Six apple producers in the southwest French departments of Les Landes and Pyrénées-Atlantiques have decided to combine forces by stamping their different varieties with the same name.
The name the producers chose was Vasconia, which was the former name of this region of France.
'We want to give our products an identity that is connected to our territory,' explained Jean-Pierre Lasbistes, president of the new Vasconia association, 'and we want to get closer to the consumer by favouring shorter routes to the market.'
According to Lasbistes, behind each apple bearing the Vasconia label is a farmer committed to transparency and environmental responsibility, and keen to promote the excellent taste of this fruit.
'`The producers` want to have direct contact with consumers to demonstrate their respect for the consumer, the environment and product quality,' he said. 'This direct contact will also allow consumers to get involved and give their opinions and points of view, which is an essential part of the process. We want to create a spirit of cooperation between the producer and the consumer.'
