, weight, color, and quality. This is made possible by computer-assisted technology: "Each apple is photographed 40 times, evaluated, and sorted into categories," explains Bestfleisch. Each fruit is screened to detect damage such as core rot.
Kressbronn is in full swing from December to May, says Bestfleisch. Cooling and processing require a lot of energy. "All roofs are equipped with solar panels," explains company spokesman Yannick Henßler. "We generate about 25 percent of the electricity ourselves, and the rest is purchased as green electricity."
For more information:
BayWa Obst GmbH & Co KG
© BayWa Obst GmbH & Co. KG
Tel. +49 (0)7543 9616-0
[email protected]
www.baywa-obst.de
