Anecoop to present Red Bouquet blood orange brand at Fruit Logistica

Anecoop will launch its new blood orange brand at next month’s Fruit Logistica. Red Bouquet covers the second-tier cooperative’s range of red-skinned and red-fleshed oranges with high antioxidant value thanks to the elevated levels of anthocyanins.

Red Bouquet was developed at Anecoop’s trial farm in Museros, Valencia. The company said the project serves a double objective: to restore the historical value of bloody oranges that were traditionally grown in Valencia but have almost disappeared, and to expand its varietal offer, thus guaranteeing broader and more homogeneous commercial programmes for this type of orange.

After studying several of varieties over a number of years, Anecoop selected its current range, which includes Ippólito, known for its intense exterior and interior colour and its larger size, and Tarocco Rosso.

“Although these are very well-known and marketed varieties in Europe, in Spain they still have a long way to go because for many years it has been difficult to find them on the market,” Anecoop said.

“In addition, they arrive at a very attractive commercial moment, with consumers receptive to new developments in both eating and juicing oranges.”

Anecoop said it is targeting the retail and wholesale channels in Spain, as well as countries where blood oranges are already well known, such as Italy, France and Germany, all markets in which the company’s oranges and Bouquet brand already have a significant presence.

Anecoop president Alejandro Monzón commented: “Fruit Logistica brings together the entire value chain of the fruit and vegetable sector, positioning itself as an important stage to present Red Bouquet at an international level.

“The red oranges marketed under this new brand respond to our effort to adapt the varietal offer to the tastes and demands of the consumer, to extend the calendar and the range and to recover traditional flavours. The objective: to consolidate the competitiveness of our citrus fruits throughout the world and to boost the economic performance of our farmers, who are our reason for being”.

Red oranges owe their characteristic colour to the high presence of anthocyanins, a bioactive component that develops thanks to the contrast in temperatures between day and night that occur during the cultivation process.

According to recent studies carried out within the framework of the collaboration agreement between Anecoop and the Complutense University of Madrid, the varieties of red orange marketed by Anecoop have a high content of vitamin C, fibre and anthocyanins, antioxidants that are very valuable for health.

Under this agreement, both parties are carrying out further studies to better understand their nutritional composition along with the benefits they provide.