Italy's Fri El Green House continues to invest. Starting in February, the growing company will have two types of cucumbers: snack cucumbers and long cucumbers. "And in 2024 we will activate our geothermal plant. "We have a total of eight geothermal wells, which will make us completely energy independent,” says CEO Florian Gostner.
Fri-El Greenhouse in Ostellato (Ferrara) covers an area of 30 hectares
In addition to the geothermal energy project, 20 acres of land are covered with solar panels and there is a system for the collection and conservation of rainwater. On the production side, the introduction of two varieties of cucumbers will offer new options to customers in Italy, Austria, Germany and other Central European countries.
"Snack cucumbers are very popular abroad, while in Italy they are not so well known yet. However, we have high expectations in terms of demand. They will be sold in trays of 250 grams, and some of the supermarket chains that we are working with are already planning to introduce this product," says Davide D'Ignoto, Sales Manager.
The long cucumbers weigh between 350 and 400 grams. "Our intention is to sell these cucumbers in bulk, without packaging. After all, we are sure that with the right logistics, we will be able to deliver the cucumbers to the points of sale with the right shelf life."
Long cucumbers are imported to Italy from Spain and the Netherlands for several months of the year. Fri-El Greenhouse's goal is to reduce this dependency by using part of its 30-hectare land in Ostellato, where the main crop is tomatoes.
When it comes to tomatoes, Gostner says all products are packaged in trays to reduce food waste. The protection provided by the packaging maintains quality, extends shelf life and reduces waste. And there is no environmental impact when the trays are placed in the regular recycling stream.
For more information:
H2ORTO
Via delle Serre 1
44020 Ostellato (Ferrara) - Italia
+39 0533 57411
www.h2orto.it