British shoppers can expect to see more apples from Slovenia on their shelves this autumn thanks to the opening of a new packing house that has been built specifically to service key customers in the UK, among other markets.
Evrosad, Slovenia’s largest topfruit producer and packer, has invested some €3.8m in a new grading and packing facility in Krsko, the major topfruit growing area in Slovenia, the EU member state which neighbours Italy and Austria.
'This investment demonstrates our commitment both to our growers and to our customers,' said Evrosad managing director Bostjan Kozole at the official opening ceremony, attended by Slovenia farm minister Dejan Zidan and 400 guests, including key buyers from the UK.
The 40,000 square foot facility has been equipped with five new grading lines and packing that can handle some 16 tonnes of fresh fruit per hour, including a fully-automated polybag packing line that is set to secure the required accreditation before the end of the month.
'We have been working working with Evrosad for the past five years and this new investment means that we’ll be able to supply more high quality apples to our UK Customer Base,' Empire World Trade technical manager Charles Sadler told the Fresh Produce Journal (FPJ).
Evrosad farms more than 500 hectares of apples, pears and stonefruit, marketing around 1.2m 13kg cartons of fruit annually. The UK is its single largest export market, accounting for the lion’s share of its Gala, Braeburn and Golden Delicious production.
The family-owned company, which was set up 15 years ago, has developed a new wholesale market brand available exclusively through EPCO. European Produce Company managing director Bill Haynes is now selling Slovena-branded apples through wholesale customers in the UK and Ireland.
'Things have started out well and we’re confident of a good season,' Mr Haynes told the FPJ.
The first arrivals came into the UK in late-August and are expected to continue through to late-May 2011. Evrosad has some 10,000 tonnes of coldstores, including controlled-atmosphere storage, which allows it to market fruit throughout the season.
