Premium fruit and vegetable ingredient supplier SVZ announced a strategic investment for its Belgian processing plant in Rijkevorsel. The latest in a series of global growth and sustainability-focused investments, SVZ seeks to expand the facility’s capacity to meet rising consumer demand for fruit and vegetable ingredients – while also boosting its sustainability credentials.

Growing capacity

Demand for naturally healthy, nutritious ingredients is growing as consumers become more aware of the impact what they consume has on their wellbeing. To fulfil this need, SVZ is investing in the capacity and processing technology required to process larger quantities of fruit and vegetable ingredients on-site without compromising on quality. A new pasteuriser in the plant, for example, will allow its Belgium facility to boost its puree production significantly.

This investment follows similar expansions across SVZ’s global processing plants, as the business meets this heightened demand for fruit and vegetable ingredients. In Poland, for example, the Tomaszów facility’s concentrate line has been bolstered, while SVZ’s US-based plant has not only boosted its puree line but is also investing in new automation technology to streamline the production process even further.

Sustainability first

SVZ’s investment in the Rijkevorsel plant also supports the business’ sustainability efforts – and progress towards its 100 % sustainable sourcing goal. The Belgium facility has seen a massive reduction in CO2 emissions over the last two years – and this new effort will aim to build on this by further decreasing heat consumption and exploring new ways of reusing expended energy within the facility. Indeed, the new pasteuriser will reduce emissions by 19 % – a crucial step in SVZ’s journey to low carbon production.

This new investment also contributes to SVZ’s broader mission of boosting the sustainability credentials of all global processing sites. SVZ’s Spain-based plant in Almonte, for example, has been recently fitted with solar panels, and a new cold storage facility has also been constructed to reduce reliance on third party-storage and transportation. Meanwhile, SVZ’s US processing plant has focused recent investment on water treatment, so water can be cleaned and reused.

Growing better, together

“SVZ has its sights set firmly on the future,” says Pieter Spanjers, CEO at SVZ. “This new investment increases our Rijkevorsel plant’s processing capacity and capabilities to ensure future growth. We are working on an agreement that will significantly increase our sourcing capacity, and we need a facility that allows us to efficiently absorb those heightened volumes, as well as serve our customers while keeping the highest standards of quality.

“We’re passionate about creating a healthier, greener planet and we want to do our part in ensuring it for all generations. This investment will enable us to continue our mission effectively and support our customers in creating tomorrow’s food and beverage products.”

The newly founded World Citrus Organisation (WCO) was officially launched at Fruit Attraction, Madrid. With this official presentation, citrus fruits are finally placed at the same level of coordination worldwide as other fruit categories, such as pears & apples, kiwis, avocado or red fruits, which already have their own global platforms. The WCO will act as the global platform for dialogue and action between the citrus producing countries worldwide. The core aim of the WCO is to facilitate member countries to better face common challenges and seize opportunities for the collective benefit of the citrus sector, in a spirit of cooperation and transparency.

Led by AILIMPO, the Spanish Lemon and Grapefruit Interbranch Association, and the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA), sector representatives from Argentina, Chile, Italy, Morocco, Peru, Spain, and South Africa decided to join forces to create a global citrus platform where together they may address the many multifaceted changes experienced by the citrus market over recent years. Other countries that were unable to attend the meeting have also committed to the project, and the remaining global producers are invited to join the organization.

The primary objective of the WCO is to facilitate collective action in the citrus sector, for both fresh and processed categories. Most recently the sector has been faced with an extensive array of significant issues of global concern including growth in production, overlapping of seasons, changing climate conditions resulting in varied quality and biosecurity challenges, increased competition within the citrus category and between other fruit categories and food products as well as stagnating fruit consumption. The WCO will facilitate member countries to better face these common challenges and identify opportunities for the collective benefit of the citrus sector.

Specifically, the WCO’s mission is to:

• Discuss common issues affecting citrus producing countries.
• Exchange information on production and market trends to prepare for the next decade to come.
• Foster dialogue on policy issues of common concern.
• Identify and promote Research and Innovation projects specific to the citrus sector.
• Liaise with public and private stakeholders on citrus-related matters to highlight the importance of citrus producers and the need for a fair return.
• Promote the global consumption of citrus.

During the official presentation in Madrid, the Director General of Agricultural Production and Markets of the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Esperanza Orellana, congratulated the citrus sector for the initiative, emphasizing the importance for Spain, leader in the production and export of citrus fruits, to be at the forefront of this project. The Counsellor of the Region of Murcia, Antonio Luengo, also greeted the participants and expressed his support for the new organisation. “It is important that the world citrus community works together to face common challenges and learn from each other,” he said, adding that, leaving aside the competitive factor, it is essential to share information and experiences for the collective benefit of the sector, which is of key strategic importance for Murcia and for Spain.

Freshfel Europe, the European Fresh Produce Association, whose Secretariat is based in Brussels, Belgium, will coordinate and administer the WCO. The next meeting, where the formalities for the foundation and future structure of the organisation will be formalized, will take place at FruitLogistica 2020 in Berlin.