Joinfruit: when growth is the fruit of passion

In the heart of the province of Cuneo, there is a Producers’ Organisation that is rewriting the rules of agriculture. Its name is Joinfruit and since 2016 it has rapidly become a point of reference in the Italian fruit and vegetable scene, thanks to an entrepreneurial vision that places care for the land, people and the future at the basis of its enterprise. It was born in an area particularly suited to fruit growing, and fruit is the beating heart of the consortium’s activity, which in recent years has been expanding its production to include vegetables. Among the main products cultivated are apples – including the Cuneo IGP red apple – peaches, plums, cherries and small fruits. From raw materials to processed products such as fruit juices and extra jams, each process is characterised by an approach that weaves together tradition, innovation and social impact.

Research, AI and new distribution systems are the breeding ground for innovation in agriculture

Agriculture is one of the terrains on which the challenges of the future of innovation are being played out. Joinfruit is well aware of this and for several years has been involved in cutting-edge research projects, such as that onsymbiotic agriculture, an initiative in collaboration with the University of Turin that aims to improve environmental sustainability through the use of mycorrhizae, good bacteria that contribute to healthier soil and more efficient fruit production. The ability to innovate does not stop at cultivation: Joinfruit has, in fact, introduced quality control systems based onartificial intelligence, through which it is possible to monitor fields in real time, improve resource management and optimise fruit treatments. This scientific approach aims to make fruit growing more sustainable, mitigating the use of chemicals and reducing environmental impact.

Short Chain and Smart Locker

The Joinfruit Fresh ’ project launched by Joinfruit in 2021 is a direct purchasing system that promotes the short supply chain concept through the use of refrigerated smart lockers. Consumers can buy fresh fruit directly from producers by conveniently picking it up at the lockers and thus eliminating middlemen: a short supply chain that guarantees the purchase of fresh, high-quality products. This innovation offers a concrete answer to the growing demand for food transparency and traceability, improving efficiency in distribution.

The mix between innovation and social impact

Among the products made from selected raw materials, we also find: fruit juices, made using an innovative method that combines cold pressing with the HPP (High Pressure Processing) process and allows the nutritional properties and organoleptic characteristics of the fruit to remain unaltered; extra jams made with 70% seasonal fruit in collaboration with the Cooperativa Sociale I Ciliegi Selvatici di Verzuolo, which, thanks to a series of integrated services, offers a professional opportunity to young men and women with physical and mental disabilities, giving them the chance to enhance their independence.

But this is not the only project in which Joinfruit is involved in social work. One of the most significant is ‘Liberi di Coltivare’ (‘Free to Cultivate’), set up in collaboration with the Open Baladin craft brewery and the Cuneo prison. This project envisages the launch of agricultural activities within the Cuneo prison, offering training and work opportunities to inmates. It is an initiative that combines social inclusion and personal rebirth, demonstrating how agriculture can become a tool for change.

An example for gender equality in the fruit and vegetable sector

With 12 employees, 8 of whom are women, 6 members/associates and around 200 associated producers/producers, Joinfruit is the first Fruit and Vegetable Producers’ Organisation to be certified by CSQA for Gender Equality, and among the first Italian agricultural companies to achieve this goal. The recognition arrived on 1 October 2024 with the delivery of the UNI PdR 125 certification in the Hall of Honour of the Old Town Hall of Saluzzo.

The Great Italian Beauty is the Net

In 2018, Joinfruit, together with six other historic companies – Bergonzoni, Coofrutta, OP Geofur, Odorizzi and Perusi – united by the desire to share common experiences and values, created ‘La Grande Bellezza Italiana’, the first network of companies operating in the fruit and vegetable sector. A synergy that makes it possible to enhance not only products but also people and processes, creating value for the territory.

Website: https://joinfruit.com/

21/10/2024 / LaGemma Magazine / Joinfruit