The Sant'Orsola Cooperative will be at Fruit Logistica from February 5 to 7, 2025, in Berlin, at stand A-40 in hall 4.2. At the international fair, it will showcase its entire product range, with a particular focus on the Zero Residue range, which this year expands to include blackberries. The latest addition and star product will be available on the market from spring 2025 in a 125-gram punnet.
The Residue-Free Blackberry: 2025 Innovation
The Zero Residue blackberry from Sant'Orsola, with its naturally sweet flavor, retains the typical organoleptic qualities of the fruit and meets the demand for a product from a sustainable supply chain throughout its entire journey, from plant to producer to consumer.
This blackberry, certified by Csqa, is the result of 15 years of collaboration between Sant’Orsola’s researchers, various research institutes, and the cooperative’s members, ultimately leading to a fruit that is free of residues at harvest. Extensive studies on the biological cycle of major diseases, insects, and arachnids, as well as targeted analyses to understand interactions with the cultivation environment and the positive effects of using predatory insects and mites, have proven successful. Its production begins in the fields of members in Southern Italy (Sicily and Calabria) and continues in the North (Trentino) in Autumn.
This innovation represents a significant added value for the Sant'Orsola Cooperative, allowing it to stand out in the berry market. In fact, it is the only Italian company to offer three products within the Zero Residue range: blueberries, launched in 2021; raspberries, introduced the following year; and now blackberries.
Residue-Free: 9% of Revenue
"We are now in the fifth year of the Zero Residue project, the one that gives us the greatest satisfaction in terms of supply chain - emphasizes Nicola Leonardi, head of Sant'Orsola's commercial division - as it allows us to represent our company in a significant way. The Zero Residue line now accounts for 9% of our total berry revenue. By completing the range with blackberries, we can better satisfy the market, which has shown appreciation for this specialty of ours. We are confident that we will achieve excellent results in 2025 as well."
Strawberries from Sicily for the first time
In Berlin, the Sant'Orsola Cooperative will also present the novelty of strawberries grown for the first time by its members in Sicily. As a result of research and experimentation to obtain the best variety suited to the territory, these strawberries are exceptionally flavorful and fragrant.
The first Sicilian strawberries from Sant'Orsola have already been available for a few days in 250-gram flowpack punnets.
12-Month Strawberry Production Goal
They are produced from December to April in the fields of members in southern Italy and then continue in the north until autumn, but the goal of the project is to ensure year-round in-house production.
This is a major achievement for Sant'Orsola, which was founded 45 years ago with the sole production of strawberries, the fruit that gradually made it known throughout Italy. Sant'Orsola was synonymous with strawberries until the berry sector boomed over the past 15 years, a market in which the cooperative now leads in Italy.
Source: Sant'Orsola
