NewsWE HAVE FORGED OUR EUROPEAN LEADERSHIP IN STONE FRUIT

NO. 75 | JANUARY 2017

Group’s commitment to business social reality

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FUNDE awards the Equality Plan of Fruits de Ponent

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New labelling design for L’Or de Ponent extra virgin olive oil

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The Group promotes the brand OKI for the 2017/2018 campaign

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Mountain apple production balance

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Gallery PAGE 8

CONTENTS

OLI D’OLIVA VERGE EXTRA

L’OR DE PONENT

Carretera 2 25162 Alcanó (Lleida)

GRUP FRUITS DE PONENT

MOLÍ D́ ALCANÓ

molialcano@fruitsponent.comagrobotigaalcarras.com

T. 973 136 015

editorial2 | NO. 75 | JANUARY 2017

Fruits de Ponent cel-ebrates its 25th an-niversary in 2017. People who are part

of this great group (part-ners and employees) look forward to the year with great enthusiasm, an ingre-dient that is very necessary today in our industry after not having the most positive previous campaigns. During these 25 years, Fruits de Ponent has offered the world the best that it knows how to do: The Good Fruit. And it has grown along with all of you, internationalizing our brand and celebrating the excellence of our fruit. Moreover, every day we harvest the fruits grown with the ingredients that make up our identity: col-laboration, ethics and social responsibility, solidarity, ed-ucation and culture. For yet another year we must concentrate on the coming campaign to over-

come the possible adversi-ties that could arise and be able to obtain the return that the effort of all actors of this chain deserve: start-ing with the partners and farmers to the last member of this cycle that enables us to bring #TheGoodFruit to the hands of the consumer. We need to continue focus-ing on more mechanisms to support the farmer and be very alert to deal with the endemic ills of the industry in the form of erratic prices and the abusive behaviour of the markets. These facts cannot break the excitement that results from 365 days in the field.A quarter of a century is already a fact, but with 25 years the long future that awaits us is even more mo-tivating and encouraging. Happy anniversary to every-one#Fruitsponent25

25 YEARS OF THE GOOD FRUIT

THE GROUP HAS GROWN TOGETHER WITS ALL OF YOU,

INTERNATIONALIZING THE BRAND OF OUR

FRUIT

Fruits de Ponent news

Publisher: Fruits de Ponent

Coordinator: Santi Bonet

Editorial Board: Meritxell Abellana, Miquel

Bernat, Carmen Carrasquer, Sebastià Escarp, Montse

Morillo, Modest Palau, Josep Presseguer i Josep M. Sans

Editing: Magda Ballester. COMUNICACIÓ

Layout: dissenya.com

Proofreading: Serveis Lingüístics Torsitrad

Printing: Lerigraf

Writing: Ctra. Vallmanya, km 1 Tel. 973 790 169 i 973 795 777

Fax 973 791 186 25180 Alcarràs - LLEIDA

info@fruitsponent.com

DL: L-504/03

With the collaboration of:

JOSEP PRESSEGUER I GENÉDIRECTOR GENERAL

THE COOPERATIVE GROUP HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF ON THE STONE FRUIT INTERNATIONAL MAP

25 YEARS OF FRUITS DE PONENT

On the 14th of May 1992 Fruits de Ponent was con-stituted as a second-de-gree cooperative special-izing in the production and marketing of stone fruit. It was the beginning of a group that today, 25 years later, has established itself in the international fresh fruit scene, which is already a benchmark in the stone fruit sector. This is due to the volume of processing and the qual-ity and exclusivity of the fruit that comes from the fields of the Ebro Valley, unique and optimal land for cultivating varieties of peaches, nectarines and flat peaches. The evolution of the main business figures in the Co-operative Group’s 25 years show the growth and po-tential of Fruits de Ponent. Until 2001 and 2002 virtu-ally all the fruit was sold at wholesale, but in 2002 and 2003, coinciding with the inauguration of the new processing facilities locat-ed in Alcarràs (Lleida) the Group made a quantum leap in terms of its mar-keting capacity. Then the

group processed almost 100% of the fruit, at that time starting with 12 mil-lion kilograms that today reaches more than 41 mil-lion kilograms processed. Very few central European fruit centres reach that fig-ure. The jump for placed at the forefront of produc-

tion and technology has been a premise that the Group has continued over the years. This has been noticed in the investment in machinery in order to have capacity for making boxes and other packag-ing formats in a single day for up to one million Kg

of fruit. The total volume of stone and seed fruit is between 58 and 65 million Kg last year, although the figure exceeded 70 million Kg some years. Another parameter that exemplifies this growth is the number of workers. The year it was established the Group had

an average staff of 53 peo-ple and now there are 246, considering that during the summer campaign the staff increases to 600 or 800 workers. The turnover from the sale of fruit has led to a rising line parallel to the marketing capacity of the Group. 5 million eu-

| 3NO. 75 | JANUARY 2017

ros for 1992 and 1993 have increased to 35 million in 2014 and 2015. Regard-ing the total turnover of the Group, adding up the different business areas: fruit, cereals, nuts and oil, supplies area, etc., has now reached 60 million. Fruits de Ponent is now the leading company of stone fruit in the Euro-pean Union. Its export-ing vocation has led it to marketing fruit in four continents and about fifty

countries. The main mar-ket is the European Union, but it also exports to des-tinations in Latin America and Asia. “The evolution of the fruit sector in the last 25 years was closely linked to the progress that has been made by Fruits de Ponent in all these years”, explains Sebastià Escarp, president of the Cooperative Group. “Ten years ago virtually all the fruit was sold in bulk, and today we process it, use packaging and that is why we have a leading head-quarters that can meet the needs of our customers”, he explains. He added that “fruit production has also multiplied by 3, 4, 5 and 6 and today there is more competition, so quality and professionalism are an added value offered by our Group”. Escarp stress-es the importance of co-operative values, to which the Group has always been faithful. “Unlike other business figures, a coop-erative like ours offers a portfolio of free services to members (technical, insurance, technology and training consulting), which in other companies you must pay the cost” he says. The strength of the Group demonstrates, according Escarp, the fact that, although the fruit sector has had two bad years, “the Fruits de Ponent project remains strong and with strong fu-ture prospects, but it will continue strengthening partnerships with other groups”

SEBASTIÀ ESCARP / PRESIDENT OF FRUITS DE PONENT

WE HAVE A HEADQUARTERS WITH A CAPACITY TO PROCES 1M

KG/DAY

Fruits de Ponent Grup Cooperatiu presented the au-tumn and winter production catalogues with the title The Good Fruit, 365 days. This international event was held at the Madrid Fair from 18 to 20 October.The presentation by Fruits de Ponent focused on the innovative aspect of the production of autumn and winter, such as persimmon and pomegranate. The Cooperative also markets kiwis, together with the summer fruit.

The participation of Fruits de Ponent at the Sant Miquel Agricultural Fair of Lleida closed with a positive assessment. Under the slogan We are the Cooperative the Group exhibition space informed on four panels the names and surnames

of members as recogni-tion of the importance they have on the daily life of the company. The Minister of Agriculture, Meritxell Serret, and the Minister of Agriculture, Isabel García Tejerina, visited the stand, among other authorities. In addi-

tion, the CEO of Fruits de Ponent, Josep Presseguer, participated in two pro-fessional seminars about exporting to China and the possibilities of the Horta de Lleida.The stand also received a visit from members of the Alcarràs, Benavent-La

Portella, Binaced and Agrària del Llobregós Cooperatives. During the fair there were workshops making crafts with fruit. The Fruits de Ponent ex-hibition space displayed the new Or de Ponent ol-ive oil bottles, with a new label design.

PARTICIPATION IN THE SANT MIQUEL FAIR OF LLEIDA“WE ARE COOPERATIVE” WAS THE MOTTO OF THE EXHIBITOR SPACE

CELEBRATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

THE AGROBOTIGA, TRADE FAIR AND THE ALCARRÀS STOREROOM

The catalogue for fall and winter productions presented at Fruit Attraction

Fruits de Ponent Grup Cooperatiu, l’associació 5 al Dia i supermercats Caprabo van col•laborar el 14 d’octubre per cele-brar el Dia Mundial de les Fruites i les Verdures. A través d’aquesta acció, van regalar 24.000 peces de fruita de temporada als nens i les nenes que es van apropar als supermercats que aquesta cadena té a Catalunya i Andorra.

La iniciativa volia fomen-tar el consum de fruita en-tre els més petits i educar en els hàbits saludables d’alimentació.Així, els petits van rebre una caixa amb una pera Conferència de Fruits de Ponent i informació i con-sells alimentarisA més, la caixa es podia reutilitzar per transfor-mar-la en una màscara de Halloween.

Fruits de Ponent participated in the Trade Fair and the Storeroom, which was celebrated in Alcarràs this past October. The participation was through the Agrobotiga, with an exhibition and sale of cooperative products. The presence at the fair served to show the visiting public the autumn and winter products. Furthermore, the Group was also present at the broad-cast of the live radio programme Via Lliure which was broadcast throughout Catalonia. The objective was to promote the fruit, spreading the message that the Group has a catalogue of products throughout the year.

4 | NO. 75 | JANUARY 2017

The Head of Purchasing anf Human Resources, Carmen Carrasquer, accepted the prize

José Luis López, Modesto Palau and Arnau Salat

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FUNDE AWARDS THE EQUALITY PLAN OF THE COOPERATIVE RENEWING THE CERTIFICATIONS FOR YEARSThe Association of Wom-en Entrepreneurs of Lleida (FUNDE) on 18 November gave an award to Fruits de Ponent for their Equality Plan in the company at a ceremony held at La Seu Vella. The head of HR and Purchasing and Manager of the Cooperativa Hortofrutícola de Binaced, Carmen Carrasquer accept-ed the award on behalf of the company. Fruits de Ponent employs mostly women and has promoted various meas-ures that promote equality in the workplace. It also has a dictionary of non-sexist lan-guage for internal and external communications and preven-tion plans for sexual harass-ment. The company, by means of this plan, has put into prac-tice the “culture of equality” in its day-to-day business.

NEW ADDITIONS TO THE GOVERNING BOARD OF ALCARRÁS

Group’s commitment to business social reality

FRUITS DE PONENT WINS THE AWARD FOR SPORTS SPONSORSHIP IN ALCARRÀS

Renewal of the Sales Department

Fruits de Ponent has successfully passed the SMET audit on ethical working conditions in the company and its relations with stakeholders. This certification has great international prestige be-cause it is based on a code that includes new areas: free workplace, freedom of association, health and safety, no child labour, fair pay, no excessive hours, no discrimination, legal work and no inhu-man work.The Group has also re-newed the SGE 21 pro-tocol, which includes the actions for environmen-tal stewardship and good business practices, in ad-dition to ethical manage-ment and labour. In addi-tion, the newly acquired Cooperativa d’Alcanó has obtained the IP certificate for olive oil and almonds.

Fruits de Ponent Grup Cooperatiu has been awarded the Menció Alzina for Sports Spon-sorship at the first Sports Festival in Alcarrás. The president of Fruits de Ponent, Sebastià Es-carp, and Vice President of the Cooperativa del Camp d’Alcarràs, Ra-mon Sisó, accepted the award.The Cooperative Group, by means of its social area and now the Fruits de Ponent Foundation,

carry out numerous col-laborations with sports activities in the munic-ipality of Alcarràs and its surroundings. An agreement is annually signed with the Munic-ipal Sports Sponsorship and grants financial assistance to member organizations. It also sponsors the Nectarina Atlètica, the popular race, and several sport-ing events to promote healthy habits among children.

Fruits de Ponent has renewed the Sales De-partment with the addition of a new director, Modest Palau, and Josep Luis López and Arnau Salat as technicians.Palau has extensive experience in the fruit sec-tor, as he has held senior positions in several companies. The Cooperative Group now runs a depart-ment that has a sales catalogue 365 days a year, but during the stone fruit campaign in the summer months is when there is more business and commercial activity.

The Governing Board of the Cooperativa Camp d’Al-carràs i Secció de Crèdit, SCCL agreed on the 12th of December to a new distribution of positions, which are as follows: President: Sebastià Escarp Tomàs Vice President: Alfonso Mora RibesSecretary: Hèctor Companys MalladaTreasurer: Josep Maria Sans CompanysBoard members: Miquel Bernat Mir, Laia Bagué Miret, Joan Jaume Pelegrí Pujol, Robert Jaimejuan Ribes, Ben-jamí Ibars Vitores, Pere Antoni Nadal Moreno and Josep Joan Florensa Cabré

Account auditors: Robert Anoro Sisó, and Antoni Fon-tanals Bagué Head of the Credit Section: Josep Maria Sans CompanysHead of the Fruit Section: Benjamí Ibars VitoresHead of the Nuts and Olive Oil Section, Josep Joan Flo-rensa Cabré Head of the Supplies-Cereals Section, Miquel Bernat Mir The new additions have been Héctor Companys Mallada, Pere Antoni Nadal Moreno, Josep Joan Florensa Cabré and José Clemente Estela Gòdia. In addition, Alfonso Mora was appointed Vice President replacing Ramon Sisó.

6 |

The Cooperativa del Camp d’Al-carràs has launched a new website for its Agrobotiga to facilitate on-line purchases. The aim is to bring local products to more audiences.The site includes a showcase to buy extra virgin olive oil, fruit juices and syrups and cookbooks written by members of the co-operative, among many other

products. The Group intends to incorporate new products in this digital showcase throughout the year. The website also includes nutritional advice thanks to the collaboration of the association

5 al Día, a non-profit organization that oversees the consumption of fruit and vegetables. The new website has been pre-pared with the support of the Department of Agriculture, Live-stock, Fisheries and Food and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development in the EU.

NEW LABELLING FOR “L’OR DE PONENT” EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

PRODUCED BY MOLÍ D’ALCANÓ, PART OF THE COOPERATIVE GROUPL’Or de Ponent has become the brand of ex-tra virgin olive oil par excellence produced by Molí d’Alcanó, which belongs to Fruits de Ponent. For this reason, the Group has updated the labelling of the 250 ml, 500 ml, 2 l and 5 l packaging.A more modern and contemporary label was designed, with which the Group in-tends to grow the marketing of this premi-

um olive oil. L’Or de Ponent is a registered trademark in the European Community. The olive oil is produced directly by mechanical means and has a degree of acidity that gives it the extra virgin category. El Molí d’Alcanó, lo-cated in Segrià, produces an average of one million litres of olive oil a year, approxi-mately.

TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE COOPERATIVE GROUP

HESPÈRIDES AN APP FOR PEST CONTROL

Agrobotiga Alcarrás launches a new website

Farm control points

The Technical Department of Grup Cooperatiu Fruits de Ponent is made up of the following people:Toni Vitores, Head of the Depart-

ment.Helena Ribes, administrative. Field technicians: Rosa Rigal, Mir-iam Hernández and Yolanda Fer-

rer, from Cooperativa de Binaced; Miguel Velo, Martí Botines, Jordi Quílez and Albert Gorgues, from Cooperativa de Benavent

Hespèrides is a tech-nological application that uses the tech-nology in mobiles to enter treatments made by producers on farms and readings of the sexual confusion traps, which are in-stalled in the plots to control the levels of pests.App for productersProducers also have this application, con-firm treatments and check the level of pests in each plot. The information is used to generate the farm’s field notebooks, documents that are required to have up-dated and reviewed before audits.Cost willBy means of the Hes-pèrides aplication, in 2017 production costs will be developed with three fruit producers. The application Hes-pèrides of the latest technology in the field is one of the objectives of the technical de-partment of Fruits de Ponent to advance the technological mod-ernization of produc-tion.

In order to be more effi-cient in the management of crops, the technical service has put observa-tion points throughout the farm for observ-ing nutrients from soil, leaves and fruit to adjust the recommendation for fertilizing plots of land. It starts during the months of December and Janu-ary with a soil analysis to learn the amounts of macronutrients available at the beginning of the campaign. Afterwards, the technicians check if the macronutrients have

gone to the leaves and that there is no short-age. Finally, they exam-ine the result to confirm that all levels have the value recommended by integrated production guidelines. Once the year has been assessed, the producer receives a report and is given the inputs for planning campaigns. We must re-member that Integrated Production is the type of agriculture that guar-antees the traceability of fruit throughout its journey.

NO. 75 | JANUARY 2017

Fruits de Ponent ended the 2016 summer cam-paign with high levels of fruit production and pro-cessing. Stone fruit, espe-cially red nectarines and white, red and flat peaches were the varieties with the most production: more than 45 million kilograms. Additionally, we must add the varieties of white and yellow peaches and flat nectarines. The campaign has been moderately more positive than the previous one, al-though it has been marked by a general decline in production due to the unusual weather of last spring, with frost being registered. With regard to prices, there have been in-cidents with erratic prices. The main recipients of the Group’s fruit have been European markets, as in previous years. Fruits de Ponent will be-gan its campaign in early June and will finish it al-most the first week of Sep-tember. OKI ForecastThe Group promotes the peach brand OKI ahead of the 2017/2018 campaign. It is still too early to say, but the aim is that the brand reaches different parts of the national and international markets as a quality fruit, making it the consumer’s bench-mark flat peach due to its colour, flavour and aro-ma. Production volumes are expected similar to or slightly higher than previ-ous years, as the flat peach represents 20% of the total production of the Group’s stone fruit.

MOUNTAIN APPLE PRODUCTION BALANCE

The mountain apples produced by the Co-operativa Agrària del Llobregós and mar-keted by Fruits de Ponent are gaining ground both in vol-ume and improvement in quality.The hail this cam-paign in 2016 only affected the part without protective nets at the farm in Ri-belles, some 8,000 m2, and the harvest was good in general, as it reaped 45,000 kg/ha.Varietes

THE GROUP PROMOTES THE BRAND OKI FOR THE 2017/2018 CAMPAIGNA SUMMER CAMPAIGN WITH QUALITY, BUT LESS PRODUCTION

The varieties that worked best were Je-romine and Story, which have a lot of colour.Fuji apples compared

with those from the plains also had a very

good colouration.Next year production will focus on the Story variety given the good results and that it is a fruit that has gained acceptance by the con-sumer.

The Llobregós apple farms are located at an al-

titude of 400 meters.

Sebastià Escarp, of Fruits de Ponent, and Josep M. Bosch, of l’IRBLleida

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Fruits de Ponent and the Biomedical Research Institute of Lleida (IR-BLleida) have renewed yet another year an agreement by means of which the Fruits de Po-nent Foundation pro-vides annual financial help to the institute. IRBLleida’s mission is to promote, develop, manage and disseminate biomedical research and research training in the sciences of health, main-ly in Lleida. For this rea-son, it supports research groups that work at the

University of Lleida, in the Lleida health sys-tem to investigate rel-evant diseases such as cancer, strokes, multi-ple sclerosis, diabetes, pleura, ageing, nervous system, cardiovascular system, respiratory in-fections and disorders and mental disorders, among others. The Fruits de Ponent Foundation thus reaf-firms its commitment with social projects in the region that aim to promote solidarity and to help people.

COLLABORATION WITH THE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF LLEIDA

The Secretary General of Agriculture, David Mascort, accompanied by the Director General of Rural Development,

Oriol Anson, and the director of DAAM ser-vices in Lleida, Ferran de Noguera, visited Fruits de Ponent on the 14th of September to learn more about the processing headquar-ters that the company has in Alcarràs. The DAAM delegation also met with the Govern-

ing Council of the Co-operativa del Campo de Alcarràs, which belongs to Fruits de Ponent.

Visit of the Secretary General of Agriculture, David Mascort

8 | NO. 75 | JANUARY 2017

galleryCHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PARTY. The children of the Cooperative Group en-joyed on the 27th of December a traditional children’s Christmas party at the Camp d’Alcarràs Cooperative facilities. This year the Group had invited the children to the Cooperative for a photograph with a fun Christmas spirit. There was hot chocolate at the party plus a performance by two entertainers that included music and magic tricks. The Group also gave attendees the gift The Good Fruit Kit, which Santa Claus had left a few days before.

STUDENTS OF SCHOOL FRON LLEIDA LEARN ABOUT THE COOPER-ATIVE SYSTEM AT FRUITS DE PONENT. Seventy students from the second grade of the School of Lleida visited the Fruits de Ponent facilities last October.

YOUNG MEMBERS OF FRUITS DE PONENT PARTICIPATE IN CEAP COURSES. The Agricultural Research Centre (CEAP) in Alcarrás held the an-nual closing of training for young farm-ers. Young members of Grup Fruits de Ponent have taken this coursehas.

FRUITS DE PONENT. on the 22nd of October held a lunch for the end of the summer campaign at the Alcarràs Processing Plant with members and work-ers. The meal was attended by the mayors of Alcarràs, Benavent, La Portella and a councillor from Binaced.

GROUP TOURS AT MOLÍ D’ALCANÓ, PART OF THE COOPERATIVE GROUP. 500 people attended the group breakfast and guided tours of Molí d’Alcanó and experienced farming olives with different methods. The mill, located in this town, welcomed a new edition of the Liquid Gold Route of Segrià, which the County Council promotes in conjunction with cooperatives and companies in the region.

FRUITS DE PONENT CEL-EBRATES CHRISTMAS. The Group celebrated Christmas with the workers with a dinner at a restaurant in Alcarràs (Llei-da) and also the torronada that the company organized to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.