Exhibiting at Asia Fruit Logistica 2025

Consorzio Melinda SCA is one of Italy’s most prominent agricultural cooperatives, specializing in the production, marketing, and export of high-quality apples. Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Cles, Trentino, the consortium unites over 4,000 growers across 16 cooperatives within the Non and Sole Valleys, covering a cultivated area of approximately 6,700 hectares.

Core Business

Melinda focuses on the cultivation, processing, and distribution of apples under strict quality controls and traceability systems. The consortium handles nearly 400,000 tons of apples annually, representing about 20% of Italy's total apple production. It is recognized for its innovation in agronomic practices, commitment to environmental sustainability, and advanced cold chain logistics.

Product and Service Offerings

Melinda’s product range includes fresh apples and processed apple products:

• Fresh Apple Varieties:

  • Golden Delicious
  • Red Delicious
  • Gala
  • Fuji
  • Evelina
  • Renetta Canada
  • Morgana
  • SweeTango
  • Melinda D.O.P. (Protected Designation of Origin)

• Processed Products:

  • Melinda MelaSì (apple-based wellness snacks)
  • 100% apple juices
  • Dehydrated apple snacks
  • Apple purée

Products are sold under well-established brands such as Melinda, MelaSì, and Melasì Val di Non.

Specialization and Core USP

Melinda is the only consortium in Europe that stores apples in underground hypogeal tunnels, utilizing natural caves formed in dolomitic rock for apple preservation. This innovative storage system maintains constant temperature and humidity, ensuring longer shelf life and minimal energy consumption.

The consortium is also a pioneer in adopting sustainable farming practices, including integrated pest management (IPM), biological control, and water-saving irrigation systems.

Financial Overview

• Annual Revenue: €250 million (as of 2023)
• Production Volume: Over 400,000 tons of apples per year
• Export Contribution: Exports account for approximately 25% of total revenue

Shipments and Export Records

Melinda exports its apples to over 50 countries, with key markets including Germany, Scandinavia, the Middle East, and Asia. According to trade data platforms like ImportYeti and Volza:

• Export Volume (2023): ~100,000 tons
• Shipment Count: Over 1,200 containerized shipments globally
• Top Destinations: Germany, UAE, Saudi Arabia, India, Hong Kong

Target Market

Melinda targets premium retail chains, health-conscious consumers, and international distributors who demand traceability, high-quality produce, and certified food safety. Its products are particularly popular among customers seeking healthy, minimally processed fruit-based offerings.

Capabilities

• Production Infrastructure: 16 cooperatives, 93 cold storage facilities, 3 state-of-the-art sorting plants
• Storage Innovation: 34 hypogeal tunnels used for energy-efficient conservation
• Packaging and Branding: Customizable packaging for private label and brand export

Certifications and Compliance

Melinda meets all leading European and international quality certifications:

• GLOBALG.A.P. – Good Agricultural Practices
• IFS Food – International Food Standard
• BRCGS – British Retail Consortium Global Standards
• GRASP – Risk Assessment on Social Practice
• BIO Organic Certification – for its organic apple lines
• D.O.P. Certification – For the Renetta Canada apple variety

These certifications ensure compliance with food safety, environmental sustainability, and worker welfare standards.

Customer Testimonials

“Melinda’s apples consistently meet our high-quality standards and resonate with our eco-conscious clientele. Their logistics and service levels are unmatched in the European produce space.”
— Procurement Director, Premium Retail Chain (Germany)

“Their hypogeal storage innovation extends shelf life and preserves taste better than any other supplier we’ve worked with.”
— Export Partner, Middle East Market

Major Achievements

• First Italian fruit brand to receive D.O.P. status
• Pioneered underground storage tunnels—a model now studied internationally
• Winner of multiple awards for sustainability and innovation including:
  • "Oscar Green" by Coldiretti
  • European Business Awards for the Environment (EBEA) Finalist
• Achieved 100% renewable energy usage across storage sites by 2022

Melinda continues to lead the apple industry with a combination of tradition, innovation, and sustainable excellence—serving as a model for modern cooperative farming in Europe.