Consorzio Melinda: It’s all about sustainability at Melinda

Cles, Italy

It’s all about sustainability at Melinda

The protection of the territory, of the workers, and of the local community has always been a top priority for Melinda, which has made sustainability a real cornerstone of its company policies, aware of the importance of protecting the environment in which it is cultivated and grown, and all those who live there.

The Hypogeal Warehouse, the green soul of the Consortium

The flagship of Melinda‘s sustainability policies is represented by the Hypogeal Warehouse, the latest-generation conservation plant with low environmental impact: it is in fact a real natural refrigerator built in the heart of the Dolomites, made up of caves derived from the mining activity of the Dolomia rock in the Rio Maggiore mine. This system is the first and only in the world for the refrigeration of fruit in an underground environment (hypogeal) and controlled atmosphere conditions, at a constant temperature all year round. Why is it green? First of all, because it provides for the reuse of underground spaces, representing a perfect example of circular economy, and avoids the construction of new warehouses above the ground, thus reducing the landscape and acoustic impact. Furthermore, because compared to normal epigeal conservation (above ground), this mode allows an annual energy saving of about 1.9 GW/h, equal to the electricity used by 2,000 people in a year, thus also reducing CO2 emissions.

Other actions in support of the territory

Melinda‘s commitment to sustainability also translates into:

• careful and as low as possible use of water resources also thanks to the use of drip irrigation, a technique that allows the reduction of waste by more than 30% compared to sprinkler irrigation;

• use of energy coming 100% from renewable sources;

• search for increasingly low-impact packaging, for this reason for the BIO product line, for example, a compostable tray has been created in all its components;

• research projects to create packages from the same waste of apples´ industrial processing, with a view to a new circular bioeconomy;

• creation of a collection and disposal system that manages waste deriving from agricultural activities in a widespread manner throughout the territory, ensuring 100% correct disposal and recovery of special waste;

• investments aimed at the growth of organic production

All this makes Melinda an apple that in addition to superior organoleptic characteristics can boast an important, concrete, and differentiating world of values.

Golden Delicious, Red Delicious and Renetta Canada P.D.O. Mela Val di Non

Non Valley, Trentino, Italy

Melinda Hypogeal Warehouse

Company

Consorzio Melinda Sca Via Trento 200/9 Cles (TN), Italy T +39-0463-671111 F +39-0463-671121 melinda@melinda.it www.melinda.it