South Tyrol. Food Technology.

South Tyrol.

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Food Technology.

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Quality and Innovation Production of Foodstuffs in Alpine South Tyrol 3 Agriculture and Primary Production Pillars of South Tyrol’s Economy 5 Processing and Finishing Specialized Technology and Know-How 18 Distribution and Marketing Regional Quality, International Success 28 Food Research and Development High-Tech for Companies 36 NOI Techpark A Research Center for Food Technology 40 Networks & Partners in South Tyrol Responsible Institutions and Public Bodies 41

Quality and Innovation Alpine thinking and Mediterranean lifestyle: South Tyrol (Alto Adige in Italian, Südtirol in German) is the meeting point of two worlds.

With important trade routes running across the province, it is an interface where markets and cultures come together. South Tyrol connects.

It is both north and south. The coniferous forests of the Pusteria (Pustertal) Valley in the eastern part of the province seem worlds apart from the villas with rows of cypresses lined up like sentinels found at Lake Caldaro (Kaltern) in the south.

Yet these two worlds are less than an hour’s drive from one another.

Climatically, South Tyrol marries the coolness of a mountain region with relatively mild temperatures in the valleys. Cool nights follow in the wake of the balmy days of summer and autumn. Every year, the province records around 300 sunny days and more than 2,000 hours of sunshine. More than half of South Tyrol’s total area is located at elevations above 1,500 meters. In fact, the average mountain meadow where farming families gather hay in summer has a gradient of 30 percent.

These unique conditions are also discernible when it comes to local food production. Dairy farming, fruit growing and viticulture are the pillars of South Tyrolean agriculture. Above and beyond the most profitable product, the apple, there is a wide array of fruits and vegetables that are less identifiable to outsiders as being South Tyrolean: pears, apricots, berries, potatoes, asparagus and chestnuts. The livestock industry also provides valuable yields such as milk, cheese, butter, cream and high-quality beef.

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The areas of cultivation are spread throughout South Tyrol, ranging from the valley all the way up into the mountains. There are 1,500 alpine pastures situated above the tree line, where cattle and sheep graze in the coolness of higher elevation during the hottest months; during this same period, farmers tackle gathering enough hay to get their cattle through the winter – just as their ancestors did two hundred years ago.

In South Tyrol, snow-capped mountains and blooming apple orchards exist in close proximity. Sluderno (1)

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Having a sense of tradition also means placing emphasis on regionalism. Years ahead of the global trend in this direction, committed South Tyroleans have been promoting local quality products through a variety of different projects. Here, the food industry – from production to processing to marketing – is primarily characterized by functioning regional economic cycles.

But the international food industry frequently looks to South Tyrol as well, mainly for its expertise in apples and wine – know-how that is both cutting edge and internationally sought after.

Here, agricultural knowledge has been handed down through the generations, and some very resourceful innovators have perfected and modernized it. As a natural consequence of this, the food-processing sector has produced important companies with reputations that reach beyond the borders of South Tyrol.

Set Apart by Quality South Tyroleans are perfectionists. Their desire for continuous improvement and their innate stubbornness are reflected in the South Tyrol Quality Seal – a program that the European Commission approved in 2005 as a pioneer project for all of Europe. Products marked with the seal are guaranteed to have regulated quality and artisanal processing. A full 100% of South Tyrol’s fresh milk is produced under the quality seal.

Alto Adige Speck and apples are registered as a protected geo­ graphical indication (PGI), a seal of quality conferred by the European Union. The quality seal not only recognizes regional specialties but also protects against counterfeiting and

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fraudulent use; in addition, it guarantees the authenticity of the product’s origin and that it is made in accordance with long-standing traditional practices. For wine, South Tyrol has two registered designations of origin: DOC Alto Adige

(­ Südtirol) and DOC Lago di Caldaro (Kalterersee). The DOC designation corresponds to a protected designation of origin, the EU’s highest possible quality seal, given not only to South Tyrolean wines, but also to the Stelvio cheese variety.

The quality of South Tyrol-brand Speck is independently monitored. ( (2)

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Agriculture and Primary Production

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South Tyrol has the largest contiguous applegrowing area in Europe. It encompasses a total area of 18,540 hectares – a number that represents about 2.5 percent of the total area of the province or more vividly expressed: 25,000 football fields.

Considering the quantity and quality of the agricultural products produced every year in South Tyrol, it may be surprising that only about six percent of South Tyroleans work in agriculture, whereas in 1951 about 43 percent of the population worked in the sector. But although one in five farm owners is more than 65 years old, many young farmers are propelling a renaissance in professional farming: they work the land on remote mountain farms with the support of organizations such as the Bauernjugend (Young Farmers) and are driven by an agricultural vision that is modern

Total area of South Tyrol:

7,400 km² (= 740,000 ha)

About 485,000 ha o f agricultural area (including woods etc.)

About 241,000 ha of cropland (about 12 ha per farm)

20,212

agricultural enterprises of which grow wine cultivate apples are livestock holdings

4,779 7,275 9,970

Average size of farm in South Tyrol 12 ha Italy 8 ha Germany Europe 14 ha Data sources: ASTAT (Agricultural Census 2010), Südtiroler Bauernbund

View from the hill atop which Tyrol Castle is perched, looking down on Merano and the surrounding orchards. Tirolo (Dorf Tirol) (1)

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58 ha

and technology-enhanced but at the same time tradition-conscious and sustainable. That is one reason why these farms are still nearly 100 percent in South Tyrolean hands, and why more than 21,000 farmers are members of the Südtiroler Bauernbund (South Tyrol’s farming association).

Most South Tyrolean enterprises – not only those in the agriculture sector but also in commerce, handcrafts and industry – originated as family businesses and have remained so even today. The economic structure of the province is characterized by a huge number of small businesses: almost 95 percent of companies have fewer than ten employees. The agricultural enterprises are extremely small: a farmer here cultivates an average of ten hectares of land, and nearly half are microbusinesses with less than five hectares. Due to the small farm size, virtually all farmers join cooperatives. In South Tyrol, the cooperative movement has a long tradition. Following the Italian model, companies from a wide variety of industries are set up as cooperatives: the gamut runs from social services to banks to service providers. South Tyrol’s farmers are organized into about one hundred different cooperatives in order to work together more closely and efficiently as they harvest, process and market their products.

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Innovative hail-protection systems also shield the orchards from sun and wind. Terlano (2) After the harvest, the apples are washed and sorted.

EGMA Fruit Growers’ Cooperative, Caldaro (3)

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Facts and Figures Fruit growers: 7,600 of which apple growers: 7,275 Average farm size: 2.5-3 ha Total apple harvest: about 1.1 million metric tons (99% of the total fruit harvest) 3

of which 85% table apples 4% organic apples 11% industrial goods

South Tyrol’s proportion of apple harvest of apples harvested in Italy of apples harvested in the EU of organic apples harvested in the EU

50% 10-12% 40 %

Data sources: Consortium South Tyrolean Apple, ASTAT

Apples

Event Interpoma Every two years, the province’s ­capital Bolzano (Bozen) sets the stage for the world’s largest trade fair on cultivation, storage and ­marketing of apples: Interpoma, unique in the world, is a must-attend event for industry insiders and will be organized for the tenth time in 2016. With approximately 360 exhibitors from 17 countries and 16,000 visitors hailing from more than 60 countries, this fair is the apple’s most important global platform.

South Tyroleans and their apples are closely tied to one another, and apple production here has a tradition that goes b­­ack a long time. South Tyrol grows half of all the apples in Italy and one tenth of the apples produced in the EU. So it’s not surprising that the apple is South Tyrol’s number one product. The apple represents more than 99 percent of the total fruit production here, and grows at elevations ranging from 200 to more than 1,000 meters, from Salorno in the Adige (Etsch) Valley to Malles in the Venosta (Vinschgau) Valley, and from the Renon (Ritten) Plateau as far as Naz-Sciaves in the Isarco (Eisacktal) Valley.

One apple variety is very closely associated with South Tyrol:

the Golden Delicious is by far the most produced apple, accounting for 40 percent of total production. Gala (140,000 t) and Red Delicious (100,000 t) rank next. Since 2005 those three South Tyrolean apple varieties, plus eight more, have been permitted to bear the EU’s Protected Geographical Indica­ tion (PGI) designation, and are thus recognized across the EU as a regional specialty.

Harvesting and Storage In spring, the apple trees in South Tyrol bloom pink and white, creating a colorful and scenic landscape. In mid-August apple farmers begin the h ­ arvest, which kicks off in the valley with Gala apples and finishes in

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early November with the lateripening Pink Lady variety. As soon as the work is completed, whether done by hand or with the help of machines, the harvested apples are moved in bulk bins to storage facilities. They are stored there in cold rooms, the oxygen composition of which is precisely regulated. Through the use of cold and a substantial reduction in oxygen, the apples are placed into a state of “hibernation” that preserves them. In this state, known as CA (cont­ rolled atmosphere) storage, apples can remain harvest-fresh for up to eight months – technology that evinces South Tyrol to be not only on the cutting edge of cultivation and harvesting apples but also a pioneer in storage techniques.

Orchards in South Tyrol Fruit growing has shaped the agricultural landscape across large swathes of South Tyrol.

Above and beyond apples there are juicy pears, cultivated mainly in the west. Annual pear production, including all varieties, yields about 700 metric tons. The Palabirne, an old variety from the Venosta Valley, is especially popular.

South Tyrolean apricot cultivation covers an area of 110 hectares. Nearly 70 percent of apricots, called Marillen here, are grown in the Venosta Valley, which is especially well known for cultivation of this fruit.

Although extremely popular, the Vinschger Marille (Vinschgau being the German name of the valley) plays a minor economic role, with an annual yield of about 370 metric tons. It re­ presents a good sideline for higher lying mixed farms and grassland farms, though, and together with the white marble of Laas has been one of the stars of the show at Marble & Apricots, a festival of gastronomy and culture that has been held annually in Laas for the last 15 years.

The Venosta Valley is also known for the strawberries grown in one of its tributary valleys, the Martelltal in German, where they thrive at elevations as high as 1,800 meters.

Strawberries ripen very slowly at these elevations. As a result they are not only aromatic, but can also be harvested and sold later than in other areas of cultivation within Europe – a significant advantage for the local berry growers. In South Tyrol the cultivation area for berries is almost 200 hectares: strawberries and raspberries are grown on 130 hectares while black and red currants are grown on the remaining 45 hectares.

Milk South Tyrol is the only region in Europe that can label all of its milk and dairy products as GMO-free. As measured by creation of value, milk is South Tyrol’s second most important agricultural product, after apples. The backbone of South Tyrolean milk production comprises about 5,000 dairy farmers with slightly fewer than 70,000 cows. The small, family-run farms keep only 14 dairy cows on average. In addition there are 24 goat-milk suppliers, which together produce 600 metric tons a year. They all deliver to one of the nine dairy-processing cooperatives in the province or sell their milk directly from the farm. Nearly two-thirds of these farmers operate their dairies only as a sideline, and the ­number of dairy farmers is decreasing in South Tyrol – a trend seen also in neighboring countries.

In South Tyrol, there is no genetic engineering used for the entire production process, from feeding cows to processing milk.(4)

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­ evertheless, milk production N remains a mainstay of the local economy. There are 883 people employed in the nine dairy cooperatives, which record a total turnover of about 445 million euro; they comprise the Sennereiverband Südtirol (South Tyrol Dairy Association), the main activity of which is quality control.

Facts and Figures

5,043 dairy farmers, of which 70% produce milk as a side business 68,700 dairy cows

Average number of cows in the stall: 14 Average amount of annual milk production per farm: 73,500 kg Annual milk production in South Tyrol: 370,500 t Annual milk production in Italy: about 10,700,000 t South Tyrol’s percentage of Italian milk production: 3.5% Data source: South Tyrol Dairy Association

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Apples grow in almost all valleys except the parts of South Tyrol with a cooler climate, to the north and east.

The most famous of South Tyrolean whites, the GewĂźrztraminer, grows in the Bassa Atesina region. In Isarco Valley, white wine is grown almost exclusively.

Bolzano and its surroundings are known for their reds; red wines are also cultivated alongside whites in the Bassa Atesina and Oltradige regions, in the Adige Valley, around Merano and in the Venosta Valley.

In the Martelltal, a tributary of the Venosta Valley, strawberries grow to an altitude of 1,800 m.

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About 70% of South Tyrolean apricots are grown in the Venosta Valley, where a local variety known as Vinschger Marille is cultivated.

The Palabirne, a particularly flavorful old pear variety, grows in the westernmost Venosta Valley.

Around the village of Terlano in the Adige Valley, white asparagus is grown under the Margarete seal of quality.

Grains – most notably rye and spelt – are cultivated primarily in the Pusteria and Venosta valleys.

There are about 50,000 sheep and lambs in South Tyrol.

In cooler Pusteria Valley, the cultivation of potatoes has always been particularly important.

There are more than 130,000 cows in South Tyrol, of which almost 90,000 are dairy cows. Especially for mountain farmers, cattle ­breeding and dairy production are important sources of income.

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of the fruit-growing and livestock industries. They process their grapes themselves or deliver them to one of the 50 local wineries, which produce a wide range of white, red and sparkling wines. Following the credo of “strength in numbers,” the three major associations of wine producers have united to form the Consortium Alto Adige Wines.

South Tyrol is unique in Italy for its diversity of grape varieties.

Around 20 different grape varieties can be grown here – on just 5,300 hectares, thanks to the wide variety of vineyard sites, which range from sandy and calcareous soils in the south to porphyry soils in the west. Three of these varieties are autochthonous: the famous Gewürztraminer, a white variety grown around Termeno (Tramin), and Vernatsch and Lagrein, both of which are red.

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Wine South Tyrol is not only the oldest wine region in the German-speaking countries – many southern German monasteries are said to have maintained wineries in the southern part of Tyrol even as far back as medieval times in order to quench their thirst for wine – but it is also one of the most prestigious wine regions in Italy, a country in which there is no shortage of good wine.

Small yet high-quality wineries originated in South Tyrol as a result of limited land. Seeburghof, Bressanone (5)

South Tyrolean winegrowers work on a scale as small as that

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The white varieties occupy more than 55 percent of the total vineyard area.

Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay top the list of the popular white wines. Other whites grown successfully in South Tyrol include Sauvignon, Müller Thurgau, Sylvaner, Kerner, Riesling and Veltliner. Red wines grown in the region include the “original South Tyroleans,” Vernatsch and Lagrein, as well as other classic grape varieties that have been present for more than a century: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

Facts and Figures Winegrowers: 4,779 Area under cultivation: 5,300 ha Percentage of Italy’s wine yield: 0.75% Average farm size and production: about 1 ha, 1,750 hl Total wine yield: 329,570 hl wines with a protected designation of origin (DOC): 317,010 hl (96%) table wines with geographical indication (IGT): 8,588 hl (3%) table wines: 3,972 hl (1%)

Percentage of red and white wine production: red wines 43% white wines 57% Data sources: Consortium Alto Adige Wines, ASTAT

Helmuth Köcher Founder of the MeranO WineFestival

Top Quality South Tyrol’s winegrowers understood early on that they should value quality over quantity. Instead of focusing on cheap table wine grown on vast acreage, they have taken the characteristics of the province into consideration – factors such as the variable soil and the scarceness of land – and have created small wineries with select vines. They have the appreciation not only of wine lovers but also of the entire local economy, from gastronomy to tourism.

Due to these efforts towards quality, Alto Adige wines have seen a continual increase in sales, both at home and abroad,

and have regularly received awards. In 2015, Italy’s wine bible Vini d’Italia (Gambero Rosso) awarded no less than 28 Alto Adige wines with its highest distinction: the Tre Bicchieri (Three Glasses) award.

This is the highest number of such awards after the regions of Piedmont, Tuscany and Veneto, which are two to three times the size of South Tyrol.

Looking at the rankings in all the major Italian wine guides, South Tyrol is the most-awarded winegrowing area relative to its size: it produces only 0.75 percent of Italian wine.

It was in 1986 that his eye-opening experience occurred. Helmuth Köcher was vacationing in Bordeaux and discovered his passion for the juice of the vine. Back at home in Merano (Meran), he organized initial tastings of international wines with friends. By 1992 it was a little wine festival, the first of its kind. “Our criteria were clearly oriented towards quality,” says Helmuth Köcher more than 20 years later. The MeranO WineFestival still follows this philosophy today – only the dimensions are considerably larger. During the year, ten tasting panels sample 5,000 international wines. In November up to 1,200 wines from producers hailing from 14 different countries are presented to 6,500 visitors and 300 journalists at the Merano Kurhaus. There are 330 Italian wines, with 10 percent being from South Tyrol. The MeranO WineFestival is a forum that allows for an exchange of views between consumers and producers. During the festival, Merano is at the center of the international wine world.

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among their selection. The demand for more regionalism in bread has furthered the Regiokorn Project: grain farmers, mills and bakeries are now working together in order to restore the ancient cycle from grain to bread in South Tyrol.

The aim is to make grain cultivation attractive to farmers as a sideline and to experiment with various types of grain. Cultivation is on 80 hectares, mainly in the Venosta and Pusteria valleys.

sophisticated methods such as constant temperature monitoring, sun protection and an “asparagus taxi” that brings the freshly cut asparagus to be pre-washed and shock-cooled at Terlano Winery.

Honey South Tyrol has about 3,000 beekeepers and 36,000 bee populations. Most of those who keep bees do it as a hobby, but 150 of these manufacturers – and their approximately 6,000 bee colonies – produce and sell more than 90,000 kg of natural honey under the South Tyrol Quality Seal, ranging from light multi-flower varieties to dark forest honey. South Tyrol’s enterprising beekeeper’s association has even launched a beekeeper school in order to secure the next generation.

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Plowed in the Fields of South Tyrol What the southern and western parts of South Tyrol are to apples, the east is to potatoes: in the more meager, cool ­Pusteria Valley around the town of Brunico (Bruneck) one can grow little fruit and no wine.

For this reason, Puschtra Erd­ äpfel (“potatoes from Pustertal” in the local dialect) – an indispensable ingredient of many traditional South Tyrol dishes – are grown here.

Besides potatoes, which grow on 380 hectares and yield about 14,000 tons a year, South Tyrol’s main agricultural crops are cauliflower (80 ha; 2,600 t) and beets (30 ha; 1,650 t).

Other types of vegetables such as radicchio, lettuce and white cabbage also thrive in the fields of South Tyrol. Cultivation of these varieties represents a useful sideline for many farmers, especially in the Venosta

and Pusteria valleys; 400 of them produce their vegetables under the South Tyrol Quality Seal.

A significant proportion of arable land, that is to say 265 hectares, is devoted to the cultivation of grain (harvest size: about 1,000 t), most notably rye and spelt. Historically, grain cultivation in South Tyrol has long been a key economic sector with the Obervinschgau region in the west of the province acting as “South Tyrol’s granary” up until fruit cultivation was intensified. An increasing consciousness in consumers about natural food, organic farming practices and regional projects has once again led to an increased demand for grain over the course of the last decade.

Around the village of Terlano (Terlan), between Bolzano and Merano, an especially valuable niche product for South Tyrolean cuisine grows in the sandy soil of the Adige Valley: the asparagus. The “true” South Tyrolean asparagus is white, and sold under the Margarete seal of quality. A total of 15 Terlano farmers grow asparagus on about ten hectares. They use

Around 30 South Tyrolean bakers – one third of the total number – offer at least one type of bread made from local grains 7

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Rediscovered Crop Plants For several years a group of young South Tyroleans has dedicated itself to the cultivation and processing of hemp in the Pusteria and Venosta valleys. The company Eco-Passion was founded for this purpose.

Its goal is to create short economic cycles that can be sustained over the long term.

Hemp is one of the oldest cultivated plants. It is an extremely resistant raw material that can “clean” soil, and grows very well in South Tyrol. It can also cover basic food requirements and be processed into hemp oil, flour and milk.

About 30 South Tyrolean bakeries ­produce bread from local grains.

Plazotta Bakery, Appiano (6)

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Eggs

Meat

Many South Tyrolean consumers obtain eggs directly from the farm. Even in the conventional trade, however, people pay close attention to quality: 10 million eggs per year are awarded the South Tyrol Quality Seal. The egg producers who participate must meet strict requirements in order to qualify for the quality standard. The chickens must have unrestricted outlet to the outdoors and a well-maintained sandbox; the feed must not contain any hormones or antibiotics nor be genetically modified. In order to ensure freshness, the eggs must be sorted, labeled, packaged and delivered within six days from the date they were laid.

Each egg is labeled with a code that allows the consumer to verify its source.

South Tyrol’s cattle, which are especially appreciated amongst gourmets, have been marketed under the South Tyrol Quality Seal since 2012: about 215 agricultural enterprises – most of them small in scale and mainly sited at higher elevations, which are not suitable for orchards and vineyards – currently breed about two cows each, per year.

Altogether there are about 8,000 farms that maintain livestock and 139,000 cows in South Tyrol. Delicacies produced on a smaller scale, such as LaugenRind cattle from Val d’Ultimo (Ultental) and Alta Val di Non are still niche products.

A beekeeper gathers honeycomb from a beehive. Caldaro (7) In order for eggs to receive the South Tyrol Quality Seal, chickens must have unrestricted outlet into open terrain, among other things. (8)

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In Funes (Villnöß), a tributary of the Isarco Valley, some farmers have once again begun raising Villnösser Brillenschaf, the oldest breed of sheep in South Tyrol. The strange name, which translates literally to “bespectacled sheep from Villnöß,” derives from the dark circles around the eyes of the animals.

In the 1930s, the breed nearly fell victim to Nazi standardization, but some dogged breeders ensured the Brillenschaf’s survival. Today about 2,400 of these animals exist, and about 2,500 lambs are born annually.

The muchappreciated mutton and lamb meat is sold to restaurants or processed into ham and salami and sold under the Furchetta brand, together with the wool.

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Herbs

Exotic Fruits and Vegetables

In South Tyrol, plants have always been gathered for domestic use. Expertise about how to use herbs for medicinal purposes and for culinary use is still passed down from generation to generation. Professional herb cultivation began about 30 years ago. Now over 40 hectares of lemon balm, bergamot, cumin, sage, calendula, peppermint, basil and spices like thyme and dill grow at a minimum elevation of 500 meters, far removed from congested areas and roads. There are about 40 farmers who grow and sell herbs; ten of these manufacturers, including Bergila from Pfalzen and Kräuterschlössl from Goldrain, produce herbs and spices with a quality seal and sell them individually, as tea or processed into tinctures, oils and salves.

Exotic fruits also thrive in South Tyrol’s unusual air. At Schornhof Farm near Egna (Neumarkt) the goji berry, native to China, grows at an elevation of 1,000 meters and on a surface area of about four hectares. Rejuvenating and healing powers that are almost miraculous are attributed to the berry. The fruit grows free of pesticides in South Tyrol, unlike in its country of origin. It is sold raw or dried, and is also processed into juices, jams and teas. Under the südtirolgoji brand name, the operating company at Schornhof has created a new local economy out of nowhere, allowing its customers to no longer depend

upon imports from China, and reduced transport routes significantly.

Some vegetables also thrive at unexpected elevations in South Tyrol. Mountain artichokes grow in the heights of the Isarco Valley, a niche product that unlike its conventional counterparts can be harvested in the summer – so at a time when few artichokes are available commercially. This not only makes this artichoke attractive for the restaurant industry and for the ultimate consumers, but also lucrative for farmers.

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Organic There are around 260 companies in South Tyrol that practice organic cultivation.

The fruit and vegetable growers are in first place: 49 companies grow organic produce. Overall, ecolo­ gically cultivated land ­comprises 6,000 hectares.

Type of crop

Berry-Fruit Cultivation

Total area in South Tyrol

of which organically cultivated

197 ha

10.0%

18,326 ha

7.5%

165 ha

6.6%

Farmland/Herb Cultivation

4,168 ha

5.2%

Viniculture

5,380 ha

5.0%

Pome Cultivation Stone-Fruit Cultivation

Events Biolife Biolife, the first Italian trade fair for certified organic products, came into being in Bolzano in 2004.

The fair has developed out of an informational event about organic farming in South Tyrol into a showcase for manufacturers from home and abroad. Organic industry ­associations and active networking help to support it.

Agrialp The biennial Agrialp Bozen, an Alpine agricultural show, is an important meeting place for everyone employed in the agricultural sector.

A great number of exhibitors ­present their latest products and services to the industry.

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Herbs growing at an altitude of 530 m at Gachhof farm. Merano (9) Greenhouse at Laimburg Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry. Ora (10)

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Processing and Finishing

The rich variety found within South Tyrol’s food sector is further reflected in the juxtaposition of world leaders and small businesses – international industrial-level and small-scale agricultural enterprises, which produce at the highest quality and some of which operate according to organic principles. Some work for the end consumer, while others are important suppliers for the local and international food industries.

The “little guys” are clearly in the majority: of 416 South Tyrolean companies active in the food and beverage sector, only 27 employ more than 50 people. But the “big guys” are every bit as large

as their competitors in the international sector: the 40 largest companies in South Tyrol’s food sector work primarily in fruit processing, meat, beverages and flour products; together they turn over about 1.5 billion euro and employ 2,500 people.

This diversity within South Tyrol’s food sector allows for an economic panorama in which a small cheese dairy or young start-up manufacturer of apple-based beverages can stand shoulder-toshoulder with the world’s best-known wafer cookie producer and the global market leader in glutenfree products.

South Tyrolean companies active in the food and beverage sector more than 50 employees less than 50 employees Source: Bolzano Chamber of Commerce

After the harvest, the apples are transported in bulk bins to commercialization companies, where they are kept in cold storage. EGMA Fruit Growers’ Cooperative, Caldaro (1)

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Fruit Processing As it does in the agricultural sector, fruit plays a key role in South Tyrol’s food processing industry. VOG Products, one of Europe’s largest processors of fruit, is owned by twenty cooperatives and four producer organizations from South Tyrol and the neighboring Province of Trento. It is therefore in the collective hands of over 15,000 fruit growers. The products manufactured here – juices, concentrates and flavoring as well as sliced, cooked, pasteurized and frozen apples – supply the food industry. The company sells its own products, including ready-to-eat apple pieces in pouches, under the South Tyrol Quality seal as well.

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In addition, there are other companies working in South Tyrol that have importance across the whole of Europe.

They source fruit from outside of the province and process it here into semi-finished goods for the European fruit juice, baby food and food industries.

Hans Zipperle AG, a leader in the sector, processes about 160,000 metric tons of fruit per year. In addition, around five million re-usable bottles of fruit juices are produced for the domestic market.

Europe’s leading company in the production of cooked ­apples, cooked pears and frozen fruit also comes from South

Tyrol: Fructus Meran. And Lana-based company Iprona prepares intermediate products such as fruit concentrates, purees, pulp concentrates and natural dyes.

Apple juice is particularly popular in South Tyrol. Many farms produce their own juice and sell it directly onsite. Together, eight South Tyrolean producers make about 580,000 liters of natural apple juice under the South Tyrol Quality Seal, with 1.4 kilograms of apples contained in every liter.

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Even apple juice manufacturing can be innovative. Kohl, a company based at Troidnerhof Farm at Renon, produces mountain apple juice according to winemaking principles: Thomas Kohl produces varietal juices as well as “cuvees” for his Gourmet + Säfte (Gourmet + Juice) line: mountain apple juice mixed with pear or apricot, for example.

A young farmer named Stefan Gruber founded his company, Alpe Pragas, in Braies (Prags) in the Pusteria Valley, before he even attained legal age. It processes fruits into preserves, smoothies and chutneys, including the goji berry, which grows in South Tyrol. Organically grown dried fruits, meanwhile, can be o ­ btained from Kandlwaalhof Farm in Lasa

Alpe Pragas processes fruits into spreads, smoothies and chutneys. Braies (2) The production hall at Alpe Pragas. Braies (3) South Tyrol Speck is sold at the Pur Südtirol specialty grocery store. Bolzano (4)

Processing and Finishing 20

(Laas), a village in the Venosta Valley. Mustard is a specialty of the farmer, Karl Luggin: he finishes it with ­Vinschgau apricots or Palabirne pears, herbs, cider and vinegar. Luggin is also South Tyrol’s only manufacturer of organic vinegar.

Alto Adige Speck The relationships that South Tyroleans have with their Speck ham can sometimes assume a zeal that is akin to a religion.

The color, the texture, the proportion of “white” and “red” parts, the smell, the spices, the salt content, the maturity period of five or – perhaps – six weeks: there are many factors that go into really good Speck.

Many South Tyroleans obtain their Speck as a whole haunch and directly from the farm, practically taking the secret of their chosen producer to the grave.

It is thus unsurprising that there is a quality seal for Alto Adige Speck with strictly regulated quality criteria. About 40 percent of the total production of Speck Alto Adige, which is more than 2.3 million hams, is made under the PGI quality seal. Among the 30 South Tyrolean Speck producers with quality seals there are eight industrial manufacturers and 22 small butchers, which produce for the local market.

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Südtiroler Bauernspeck – a special version of the product that is sold in selected gourmet shops – is manufactured by five companies. Around 30 farmers fatten nearly 600 pigs for this production, which must be carried out in strict accordance with traditional methods. As a result of the feeding and the varying ages of the animals, the Speck pieces differ in size and fat content. Depending on the weight and thickness of the sections the maturation period can run up to eight months.

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White Gold: Yoghurt and Mozzarella In South Tyrol, the processing of milk is mainly handled by one of the province’s nine dairy processing cooperatives – that is, when farmers don’t process their own milk in their own cheese dairies. According to the principle of labor division, each dairy cooperative specializes in certain products.

Maximilian Alber, Stefan Zingerle and ­Philipp Zingerle Start-up entrepreneurs: Hoila Cider

How can it be that South Tyrol produces no cider even though it cultivates the best apples? In 2010, brothers Philipp and Stefan Zingerle posed this question to their friend Maximilian Alber. The answer: South Tyrol’s very first cider, dubbed “Hoila” in reference to a friendly greeting in South Tyrolean dialect. The product has been on the market since May of 2014: this mix of South Tyrolean apple varieties (a bottle contains three apples) has a natural alcohol content of 5.5 percent, and has no flavorings and colorings. Experts developed the recipe at the Research Institute of Heriot-Watt University in Scotland, and the cider is made at a South Tyrolean wine cellar. Hoila Cider intends to fill 200,000 to 300,000 bottles a year. South Tyrol is the main market – and Hoila is a statement: “We’re proud of South Tyrol,” says Philip Zingerle. “Two of us three are returnees; the other is homesick.”

slightly behind the market leader. Eighty percent of the dairy’s production is sold under its own brand in Italian supermarkets; the remaining 20 percent is produced for other brands. The Bressanone ­(Brixen) dairy, Brimi, specializes in ­mozzarella cheese, which represents 85 percent of its total production, ranking it fourth among Italy’s largest mozzarella producers.

The focus of the dairy in Vipiteno (Sterzing) is yoghurt production. Sterzing yoghurt is particularly creamy because a great deal of water is removed.

With annual sales of nearly 77 million euro, the Vipiteno dairy is third overall on the Italian yoghurt market; for plain yoghurt, counting whole and skimmed milk, it ranks just

These days South Tyrol produces about 120,000 metric tons of yoghurt every year; of those, 3,000 are of organic quality.

With an annual output of 20,000 metric tons (organic: almost 200 t) the second most commonly processed product is cheese – including soft, table and hard cheeses in addition to mozzarella. Fresh cheeses like ricotta and mascarpone (about 7,500 t), cream (2,200 t) and butter (about 3,000 t) follow.

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Processing and Finishing 22

Hops and Malt Even Empress Sissi is said to have enjoyed relaxing in the garden of Forst Brewery, drinking the beer served there during a visit to Merano. With annual production of 700,000 hectoliters and 420 employees, Forst occupies an important place on the beer market today: it has 85 percent of the market share in South Tyrol and five percent in Italy. Managing Director Margherita Fuchs von Mannstein holds the scepter in her hand; her mother Margarethe is the president of the company. Forst sources its malted barley from Germany, its corn grits from Italy and its

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hops from the cultivation areas of Hallertau (DE) and Saaz (CZ).

The yeast for its beer production comes from its own pure culture, and the water is sourced from local mountain springs.

Several small brewpubs produce specialty beers under the South Tyrol Quality Seal that strictly regulates the standards of brewed products. AH Bräu in

Fortezza (Franzensfeste) is the only brewery in South Tyrol that makes its beer exclusively from organic ingredients. The Batzen Bräu brewpub in Bolzano makes its Kranewittenbier out of locally sourced ingredients such as juniper berries, barley malt, spelt, rock salt and pepper. The Gassl Bräu tavern in Chiusa (Klausen) replaces some of the malted barley used to make its Keschtnbier with chestnut flour.

Production of plain yogurt in one of the province’s nine dairy-processing cooperatives.Vipiteno (5) South Tyrol has several small pub ­breweries that produce specialty beers.

Pictured: brew kettles at Batzen Bräu.

Bolzano (6)

Processing and Finishing 23

Spirits In addition to wine and beer, South Tyrol produces hard liquor that regularly receives awards. Pircher, a manufacturer of fine spirits and fruit liqueurs located in Lana, distills over 25,000 metric tons of fruit annually. Roner, a company from Termeno, uses eight kilos of pears to make one bottle of its Williams Reserv, which was named Fruit Distillate of the Year at the 2014 International Spirits Competition. It was Ludwig Psenner’s idea to put a whole pear inside the bottle; he founded Psenner Distillery, which is also headquartered in Termeno. Even small private distilleries produce fine spirits, such as Plonhof Farm in Termeno. A little further north, in Frangarto near Bolzano, Walcher Distillery is in its ninth generation of producing schnapps, organic distillates and fine spirits, including South Tyrolean specialties such as Latschenspitz (Mountain Pine Spirit), Zirbenspitz (Swiss Pine Spirit) and Spargeler (grappa & asparagus).

South Tyrolean distillers are venturing out into new territory from classics like fruit brandy and liqueurs. Italy’s only ­whiskey distillery operates in ­Glorenza (Glurns) in the ­Venosta Valley: in early 2012 Puni began distilling the first Italian whiskeys, using native crops to do so. Meanwhile, Zu Plun from Siusi allo Sciliar (Seis am Schlern) offers the first rum and gin distilled in the Dolomite Mountains.

Production of traditional South Tyrolean Schüttelbrot, a flat bread made from rye flour, water, yeast and a variety of spices. Plazotta Bakery, Appiano (7)

Alexander Agethle Agronomist and organic farmer who owns Englhorn, a cheese dairy

At his own dairy on his home farm, Englhof, located near Malles in the Venosta Valley, agronomist and organic farmer Alexander Agethle has been producing three varieties of cheese since 2003: a soft cheese, a semi-aged cheese for slicing and a hard cheese. These products have garnered him numerous awards: in fact, a product made from the raw milk of his twelve Braunvieh cows was selected as the best cheese in South Tyrol in 2014. Agethle is currently expanding production and renovating the old village dairy. He has found an innovative model for financing the project: the money that his customers supply for the project today will be paid back over the next ten years in the form of cheese. Food sales using vouchers are even legally regulated; Italian law refers to it as “sale of future goods.” For voucher customers, the price of the cheese will be maintained for ten years at 22.70 euro per kilo.

Processing and Finishing 24

From Grains to Bread As the result of its long tradition of farming grains, South Tyrol has now become an important center for flour production and grain processing. The Rieper company in Vandoies (Vintl) produces (along with feed) high-grade flour made from wheat, rye, corn, barley, oats, spelt and buckwheat, which sells beyond the local market. The raw materials come from grain-growing countries such as Germany, Austria, Italy, France and the United States.

South Tyrol’s second large flour producer, Molino Merano (Meraner Mühle), specializes in organic products as well as particular grain varieties.

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Fuchs, meanwhile, is based in the Venosta Valley town of Castelbello (Kastelbell) and grinds flour in its own mill every day. Breakfast cereals are the most important product line above and beyond flour, grains and seeds. A leader in catering and organic farming, Fuchs is currently Italy’s largest manufacturer of muesli. The company exports its products to more than 30 countries, ranging from Australia to Iceland.

Alexander Gross worked in industrial operations for a long time, and then struck out on a new path. This master baker, food technology specialist and nutritionist now has a business in Lana that produces wholegrain pasta and breadsticks

from old varieties of grain such as emmer and einkorn wheat under the brand name Pastalpina. Klaus Lantschner of Eggerhof Farm in Aldein, too, has successfully filled a niche with his special pasta creations, which range from red wine tagliatelle to nettle fusilli to blood fettuccine.

Wafer Cookies Perhaps the South Tyrolean brand product best known abroad is the wafer cookie: Loacker, a manufacturer of cookies, relies upon unadulterated raw materials such as Italian hazelnuts, real bourbon vanilla pods and pure chocolate.

With 700 employees, nearly

23,000 metric tons sold, 669 million units produced and a turnover of around 283 million euro, Loacker is one of the largest food companies in the region. Its Italian market share is 60 percent, but the company is especially active on an international level. Loacker cookies are available in over 100 countries on five continents, with 68 percent of its production being exported, mainly to the Middle East and Central Asia. The top three countries to which Loacker exports are Saudi Arabia, Israel and Libya.

Processing and Finishing 25

Homemade Coffee Culture Coffee is consumed in South Tyrol as it is in Italy: a quick hot espresso standing at the bar or a leisurely breakfast cappuccino. But when it comes to coffee 8

culture, South Tyrol is full of surprises. In the village of Anterivo (Altrei) a special local specialty grows at 1,200 meters above sea level: Altrei coffee. It is made from the hairy lupine, a local, blue-blooming lupine variety that has been cultivated as a substitute for coffee since the nineteenth century. The seeds are dried, roasted, ground and brewed from a mixture made with wheat, barley or figs.

Even though one wouldn’t necessarily connect the processing of “real” coffee beans with South Tyrol, there actually are coffee-roasting companies in the province. The family-run roasting company Schreyögg, near Merano, has permeated the air of the old town of Merano with the aroma of coffee over the course of the last century; meanwhile the young company Caroma, owned by Valentin Hofer of Fiè (Völs), gets its beans from certified, sustainable and carefully processed agriculture. Kuntrawant opened in the Venosta Valley in 2013, and now the coffeemanufacturing company roasts small quantities of coffee three times a week.

Fresh lupin seeds in the pod. Anterivo (8) Altrei coffee is not made from coffee beans, but rather from the seeds of bitter blue-lupin.

Anterivo (9) 9

Processing and Finishing 26

Frozen Products Because South Tyrolean foodstuff is not always produced for immediate consumption and often faces long transport distances for the international market, some major South Tyrolean companies have become active in the frozen food industry.

Pan is a good example. In 1967, Georg Pan came up with the idea of making more out of the apple: he developed the Europe’s first frozen apple strudel.

Today, 35 kilometers of strudel leave the plant in Laives (Leifers) near Bolzano every day. The company also offers frozen specialties and baked goods, and has headquarters in Switzerland and the USA in addition to the main company headquarters. Stefan Pan, president of South Tyrol’s trade association, is at the helm of the company today.

Koch, a frozen food manufacturer from Bolzano, initially produced only South Tyrolean specialties such as Knödel dumplings or Schlutzkrapfen (spinach-filled ravioli). Now the company is a market leader in frozen foods such as potato dumplings, puff pastries and lasagna pasta strips, which are exported to twelve countries.

Minus, another Bolzano-based company, also specializes in frozen products, offering vegetables, mushrooms, fruits, juices, potatoes and pasta and supplying leading manufacturers of frozen foods.

Ulrich Ladurner President of the Dr. Schär group

Event Nutrisan The goals of this Bolzano trade fair, which focuses on food intolerances and balanced nutrition, are to impart know-how and to position nutrition skills as life skills. Together with the Biolife fair for organic products, the last Nutrisan had 270 exhibitors and recorded 36,600 visitors over the course of three days.

The world leader in gluten-free products is head­ quartered in Postal (Burgstall), near Merano: Dr. Schär.

The company produces bread, pasta, flour and baking mixes, snacks, breakfast cereals and frozen products for consumption by celiac patients. When Ulrich Ladurner, who was trained as a chemist, entered the small company in 1980, gluten-free products were just one segment among many. Realizing that the market would grow, Ladurner switched his entire production to gluten-free products a little while later: in cooperation with doctors and celiac associations, a complete line of gluten-free products came into being for the first time, under the brand name Schär. Today, Dr. Schär employs 710 people in 12 offices and recently reached a sales volume of 230 million euro. The group’s main markets are Italy, the UK, Germany, France, Spain and the United States. In Italy, the group covers 45 percent of the total market for gluten-free products; in Germany the share is about 72 percent.

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Distribution and Marketing

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Pur SĂźdtirol is a specialty market that gives local quality products a common platform, and now has three branches. Bolzano (1)

Distribution and Marketing  28

The talent that South Tyroleans have for skillfully creating regional circulation and innovative concepts in marketing strategies is particularly evident in their product development. As is true in production and processing, solidarity also plays an important role in marketing: agricultural producers are organized into cooperatives in order to optimize manufacturing processes and to establish common sales and marketing strategies. After all, foodstuffs are the mainstay of South Tyrol’s external trade: in 2013, food and beverages were in first place, with almost 700 million euro and thus 18 percent of the province’s total exports; agricultural products, with 615 million euro and a 16 percent share of external trade, came in third.

In addition to the collaborative efforts in the field of marketing, there are also individual visionaries who have created a brand from their family business, day job or a good idea. The focus is always on same characteristics: high quality, regional

origin of raw materials in accordance with zero mile philosophy, traditional processing and modern product image. The elements that engender particular interest amongst South Tyrolean consumers – direct sales at the farms themselves and at the weekly farmers’ markets, which are widespread here not only in rural areas but also in the urban centers of Bolzano, Bressanone, Merano, Brunico and Laives – have also contributed to the topquality image and economic success of South Tyrolean food products on an international level.

An acute awareness of quality and an appreciation of local and fresh foods are also reflected in the local gastronomy sector. Nowhere else will you find so many traditional restaurants, wine taverns and gourmet eateries in such a small space – and so few branches of fast food chains.

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South Tyrol, Dramatically Staged Merano, Brunico and Bolzano.

Local materials such as apple and chestnut wood were combined with a contemporary style for the straightforward interior furnishings of the stores, which were conceptualized by Merano-born designer Harry Thaler.

A place that would give South Tyrol’s quality products a common platform had long been lacking. That is, up until Günther Hölzl and Ulrich Wallnöfer opened the first Pur Südtirol gourmet market in 2010. The concept is this: a reinterpreted farmers’ market that sells local specialties, farm-fresh seasonal vegetables, wine and artisanal goods at three sites as well as online.

About 170 farmers and 60 artisans, including bakers and butchers, supply their products to one of the three stores in

Ulrich Wallnöfer Founder of the Pur Südtirol gourmet market

For Ulrich Wallnöfer, the strength of South Tyrol’s food industry lies in its diversity. Niche producers and industrial food companies exist here side by side. In addition to the intensive cultivation of apples and dairy farming there is an enormous potential for products ranging from vegetables all the way to alternative farming methods such as permaculture: “The creativity of our farmers livens our world,” says the business-administration graduate, who returned to his roots in 2009 after years abroad. South Tyrol’s high density of leading visionaries also contributes to the fact that new things are constantly being further developed: “As these leading personalities open up and widen their horizons, South Tyrol will continue to evolve.” Unlimited growth should not be the goal, however, Wallnöfer emphasizes.

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Lüch da Pcëi, a mountain farm, is committed to sustainable business practices and has built its marketing strategy around them.Val Badia (2) Organic products are sold not only in shops, but also at markets.

Farmers’ market in Piazza Walther, Bolzano (3)

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Marketing on the Farm Cheese, yoghurt and other products such as jams and honey have been produced on a mountain farm in San Cassiano in Val Badia since 2002, and marketed under the brand Lüch da Pcëi. The farm is run by a married couple named Crazzolara: Marina is responsible for customer service and marketing while her husband, Luca, manages the farm, which has biogas and photovoltaic systems as well as around 60 cows. For their yoghurt and cheese, they use only farm-fresh milk, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids thanks to a particular kind of fodder. The Crazzolaras are dedicated to green energy, animal welfare and sustainable production methods and have made this philosophy the basis for their clever marketing

c­ oncept, which includes the packaging of the products, raising awareness about sustainable economic activity and charity events related to their cheeses. Thanks to these decisions, the owners of Lüch da Pcëi have managed to turn their farm into a brand.

Innovative farmers’ market

Home Delivery of Organic Foods

Vinschger Bauernladen, a specialty store in Naturno (Naturns), has included products from the valley’s farms and agricultural cooperatives in its range of goods since 2005.

South Tyrolean mountaineer Reinhold Messner was helpful in setting up the enterprise: he resides in nearby Juval Castle during the summer and lives in a self-sufficient way, manufacturing all of his own food. The Vinschger Bauernladen cooperative comprises 90 companies, 12 of which are certified organic. The goal is to deliver quality products from selected producers directly to the end consumer, without lengthy intermediate trade. The line of products includes 800 different products, ranging from fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables, Speck ham, cheese and bread all the way to jams, honey, juices, syrup, herbs and cosmetics.

Even those who don’t go shopping can have organic fruit and vegetables delivered. The ­Biokistl cooperative from ­Lagundo (Algund) was founded in 1999, based on the idea of providing fresh and seasonal products to South Tyrolean households. From the small Obsttaschl (bag of fruit) to the larger Kistl (crate) it offers subscription models for weekly deliveries of nearly 1,000 organic foods and additional products that serve particular needs. There is a special assortment for mothers with small children; immediately edible fruits, vegetables and finger food can be delivered directly to the office.

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Fine Dining and Farmhouse Fare The South Tyrolean’s love affair with quality food has allowed 20 top restaurants with a total of 23 coveted Michelin stars to come into being within a small space. These restaurants owe their success not only to the imagination of their chefs, who are almost always local, but also to the regional products upon which they rely.

There are 32 South Tyrolean restaurants that bear the title Südtiroler Gasthaus (South Tyrolean Inn). The brand stands for South Tyrol’s well-main-

tained tavern culture. An independent jury checks the inns regularly, in accordance with strict quality controls. In these taverns, Alto Adige wines stand firmly in the spotlight and high quality and seasonal local produce are the stars of the show on the dinner plates.

In many of South Tyrol’s rural taverns, called Buschenschänke, farmers serve up down-home fare in their wine cellars and traditional Stube dining parlors.

In autumn, the period in which Törggelen festivities are held,

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Distribution and Marketing 32

the new wine is tasted at these taverns, served with homemade food and chestnuts. The Red Rooster Quality Seal has been awarded to 41 Buschenschänke, indicating that the majority of the raw ingredients for the food come directly from the owner’s farm.

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Anna Matscher Self-Made Star Chef

Mountain Gastronomy For years, star chef and author Norbert Niederkofler has been drawing from the abundant wealth of South Tyrol’s nature: he sources products for his kitchen almost entirely from farmers and gatherers in the immediate area. He is known for his experimentation with local exotics such as birch bark and lingonberries. In order to promote modern, natureoriented cuisine, he launched

a project called Cook the ­Mountain, a sort of research workshop built around the theme of mountain gastronomy.

The Michelin-star chef envisions a network that brings together chefs, farmers, ­breeders, ­mountaineers, naturalists, sociologists and entrepreneurs from mountain regions throughout the world.

Preparation of traditional Schlutzkrapfen ravioli at Baumannhof, one of South Tyrol’s many rural taverns. Signato (4) High-quality local foodstuffs are needed in the fine dining sector.

Pictured: char with vegetables and herbs. Zum Löwen restaurant, Tesimo (5)

As a newcomer, gaining a foothold in the maledominated world of top chefs is no easy task. But Anna Matscher is a resolute woman. She taught herself to cook at a high level. Her hard work was rewarded: after ten years, she became the first South Tyrolean woman to earn a Michelin star.

There was a period in which she was deprived of it, but since 2005 Michelin has been among the many other prestigious food guides that are once again satisfied with the Zum Löwen restaurant in Tesimo (Tisens). Like the South Tyrolean food world, Anna Matscher’s cooking is a fusion of northern tradition and Mediterranean creativity, flavored with herbs from a garden that she created herself. Where possible she uses South Tyrolean products, and she passes on her hard-won knowledge by giving cooking classes.

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Distribution and Marketing  34

Out Into the World The food industry’s importance for South Tyrol’s economy is particularly evident when one considers that nine companies from the sector are among the 20 largest companies in South Tyrol.

The same goes for external trade. Nine of South Tyrol’s 25 most important export products are either directly or indirectly related to the food sector. This is the ranking:

Apples and pears Parts and accessories for tractors and transportation vehicles Bread and pastries Wine Fruit juices, including grape must Lifting, handling and loading machines and devices Fruit, nuts and other plant-based foods Meat Cheese and dairy products

Together, these products amount to 36.6% of South Tyrol’s overall external trade.

Source: ASTAT

Distribution and Marketing 35

Food Research and Development In addition to foods that have a long history of being cultivated and processed, many innovations and new concepts for food production, storage and processing have originated in South Tyrol.

Various research facilities and academic institutions with local and international staff conduct research in the food sector, develop new products, offer advice and services to domestic and foreign companies, and participate in collaborations with Italian and Austrian universities and research institutes. Their primary goal is to encourage an exchange of know-how between research and the food industry.

South Tyrolean companies and the public administration alike are keenly interested in advancing research in the food sector. In the years to come, South Tyrol will develop even further as a center for expertise and excellence in food research and agricultural technologies.

The substantive and territorial conditions for doing this are already in place; the infrastructure necessary will follow with the new technology park in Bolzano, where researchers and entrepreneurs will work together on developing the future, including in the food sector.

Chemical analyses in the laboratories of Laimburg Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry. Ora (1) Agricultural technology made in South Tyrol is highly sought after worldwide.

Pictured: machine tests at Laimburg Research Centre. Ora (2) 1

Food Research and Development  36

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Machinery and Agricultural Technology Agricultural know-how has a long tradition in the once-poor rural province of South Tyrol.

The experience and ingenuity of the farmers have led to made in South Tyrol agricultural technology that is now sought after worldwide.

Some South Tyrol companies are experts in fruit-growing technology: the Lana-based Bermartec has developed environmentally friendly lifting platforms and harvesting equipment since 1996 under the brand name Knecht, and the three-man company Silver Bull is focusing on innovative harvesting systems with appealing design.

Laimburg Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry Geier, which manufactures caterpillar vehicles customizable for extreme hillside locations and steep sites, is another company that is internationally known. The Seppi M. Company, which was founded in 1939 and is based in Caldaro, is also well known as a pioneer in mulching technology: around 75 percent of its mulching, milling and stone-crushing machines, which are used in agriculture and forestry, are exported abroad.

The young company Frutop, based in Terlano, has successfully dedicated itself to fighting against weather damage in the agricultural sector: it has done this not only through its innovative hail-protection systems but also through solar and wind protection and consulting services for farmers.

Laimburg Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry is South Tyrol’s leading institute for research in the field of agriculture. During the 40 years of its existence, Laimburg has evolved into an internationally recognized reference center.

The institute’s fields of work include all areas of agriculture: fruit cultivation and viticulture, enology, cultivation of berries, stone fruit, vegetables and herbs as well as mountain farming. Its research is not limited to cultivation itself, but also addresses post-harvest technology. Laimburg plays a leading role globally, especially in the area of fruit storage: here, experts conduct research on temperature control, shelf life and storage atmosphere.

Food Research and Development 37

Using state-of-the-art methods of chemical analysis and through sensory analysis, the researchers at Laimburg check the quality and components of foodstuffs. This laboratory research is an important starting point for the maintenance and further quality improvement of food produced in South Tyrol, as well as for the development of innovative products.

Laimburg Research Centre plans on expanding its expertise and support product innovation in food manufacturing through the food-science section of South Tyrol’s new technology park. Research focuses on food quality, food safety, food processing technology and the authentication of origin for typical South Tyrolean foodstuffs.

Michael Oberhuber Director of Laimburg Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry

“In South Tyrol research and development is in the initial stages, and not only in food technology,” says Michael Oberhuber, director of Laimburg since 2009.

That’s because many of the province’s research institutions are still young. According to Oberhuber, the entire food industry needs what Laimburg has succeeded in doing for the field of primary agricultural production: “The credibility of South Tyrolean products should be based in science.”

Professional Training

Advice Needed

Agriculturally oriented education is of particular importance in South Tyrol. It is available at several vocational schools – for fruit cultivation, viticulture and horticulture, for agriculture and forestry, for agriculture and home economics and at the agricultural high school in Auer, where students graduate after attending a five-year program.

In addition to the food technology professors at the University of Bolzano, businesses and research institutions can also fall back on the knowledge of local food-technology specialists. These experts assist in the development of an idea, all the way to finished product. Degreed master brewer and beverage technology specialist Hanspeter Alber from Tsuum Services, a company located at the TIS Innovation Park in Bolzano, works mainly for the German market and specializes in the processing of fruits and vegetables; he is highly sought after in the beverage industry.

At the Faculty of Science and Technology of the trilingual Free University of Bolzano, students can earn a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural and Agro-Environmental Science, a master’s degree in International Horticultural Science, a master’s degree in Environmental Management of Mountain Areas or a PhD in Mountain Environment and Agriculture.

Research is conducted in the field of innovation for agricultural machinery, for example.

“In South Tyrol there is also the opportunity to link food production closely to the region and to tourism,” says Oberhuber. The director of Laimburg studied chemistry at the University of Innsbruck and completed a research doctorate in organic chemistry. He then conducted two and a half years of research at Scripps Institute in California, one of the largest private biomedical research organizations in the world. He subsequently worked in Austria in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

Food Research and Development 38

Zuegg Consulting, based in Lana, has 25 years of experience and assists companies with product development, the provision of storage life data and the implementation of hygiene guidelines. The main focus is on dairy, fruit and vegetable processing. And Otto Unterholzner of the Meranobased Food Industry Consulting advises his clients in the areas of food law, product development, hygiene, and quality management.

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TIS innovation park

Well Cooled is Half the Battle The idea of selling traditional South Tyrolean dishes that can be prepared quickly, are attractively packaged and taste delicious came from the management of Alpeker. The company, which is based in Lana, wanted to offer traditional dishes – ranging from appetizers to main dishes with sides to desserts – as frozen products. The Alpeker team went in search of manufacturing partners and, with the

help of the Cluster Alimentaris at TIS, found Gustoalpin, a company based in Sesto ­(Sexten) which manufactures Knödel dumplings and stuffed pasta, and Eisenstecken Bakery from Caldaro. Today the A ­ lpeker brand is present in major Italian supermarket chains like Carrefour, Sma and Conad.

Production of frozen South Tyrolean tradition dishes: apple strudel from Pan, Speckknödel dumplings and Spätzle from Koch. Bolzano (3)

Food Research and Development 39

The Cluster Alimentaris was founded in 2009 at TIS innovation park in Bolzano in order to ease the road to innovation for South Tyrolean companies in the food sector. The institution advises companies, facilitates contacts with experts and organizes training courses, including those on topics such as marketing and target groups.

The network deals with two focal points: the first is product development with local raw materials, because the origin of ingredients is becoming increasingly important in the food industry. The second is food packaging, which plays a major role in determining ­durability, environmental friendliness and sustainability.

With its Cluster Alimentaris, TIS will be an integral part of the Food technology research section in Bolzano’s soon-tobe-opened technology park, creating a network between companies active in the food sector and guiding them in their innovation process.

NOI Techpark

Because 94 percent of South Tyrolean foodstuff companies are small businesses with fewer than 50 employees, their research and development options are limited. In order to promote innovation within the food sector as well as in other fields of excellence within South Tyrol, a technology park, NOI Techpark Südtirol/Alto Adige, is being built in Bolzano’s industrial area. The intended main research focuses on Alpine technology, renewable energy and energy efficiency, food technology and automation as a cross-discipline.

The technology park also allows South Tyrol’s various research and innovation facilities to come together into the same space and to pool their expertise. They are going to work closely not only with one another, but also with innovative

South Tyrolean companies. So the technology park, like a think tank, can contribute significantly to scientific and technological innovation and to the exchange of knowledge within the province.

It will primarily be Laimburg Research Centre, the University of Bolzano and Eco-Research laboratory that will conduct research together in the Food technology section of the technology park. Studies will focus mainly around the processing and certification of food: potential research fields include improving recipes, novel ingredients for food and scientific ways to certify the origin of typical South Tyrolean foodstuffs. The findings are planned to undergo practical tests through micro-pilot systems at the technology park. The Food technology section will also

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provide various services for companies working in the sector.

The three core fields of the technology park’s Food technology section are: 1) Food quality and food safety 2) Food-processing technology, e.g. pilot facilities for meat and Speck processing 3) Authenticating the origin of typical South Tyrolean food In order to achieve these ambitious goals, the research capacity of the food-sciences field will be increased – through investing in infrastructure, the inclu-

sion of academic personnel and the training of the next generation of researchers, for example.

The food technology area is currently in a three-year buildup phase. By the time it is completed, all laboratories should have begun their research activities, with the first young scientists having been trained and collaboration with businesses and technology transfer having been set up.

Substation house of the former Alumix Factory in Bolzano, where the new technology park is being built. (1) Research institutions and innovative South Tyrol companies come together at NOI Techpark Südtirol/ Alto Adige. (2) 2

NOI Techpark 40

Networks & Partners in South Tyrol • Laimburg Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry: the goal of this research institution with an international network is to increase the competitiveness and sustainability of agriculture in South Tyrol. The focal areas of its activity are plant health and plant quality, biodiversity of species and agro-biodiversity, and high mountain farming. p www.laimburg.it • TIS innovation park: the TIS innovation park is a center and catalyst for innovation, cooperation and the transfer of technology. Within its Food & Health area, the Cluster Alimentaris was ­created as a network for the foodstuffs sector. In 2015, Alimentaris launched a web portal for the South Tyrolean food sector, www.food.bz.it. p www.tis.bz.it • Free University of Bolzano: this trilingual university is an important pool for qualified personnel. Research into agriculture and food-technology is mainly carried out at the Faculty of Science and Technology. The other departments are: Economics and Management, Computer Science, Educational Sciences and Design and Art. p www.unibz.it

Business Location Südtirol – Alto Adige (BLS) • Bolzano Trade Fair: the ­exhibition space for the entire Alpine area positions itself as the most important networking forum between companies from the German-speaking countries and Italy. In terms of content, the trade fairs and exhibitions focus on economic themes that are relevant in the Alpine countries. p www.messebozen.it • Bolzano Chamber of Commerce: the autonomous statutory body under public law represents the interests of the economy, carries out economic research and provides funding services and services for local businesses.

This includes areas such as continuing education, formation of enterprises, corporate succession, sales promotion, innovation service and the court of arbitration. The Chamber of Commerce also has official responsibilities such as maintaining the commercial register, registering patents and trademarks and issuing the foreign trade documents. p www.handelskammer.bz.it

• Export Organization South Tyrol (EOS): EOS supports South Tyrolean businesses by promoting their export ambitions. The private-sector specialist department of the Bolzano Chamber of Commerce assists South Tyrolean companies with sales promotion for their products and organizes marketing campaigns for products produced under the South Tyrol Seal of Quality. p www.eos-export.org • European Academy (EURAC): researchers from across Europe and the world work at this research and education center, which was founded in 1992, in the fields of Autonomies, Mountains, Health and Technologies. p www.eurac.edu

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South Tyrol’s location-development agency advises companies from home and abroad regarding all location issues, looks for suitable commercial sites and premises for them, and connects them with organizations, service structures and trade associations. p www.bls.info

Publishing Details © Business Location Südtirol · Alto Adige Bolzano 2015 Concept: Business Location Südtirol · Alto Adige Art Concept: Studio Lupo & Burtscher, CH Studio Photography: Gregor Khuen Belasi p www.gregor-khuen-belasi.com Pan Surgelati Srl, Koch Snc (39) Illustrations (10-11, 34-35): Philipp Putzer p www.farbfabrik.it Cover photo: Vineyard with dry-stone walls near Bressanone Photographer: Gregor Khuen Belasi Project Coordination, Translation, Copy Editing, Proofreading: Ex Libris Cooperative p www.exlibris.bz.it Research and Editing: Barbara Bachmann / Ex Libris Cooperative Printing: Longo, Print and Communication Printed in Italy

Business Location S眉dtirol 路 Alto Adige Passaggio Duomo, 15 39100 Bolzano Italy T +39 0471 066 600 F +39 0471 062 852 www.bls.info service@bls.info

Südtirol — Lebensmitteltechnologien —