Joinfruit expands fruit production network across Italy

Joinfruit, a fruit and vegetable producer organization affiliated with Confcooperative Piemonte, has grown significantly since its founding in 2016 by Eraldo Barale and Michele Ponso. Originally starting with 60 producers, the organization now includes over 250 members managing 2,000 hectares of land across seven processing centers.

While headquartered in Verzuolo, in the province of Cuneo, the network's members are also located in Veneto, Lombardy, Lazio, Marche, Valle d'Aosta, and Emilia-Romagna. The organization moves approximately 100,000 tons of fruit annually, with apples accounting for more than half of the volume, including products under the Mela Rossa di Cuneo IGP label.

In addition to apples, Joinfruit is a major producer in Piedmont for peaches, nectarines, stone fruits, and small berries, while also expanding into horticultural products and organic farming. Director Bruno Sacchi emphasizes that their short supply chain model aims to bridge the emotional and physical gap between producers and consumers by providing transparency regarding cultivation and quality.