Mountain apples are also those of the Aosta Valley and the Augusta brand is looking for more space at a national scale. "Up to now we have sold mostly locally in our region and in Piedmont, but we have what it takes to expand nationally,” explained Luciano Bisson.
The brand Augusta includes the varieties Gala, Renetta del Canada, Golden and Fuji. In all, there are about 15 hectares already in production under the brand. The production area is between 600 and 800 meters above sea level, in rather gravely soils.
“Our area is very windy with low rainfall and a dry climate. This allows us to have a healthy production that needs very few treatments. Irrigation is carried out using spring water and melting glaciers. The organoleptic quality is remarkable, thanks to a combination of agronomic techniques and the positioning of our apple orchards,” continued the producer.
Crunchy flesh and intense color are two characteristics of Augusta apples. "We carry out manual thinning to obtain high-quality fruit. We never have very high yields, precisely because we focus on the organoleptic aspect. We only use organic fertilizers. We do not use synthetic chemicals, and the weeding is mechanical rather than chemical.
We are looking for wholesalers or specialized shops that value a product that is unique and different from what we are used to. The processing is all done by hand, which contributes to a better end result.
Augusta apples are available in the classic 30x50 or 40x60 formats, as well as in 8 kg boxes, which are very popular with wholesalers. The production potential is around 300-400 tons.
This year the weather has penalized yields, so we will have less product. However, we are still able to make the most of the smaller sizes by packing them in 2-kg bags, which are very much in demand in small supermarket chains. A small part of the production is also processed into apple juice.
For more information:
Mela Augusta 
Fratelli Bisson s.r.l.
Fraz. Borettaz, 1
11020 Gressan (Aosta)
+39 335 6676395
+39 0165 250 115
info@bisson.it
www.melaugusta.com