ALDI Nord and ALDI SÜD sell apples damaged by hail: These so-called "weather apples" are apples that have suffered from extreme weather conditions and are scarred by too much sun or hail, for example. Despite their blemishes, they find their way onto the ALDI shelf because they taste just as good as their flawless siblings. The weather apples are available this week as promotional items in all ALDI branches. The weather apples are particularly suitable for further processing, certainly at Christmas time, for desserts for example.
Extreme weather events are becoming increasingly frequent and can affect entire harvests. This can have enormous financial consequences for producers. "By buying and marketing the weather apples, we are creating a sales market for the producer. Otherwise they would have to sell the apples to the industry at a lower price or they would end up in animal feed or in composting plants," says Dr Julia Adou, Director Corporate Responsibility at ALDI SÜD. "With the weather apples, we can provide targeted support for our domestic producers and at the same time increase the appreciation of food," adds Rayk Mende, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility and Quality Assurance at ALDI Nord.
The new product line is now on the shelves at Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd.
Harvest and hail: 80 percent of apples damaged
One producer who benefits from ALDI's weather apples is Maik Stölken, an apple grower in the Altes Land region. "Last summer, I and many other farmers literally lost the harvest," reports Maik Stölken. Almost 80 percent of the apples on his 20 hectares of land were damaged by heavy hail. "Actually a catastrophe, because the apples do not end up with the consumer, but with the processor. For considerably less money. Then came ALDI's offer to purchase the apples and support us with it," says Maik Stölken.
Commitment against food waste
By selling "weather apples", ALDI aims to sensitise consumers to the value of food. Fruit and vegetables are natural products in which visual flaws are not unnatural and have no effect on taste. However, many foods are sorted out due to minor blemishes and do not reach the shelves of the retail trade. ALDI SÜD therefore already offers Class II apples: The "Krummen Dinger", which are not as round as other apples. In terms of taste, however, they are in no way inferior to perfectly shaped apples.
For more information: www.aldi.de