VIP, the Val Venosta Cooperatives Association, will be able to guarantee club varieties for 12 months a year in the near future as well. This represents an absolute novelty in the apple sector, made possible by the well-studied succession of premium varieties in the different seasons.
This is what emerges from CEO Martin Pinzger’s statements at the end of the year and prospects for the future with a clear focus on even more sustainability and innovation.
“We have the advantage of being a homogeneous production area that is clearly delimited by our valley,” underlines Pinzger, CEO of VIP. We discovered and applied sustainability when no one was even talking about it. We have offered apples from organic and integrated production for more than 30 years and have collaborated with beekeepers for 20 years. We are forerunners in the field of sustainability, and we won’t get tired of following this road. Today, 20% of our apples are from organic production, but this is not all: One third of our production areas is herbicide-free, which means that also some apples from integrated production are grown without any herbicides. In 2022, we would like to further strengthen the collaboration with the beekeepers and the measures for the protection of biodiversity in our orchards.”
The CEO then underlines that VIP is able to supply its clients with apples all around year and says: "We are not only forerunners in the field of environmental sustainability, which will continue to be one of our pillars, but also work hard to be a first class apple partner with an excellent service for our sales partners and consumers. This starts with the supplies based on the consolidated and recognized specialization of our production. First of all, we guarantee the availability of our apples for 12 months a year but this is not all. We are among the few producers who are able to supply the European markets with organic apples for 12 months a year to substitute imports from overseas during the summer months. In future, we will take an important step further in this direction: Our club varieties – from SweeTango® to Kanzi® and from Ambrosia™ and envy™ to Cosmic Crisp® that ends our season – will be for the first time available for the whole season. This will be a premium offer of the highest level that will expand the season with high quality apples creating value and guaranteeing the aim of fully exploiting the shelf in the interest of both our producers and B2B partners.”
Martin Pinzger then continues with the fields of technology and packaging: “As far as service is concerned, we have to underline a characteristic that has always distinguished us: state-of-the-art technology that best guarantees the characteristics of the product. Our packing stations in Val Venosta all have one thing in common: constant technological evolution. This is why they are among the most modern ones in the world and we will do everything to ensure that it stays this way. Besides, we pay much attention to packaging and sustainability. VIP has recently reinforced its team with a specialized manager who is responsible for updating the packaging by respecting the highest levels in terms of food safety and environmental sustainability of the materials."
"To sum up,” concludes CEO Pinzger, “we can look ahead confidently, last but not least also thanks to our young producers who are an important part of VIP and who will guarantee an apple production of the highest standard for our clients and consumers in future as well."
For more information:
www.vip.coop