German fresh produce marketer Landgard has won the German Sustainability Award for its wonky apple concept IssSo, designed to make the most of Rheinland’s crop despite the hail storms last spring.
IssSo, which translates as “eat like that”, was one of three products to win the award, voted for by consumers, food retailers and the Collaborating Centre of Sustainable Consumption and Production in Wuppertal.
The other two winning products were a brand of organic coffee from Europe’s largest alternative trading organisation GEPA and Biophar’s Fairtrade wild flower honey.
Landgard developed the IssSo apple concept in a bid to reduce food waste and raise awareness of the importance of the issue through information displayed on the fruit's packaging. While the blemished apples do not meet regular supermarket specifications, they still have a “fresh and crisp” taste, Landgard said.
This year was the first time that Landgard had submitted two concepts for the award, with its Biene Maja (Maja the Bee) flower concept also entered for the prize.
Flowers and plants sold in the Biene Maja design comply with all legal requirements for bee protection, eliminating active ingredients harmful to bees.
Both products were developed as part of the company’s sustainability strategy, which is based on the pour pillars of green products, climate, energy and environment, and employees and society.
In his response to Landgard’s sustainability win, head of fruit and vegetables Labinot Elshani took the opportunity to thank Rewe for supporting the IssSo concept.
“The Rewe Group is an important strategic partner for us, with a high level of commitment to our production,” he said. “In my view, as an international trading company, it stands for an absolutely sustainable corporate policy. We can only develop concepts such as IssSo together with partners like Rewe.”
