South Tyrol.

—
Food Technology.
—
 Quality and Innovation

Production of Foodstuffs
in Alpine South Tyrol
3

Agriculture and Primary

Production

Pillars of South Tyrol’s

Economy
5

Processing and Finishing

Specialized Technology and

Know-How
18

Distribution and Marketing

Regional Quality,
International Success
28

Food Research and

Development

High-Tech for Companies

36

NOI Techpark

A Research Center for

Food Technology
40

Networks & Partners

in South Tyrol

Responsible Institutions and

Public Bodies
41
Quality and
Innovation

Alpine thinking and Mediterranean lifestyle:

South Tyrol (Alto Adige in Italian, Südtirol in
German) is the meeting point of two worlds.
With important trade routes running across the
province, it is an interface where markets and
cultures come together. South Tyrol connects.
It is both north and south. The coniferous forests
of the Pusteria (Pustertal) Valley in the eastern
part of the province seem worlds apart from the
villas with rows of cypresses lined up like sentinels
found at Lake Caldaro (Kaltern) in the south.
Yet these two worlds are less than an hour’s drive
from one another.

Climatically, South Tyrol marries the coolness of a

mountain region with relatively mild temperatures
in the valleys. Cool nights follow in the wake of
the balmy days of summer and autumn. Every
year, the province records around 300 sunny days
and more than 2,000 hours of sunshine. More
than half of South Tyrol’s total area is located at
elevations above 1,500 meters. In fact, the average 1

mountain meadow where farming families gather

hay in summer has a gradient of 30 percent.

These unique conditions are also discernible when
it comes to local food production. Dairy farming,
fruit growing and viticulture are the pillars of
South Tyrolean agriculture. Above and beyond the
most profitable product, the apple, there is a wide
array of fruits and vegetables that are less identifi-
able to outsiders as being South Tyrolean: pears,
apricots, berries, potatoes, asparagus and chest-
nuts. The livestock industry also provides valuable
yields such as milk, cheese, butter, cream and
high-quality beef.
The areas of cultivation are spread throughout
South Tyrol, ranging from the valley all the way up
into the mountains. There are 1,500 alpine pas-
tures situated above the tree line, where cattle and
sheep graze in the coolness of higher elevation
during the hottest months; during this same
period, farmers tackle gathering enough hay to get
their cattle through the winter – just as their
ancestors did two hundred years ago.

In South Tyrol, snow-capped mountains and blooming apple orchards

exist in close proximity. Sluderno (1)

Quality and Innovation  3

Having a sense of tradition also means placing
emphasis on regionalism. Years ahead of the global
trend in this direction, committed South Tyroleans
have been promoting local quality products
through a variety of different projects. Here, the
food industry – from production to processing to
marketing – is primarily characterized by functio-
ning regional economic cycles.
But the international food industry frequently
looks to South Tyrol as well, mainly for its exper-
tise in apples and wine – know-how that is both
cutting edge and internationally sought after.
Here, agricultural knowledge has been handed
down through the generations, and some very
resourceful innovators have perfected and moder-
nized it. As a natural consequence of this, the
food-processing sector has produced important
companies with reputations that reach beyond the
borders of South Tyrol.

Set Apart by Quality

South Tyroleans are perfection-

ists. Their desire for continuous
improvement and their innate
stubbornness are reflected in
the South Tyrol Quality Seal – a
program that the European
Commission approved in 2005
as a pioneer project for all of
Europe. Products marked with
the seal are guaranteed to have
regulated quality and artisanal
processing. A full 100% of
South Tyrol’s fresh milk is pro- 2
duced under the quality seal.
Alto Adige Speck and apples are fraudulent use; in addition, it (­ Südtirol) and DOC Lago di
registered as a protected geo­ guarantees the authenticity of Caldaro (Kalterersee). The DOC
graphical indication (PGI), a seal the product’s origin and that it designation corresponds to a
of quality conferred by the is made in accordance with protected designation of origin,
European Union. The quality long-standing traditional prac- the EU’s highest possible quali-
seal not only recognizes region- tices. For wine, South Tyrol has ty seal, given not only to South
al specialties but also protects two registered designations of Tyrolean wines, but also to the
against counterfeiting and origin: DOC Alto Adige Stelvio cheese variety.

The quality of South Tyrol-brand Speck is

independently monitored. ( (2)

Quality and Innovation  4

Agriculture and Primary Production

South Tyrol has the largest contiguous apple- Total area of South Tyrol:
growing area in Europe. It encompasses a total 7,400 km² (= 740,000 ha)
area of 18,540 hectares – a number that represents About 485,000 ha o
 f agricultural area (including woods etc.)
about 2.5 percent of the total area of the province About 241,000 ha of cropland (about 12 ha per farm)
or more vividly expressed: 25,000 football fields.
Considering the quantity and quality of the agri-
cultural products produced every year in South 20,212
agricultural enterprises
Tyrol, it may be surprising that only about six
of which grow wine 4,779
percent of South Tyroleans work in agriculture, cultivate apples 7,275
whereas in 1951 about 43 percent of the popula- are livestock holdings 9,970
tion worked in the sector. But although one in five
farm owners is more than 65 years old, many
Average size of farm in
young farmers are propelling a renaissance in South Tyrol 12 ha
professional farming: they work the land on remote Italy 8 ha
mountain farms with the support of organizations Germany 58 ha
such as the Bauernjugend (Young Farmers) and Europe 14 ha
are driven by an agricultural vision that is modern Data sources: ASTAT (Agricultural Census 2010), Südtiroler Bauernbund

View from the hill atop which Tyrol Castle is perched, looking down on
Merano and the surrounding orchards. Tirolo (Dorf Tirol) (1)

Agriculture and Primary Production  5

and technology-enhanced but at the same time
tradition-conscious and sustainable. That is one
reason why these farms are still nearly 100 percent
in South Tyrolean hands, and why more than
21,000 farmers are members of the Südtiroler
Bauernbund (South Tyrol’s farming association).

Most South Tyrolean enterprises – not only those

in the agriculture sector but also in commerce,
handcrafts and industry – originated as family
businesses and have remained so even today. The
economic structure of the province is characterized
by a huge number of small businesses: almost
95 percent of companies have fewer than ten
employees. The agricultural enterprises are
extremely small: a farmer here cultivates an average
of ten hectares of land, and nearly half are micro-
businesses with less than five hectares. Due to the
small farm size, virtually all farmers join coopera-
tives. In South Tyrol, the cooperative movement
has a long tradition. Following the Italian model,
companies from a wide variety of industries are set
up as cooperatives: the gamut runs from social
services to banks to service providers. South Tyrol’s
farmers are organized into about one hundred
different cooperatives in order to work together
more closely and efficiently as they harvest, process
and market their products.
2

Innovative hail-protection systems also shield the orchards

from sun and wind. Terlano (2)

After the harvest, the apples are washed and sorted.

EGMA Fruit Growers’ Cooperative, Caldaro (3)

Agriculture and Primary Production  6

 Facts and Figures

Fruit growers: 7,600

of which apple growers: 7,275
Average farm size: 2.5-3 ha

Total apple harvest: about 1.1 million metric tons

(99% of the total fruit harvest)
3
of which 85% table apples
4% organic apples
11% industrial goods

South Tyrol’s proportion of apple harvest

of apples harvested in Italy 50%
of apples harvested in the EU 10-12%
of organic apples harvested in the EU 40 %
Data sources: Consortium South Tyrolean Apple, ASTAT

Apples

Event
Interpoma
Every two years, the province’s
­capital Bolzano (Bozen) sets the
stage for the world’s largest trade
fair on cultivation, storage and
­marketing of apples: Interpoma,
unique in the world, is a must-attend
event for industry insiders and will
be organized for the tenth time in
2016. With approximately 360 exhi-
bitors from 17 countries and 16,000
visitors hailing from more than
60 countries, this fair is the apple’s
most important global platform.
South Tyroleans and their ap-
ples are closely tied to one
another, and apple production
here has a tradition that goes
b­­ack a long time. South Tyrol
grows half of all the apples in
Italy and one tenth of the ap-
ples produced in the EU. So it’s
not surprising that the apple is
South Tyrol’s number one prod-
uct. The apple represents more
than 99 percent of the total
fruit production here, and
grows at elevations ranging
from 200 to more than 1,000
meters, from Salorno in the
Adige (Etsch) Valley to Malles in
the Venosta (Vinschgau) Valley,
and from the Renon (Ritten)
Plateau as far as Naz-Sciaves in
the Isarco (Eisacktal) Valley.
One apple variety is very close-
ly associated with South Tyrol:
the Golden Delicious is by far
the most produced apple, ac-
counting for 40 percent of total
production. Gala (140,000 t)
and Red Delicious (100,000 t)
rank next. Since 2005 those
three South Tyrolean apple
varieties, plus eight more, have
been permitted to bear the EU’s
Protected Geographical Indica­
tion (PGI) designation, and are
thus recognized across the EU
as a regional specialty.
Harvesting and Storage
In spring, the apple trees in
South Tyrol bloom pink and
white, creating a colorful and
scenic landscape. In mid-August
apple farmers begin the h­ arvest,
which kicks off in the valley
with Gala apples and finishes in
early November with the late-
ripening Pink Lady variety. As
soon as the work is completed,
whether done by hand or with
the help of machines, the har-
vested apples are moved in bulk
bins to storage facilities. They
are stored there in cold rooms,
the oxygen composition of which
is precisely regulated. Through
the use of cold and a substantial
reduction in oxygen, the apples
are placed into a state of “hiber-
nation” that preserves them. In
this state, known as CA (cont­
rolled atmosphere) storage,
apples can remain harvest-fresh
for up to eight months – tech-
nology that evinces South Tyrol
to be not only on the cutting
edge of cultivation and harvest-
ing apples but also a pioneer in
storage techniques.

Agriculture and Primary Production  7

Orchards in South Tyrol
Fruit growing has shaped the
agricultural landscape across
large swathes of South Tyrol.
Above and beyond apples there
are juicy pears, cultivated main-
ly in the west. Annual pear
production, including all varie-
ties, yields about 700 metric
tons. The Palabirne, an old
variety from the Venosta Valley,
is especially popular.
South Tyrolean apricot cultiva-
tion covers an area of 110
hectares. Nearly 70 percent of
apricots, called Marillen here,
are grown in the Venosta Valley,
which is especially well known
for cultivation of this fruit.
Although extremely popular, the
Vinschger Marille (Vinschgau
being the German name of the
valley) plays a minor economic
role, with an annual yield of
about 370 metric tons. It re­
presents a good sideline for
higher lying mixed farms and
grassland farms, though, and
together with the white marble
of Laas has been one of the
stars of the show at Marble &
Apricots, a festival of gastrono-
my and culture that has been
held annually in Laas for the
last 15 years.
In South Tyrol, there is no genetic engineering used for the entire
production process, from feeding cows to processing milk.(4)
The Venosta Valley is also
known for the strawberries
grown in one of its tributary
valleys, the Martelltal in Ger-
man, where they thrive at ele-
vations as high as 1,800 meters.
Strawberries ripen very slowly
at these elevations. As a result
they are not only aromatic, but
can also be harvested and sold
later than in other areas of
cultivation within Europe – a
significant advantage for the
local berry growers. In South
Tyrol the cultivation area for
berries is almost 200 hectares:
strawberries and raspberries
are grown on 130 hectares
while black and red currants are
grown on the remaining
45 hectares.
Agriculture and Primary Production  8
Milk
South Tyrol is the only region in ­ evertheless, milk production
N
Europe that can label all of its remains a mainstay of the local
milk and dairy products as economy. There are 883 people
GMO-free. As measured by employed in the nine dairy
creation of value, milk is South cooperatives, which record a
Tyrol’s second most important total turnover of about 445 mil-
agricultural product, after lion euro; they comprise the
apples. The backbone of South Sennereiverband Südtirol
Tyrolean milk production com- (South Tyrol Dairy Association),
prises about 5,000 dairy farm- the main activity of which is
ers with slightly fewer than quality control.
70,000 cows. The small, fami-
ly-run farms keep only 14 dairy
cows on average. In addition
there are 24 goat-milk suppli-
ers, which together produce
600 metric tons a year. They all
deliver to one of the nine
dairy-processing cooperatives
in the province or sell their milk
directly from the farm. Nearly
two-thirds of these farmers
operate their dairies only as a
sideline, and the ­number of
dairy farmers is decreasing in
South Tyrol – a trend seen also
in neighboring countries.
Facts and Figures

5,043 dairy farmers, of which 70% produce milk as a side business

68,700 dairy cows
Average number of cows in the stall: 14
Average amount of annual milk production per farm: 73,500 kg

Annual milk production in South Tyrol: 370,500 t

Annual milk production in Italy: about 10,700,000 t
South Tyrol’s percentage of Italian milk production: 3.5%

Data source: South Tyrol Dairy Association

Agriculture and Primary Production  9

 Apples grow in almost all valleys except the parts of South Tyrol
with a cooler climate, to the north and east.

The most famous of South Tyrolean whites, the Gewürztraminer,

grows in the Bassa Atesina region. In Isarco Valley, white wine is grown
almost exclusively.

Bolzano and its surroundings are known for their reds; red wines are also
cultivated alongside whites in the Bassa Atesina and Oltradige regions,
in the Adige Valley, around Merano and in the Venosta Valley.

In the Martelltal, a tributary of the Venosta Valley, strawberries grow

to an altitude of 1,800 m.

Agriculture and Primary Production  10

 About 70% of South Tyrolean apricots are grown in the Venosta
Valley, where a local variety known as Vinschger Marille is cultivated.

The Palabirne, a particularly flavorful old pear variety, grows in the

westernmost Venosta Valley.

Around the village of Terlano in the Adige Valley, white asparagus

is grown under the Margarete seal of quality.

Grains – most notably rye and spelt – are cultivated primarily

in the Pusteria and Venosta valleys.

There are about 50,000 sheep and lambs in South Tyrol.

In cooler Pusteria Valley, the cultivation of potatoes has

always been particularly important.

There are more than 130,000 cows in South Tyrol, of which almost
90,000 are dairy cows. Especially for mountain farmers, cattle
­breeding and dairy production are important sources of income.

Agriculture and Primary Production  11


5
Wine
South Tyrol is not only the
oldest wine region in the Ger-
man-speaking countries – many
southern German monasteries
are said to have maintained
wineries in the southern part of
Tyrol even as far back as medie-
val times in order to quench
their thirst for wine – but it is
also one of the most prestigious
wine regions in Italy, a country
in which there is no shortage of
good wine.
Small yet high-quality wineries originated in South Tyrol as a result South Tyrolean winegrowers
of limited land. Seeburghof, Bressanone (5) work on a scale as small as that
Agriculture and Primary Production  12
of the fruit-growing and live-
stock industries. They process
their grapes themselves or
deliver them to one of the 50
local wineries, which produce a
wide range of white, red and
sparkling wines. Following the
credo of “strength in numbers,”
the three major associations
of wine producers have united
to form the Consortium Alto
Adige Wines.
South Tyrol is unique in Italy for
its diversity of grape varieties.
Around 20 different grape
varieties can be grown here –
on just 5,300 hectares, thanks
to the wide variety of vineyard
sites, which range from sandy
and calcareous soils in the
south to porphyry soils in the
west. Three of these varieties
are autochthonous: the famous
Gewürztraminer, a white variety
grown around Termeno
(Tramin), and Vernatsch and
Lagrein, both of which are red.
The white varieties occupy
more than 55 percent of the
total vineyard area.
Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris,
Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay
top the list of the popular white
wines. Other whites grown
successfully in South Tyrol
include Sauvignon, Müller
Thurgau, Sylvaner, Kerner,
Riesling and Veltliner. Red
wines grown in the region
include the “original South
Tyroleans,” Vernatsch and La-
grein, as well as other classic
grape varieties that have been
present for more than a centu-
ry: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet
Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
Facts and Figures

Winegrowers: 4,779
Area under cultivation: 5,300 ha
Percentage of Italy’s wine yield: 0.75%
Average farm size and production: about 1 ha, 1,750 hl

Total wine yield: 329,570 hl

wines with a protected designation

of origin (DOC): 317,010 hl (96%)
table wines with geographical
indication (IGT): 8,588 hl (3%)
table wines: 3,972 hl (1%)

Percentage of red and white wine production:

red wines 43% white wines 57%

Data sources: Consortium Alto Adige Wines, ASTAT

Helmuth Köcher
Founder of the MeranO WineFestival

It was in 1986 that his eye-opening experience occur-

Top Quality
South Tyrol’s winegrowers
understood early on that they
should value quality over quan-
tity. Instead of focusing on
cheap table wine grown on vast
acreage, they have taken the
characteristics of the province
into consideration – factors
such as the variable soil and
the scarceness of land – and
have created small wineries
with select vines. They have the
appreciation not only of wine
lovers but also of the entire
local economy, from gastrono-
my to tourism.
Due to these efforts towards
quality, Alto Adige wines have
seen a continual increase in
sales, both at home and abroad,
and have regularly received
awards. In 2015, Italy’s wine
bible Vini d’Italia (Gambero
Rosso) awarded no less than
28 Alto Adige wines with its
highest distinction: the Tre
Bicchieri (Three Glasses) award.
This is the highest number of
such awards after the regions
of Piedmont, Tuscany and
Veneto, which are two to three
times the size of South Tyrol.
Looking at the rankings in all
the major Italian wine guides,
South Tyrol is the most-award-
ed winegrowing area relative to
its size: it produces only 0.75
percent of Italian wine.
red. Helmuth Köcher was vacationing in Bordeaux and
discovered his passion for the juice of the vine. Back at
home in Merano (Meran), he organized initial tastings
of international wines with friends. By 1992 it was a
little wine festival, the first of its kind. “Our criteria
were clearly oriented towards quality,” says Helmuth
Köcher more than 20 years later. The MeranO
WineFestival still follows this philosophy today – only
the dimensions are considerably larger. During the
year, ten tasting panels sample 5,000 international
wines. In November up to 1,200 wines from producers
hailing from 14 different countries are presented to
6,500 visitors and 300 journalists at the Merano
Kurhaus. There are 330 Italian wines, with 10 percent
being from South Tyrol. The MeranO WineFestival is a
forum that allows for an exchange of views between
consumers and producers. During the festival, Merano
is at the center of the international wine world.

Agriculture and Primary Production  13


6 and their approximately 6,000
Plowed in the
Fields of South Tyrol
What the southern and western
parts of South Tyrol are to
apples, the east is to potatoes:
in the more meager, cool
­Pusteria Valley around the town
of Brunico (Bruneck) one can
grow little fruit and no wine.
For this reason, Puschtra Erd­
äpfel (“potatoes from Pustertal”
in the local dialect) – an indis-
pensable ingredient of many
traditional South Tyrol dishes
– are grown here.
Besides potatoes, which grow
on 380 hectares and yield
about 14,000 tons a year, South
Tyrol’s main agricultural crops
are cauliflower (80 ha; 2,600 t)
and beets (30 ha; 1,650 t).
Other types of vegetables such
as radicchio, lettuce and white
cabbage also thrive in the fields
of South Tyrol. Cultivation of
these varieties represents a
useful sideline for many farm-
ers, especially in the Venosta
and Pusteria valleys; 400 of
them produce their vegetables
under the South Tyrol Quality
Seal.
A significant proportion of
arable land, that is to say 265
hectares, is devoted to the
cultivation of grain (harvest
size: about 1,000 t), most nota-
bly rye and spelt. Historically,
grain cultivation in South Tyrol
has long been a key economic
sector with the Obervinschgau
region in the west of the prov-
ince acting as “South Tyrol’s
granary” up until fruit cultiva-
tion was intensified. An increas-
ing consciousness in consumers
about natural food, organic
farming practices and regional
projects has once again led to
an increased demand for grain
over the course of the last
decade.
Around 30 South Tyrolean
bakers – one third of the total
number – offer at least one type
of bread made from local grains
among their selection. The
demand for more regionalism in
bread has furthered the Re-
giokorn Project: grain farmers,
mills and bakeries are now
working together in order to
restore the ancient cycle from
grain to bread in South Tyrol.
The aim is to make grain culti-
vation attractive to farmers as a
sideline and to experiment with
various types of grain. Cultiva-
tion is on 80 hectares, mainly in
the Venosta and Pusteria
valleys.
Around the village of Terlano
(Terlan), between Bolzano and
Merano, an especially valuable
niche product for South Tyrole-
an cuisine grows in the sandy
soil of the Adige Valley: the
asparagus. The “true” South
Tyrolean asparagus is white,
and sold under the Margarete
seal of quality. A total of 15
Terlano farmers grow asparagus
on about ten hectares. They use
sophisticated methods such as
constant temperature monitor-
ing, sun protection and an
“asparagus taxi” that brings the
freshly cut asparagus to be
pre-washed and shock-cooled at
Terlano Winery.
Honey
South Tyrol has about 3,000
beekeepers and 36,000 bee
populations. Most of those who
keep bees do it as a hobby, but
150 of these manufacturers –
bee colonies – produce and sell
more than 90,000 kg of natural
honey under the South Tyrol
Quality Seal, ranging from light
multi-flower varieties to dark
forest honey. South Tyrol’s
enterprising beekeeper’s associ-
ation has even launched a
beekeeper school in order to
secure the next generation.

Agriculture and Primary Production  14

Rediscovered Crop Plants
For several years a group of
young South Tyroleans has
dedicated itself to the cultiva-
tion and processing of hemp in
the Pusteria and Venosta val-
leys. The company Eco-Passion
was founded for this purpose.
Its goal is to create short eco-
nomic cycles that can be sus-
tained over the long term.
Hemp is one of the oldest
cultivated plants. It is an ex-
tremely resistant raw material
that can “clean” soil, and grows
very well in South Tyrol. It can
also cover basic food require-
ments and be processed into
hemp oil, flour and milk.
About 30 South Tyrolean bakeries
­produce bread from local grains.
Plazotta Bakery, Appiano (6)
A beekeeper gathers honeycomb
from a beehive. Caldaro (7)
In order for eggs to receive the
South Tyrol Quality Seal, chickens
must have unrestricted outlet into
open terrain, among other things. (8)
Eggs
Many South Tyrolean consum-
ers obtain eggs directly from
the farm. Even in the conven-
tional trade, however, people
pay close attention to quality:
10 million eggs per year are
awarded the South Tyrol Quali-
ty Seal. The egg producers who
participate must meet strict
requirements in order to qualify
for the quality standard. The
chickens must have unrestrict-
ed outlet to the outdoors and a
well-maintained sandbox; the
feed must not contain any
hormones or antibiotics nor be
genetically modified. In order to
ensure freshness, the eggs must
be sorted, labeled, packaged
and delivered within six days
from the date they were laid.
Each egg is labeled with a code
that allows the consumer to
verify its source.
Agriculture and Primary Production  15
8
Meat
South Tyrol’s cattle, which are
especially appreciated amongst
gourmets, have been marketed
under the South Tyrol Quality
Seal since 2012: about 215
agricultural enterprises – most
of them small in scale and
mainly sited at higher eleva-
tions, which are not suitable
for orchards and vineyards –
currently breed about two cows
each, per year.
Altogether there are about
8,000 farms that maintain
livestock and 139,000 cows in
South Tyrol. Delicacies pro-
duced on a smaller scale, such
as LaugenRind cattle from
Val d’Ultimo (Ultental) and
Alta Val di Non are still niche
products.
In Funes (Villnöß), a tributary of
the Isarco Valley, some farmers
have once again begun raising
Villnösser Brillenschaf, the
oldest breed of sheep in South
Tyrol. The strange name, which
translates literally to “bespecta-
cled sheep from Villnöß,” de-
rives from the dark circles
around the eyes of the animals.
In the 1930s, the breed nearly
fell victim to Nazi standardiza-
tion, but some dogged breeders
ensured the Brillenschaf’s
survival. Today about 2,400 of
these animals exist, and about
2,500 lambs are born annually.
The much-
appreciated mutton and lamb
meat is sold to restaurants or
processed into ham and salami
and sold under the Furchetta
brand, together with the wool.

Herbs
In South Tyrol, plants have
always been gathered for do-
mestic use. Expertise about
how to use herbs for medicinal
purposes and for culinary use is
still passed down from genera-
tion to generation. Professional
herb cultivation began about 30
years ago. Now over 40 hec-
tares of lemon balm, bergamot,
cumin, sage, calendula, pepper-
mint, basil and spices like
thyme and dill grow at a mini-
mum elevation of 500 meters,
far removed from congested
areas and roads. There are
about 40 farmers who grow and
sell herbs; ten of these manu-
facturers, including Bergila from
Pfalzen and Kräuterschlössl
from Goldrain, produce herbs
and spices with a quality seal
and sell them individually, as
tea or processed into tinctures,
oils and salves.
9
Exotic Fruits and Vegetables
Exotic fruits also thrive in South
Tyrol’s unusual air. At Schornhof
Farm near Egna (Neumarkt) the
goji berry, native to China,
grows at an elevation of 1,000
meters and on a surface area of
about four hectares. Rejuvenat-
ing and healing powers that are
almost miraculous are attribut-
ed to the berry. The fruit grows
free of pesticides in South Tyrol,
unlike in its country of origin. It
is sold raw or dried, and is also
processed into juices, jams and
teas. Under the südtirolgoji
brand name, the operating
company at Schornhof has
created a new local economy
out of nowhere, allowing its
customers to no longer depend
Agriculture and Primary Production  16
upon imports from China, and
reduced transport routes
significantly.
Some vegetables also thrive at
unexpected elevations in South
Tyrol. Mountain artichokes
grow in the heights of the
Isarco Valley, a niche product
that unlike its conventional
counterparts can be harvested
in the summer – so at a time
when few artichokes are availa-
ble commercially. This not only
makes this artichoke attractive
for the restaurant industry and
for the ultimate consumers, but
also lucrative for farmers.
 Organic

There are around 260 com-

panies in South Tyrol that
practice organic cultivation.
The fruit and vegetable
growers are in first place:
49 companies grow organic
produce. Overall, ecolo­
gically cultivated land
­comprises 6,000 hectares.

Total area in South of which

Type of crop Tyrol organically cultivated

Berry-Fruit Cultivation 197 ha 10.0%

Pome Cultivation 18,326 ha 7.5%
Stone-Fruit Cultivation 165 ha 6.6%
Farmland/Herb Cultivation 4,168 ha 5.2%
Viniculture 5,380 ha 5.0%

Events

Biolife
Biolife, the first Italian trade fair for
certified organic products, came
into being in Bolzano in 2004.
The fair has developed out of an
informational event about organic
farming in South Tyrol into a show-
case for manufacturers from home
and abroad. Organic industry
­associations and active networking
help to support it.

Agrialp
The biennial Agrialp Bozen, an
Alpine agricultural show, is an im-
portant meeting place for everyone
employed in the agricultural sector.
A great number of exhibitors
­present their latest products and
services to the industry.
10

Herbs growing at an altitude of 530 m

at Gachhof farm. Merano (9)

Greenhouse at Laimburg Research Centre

for Agriculture and Forestry. Ora (10)

Agriculture and Primary Production  17

Processing and Finishing
The rich variety found within South Tyrol’s food
sector is further reflected in the juxtaposition of
world leaders and small businesses – international
industrial-level and small-scale agricultural enter-
prises, which produce at the highest quality and
some of which operate according to organic princi-
ples. Some work for the end consumer, while
others are important suppliers for the local and
international food industries.
The “little guys” are clearly in the majority: of
416 South Tyrolean companies active in the food
and beverage sector, only 27 employ more than
50 people. But the “big guys” are every bit as large
After the harvest, the apples are transported
in bulk bins to commercialization companies,
where they are kept in cold storage. EGMA
Fruit Growers’ Cooperative, Caldaro (1)
Processing and Finishing  18
as their competitors in the international sector: the
40 largest companies in South Tyrol’s food sector
work primarily in fruit processing, meat, beverages
and flour products; together they turn over about
1.5 billion euro and employ 2,500 people.
This diversity within South Tyrol’s food sector
allows for an economic panorama in which a small
cheese dairy or young start-up manufacturer of
apple-based beverages can stand shoulder-to-
shoulder with the world’s best-known wafer cookie
producer and the global market leader in gluten-
free products.
South Tyrolean companies active in the
food and beverage sector
more than 50 employees
less than 50 employees
Source: Bolzano Chamber of Commerce
 1
Fruit Processing
As it does in the agricultural
sector, fruit plays a key role in
South Tyrol’s food processing
industry. VOG Products, one of
Europe’s largest processors of
fruit, is owned by twenty coop-
eratives and four producer
organizations from South Tyrol
and the neighboring Province of
Trento. It is therefore in the
collective hands of over 15,000
fruit growers. The products
manufactured here – juices,
concentrates and flavoring as
well as sliced, cooked, pasteur-
ized and frozen apples – supply
the food industry. The company
sells its own products, including
ready-to-eat apple pieces in
pouches, under the South Tyrol
Quality seal as well.
Processing and Finishing  19
In addition, there are other
companies working in South
Tyrol that have importance
across the whole of Europe.
They source fruit from outside
of the province and process it
here into semi-finished goods
for the European fruit juice,
baby food and food industries.
Hans Zipperle AG, a leader in
the sector, processes about
160,000 metric tons of fruit per
year. In addition, around five
million re-usable bottles of fruit
juices are produced for the
domestic market.
Europe’s leading company in
the production of cooked
­apples, cooked pears and frozen
fruit also comes from South
Tyrol: Fructus Meran. And
Lana-based company Iprona
prepares intermediate products
such as fruit concentrates,
purees, pulp concentrates and
natural dyes.

Apple juice is particularly popu-

lar in South Tyrol. Many farms
produce their own juice and sell
it directly onsite. Together,
eight South Tyrolean producers
make about 580,000 liters of
natural apple juice under the
South Tyrol Quality Seal, with
1.4 kilograms of apples con-
tained in every liter.

Even apple juice manufacturing
can be innovative. Kohl, a com-
pany based at Troidnerhof Farm
at Renon, produces mountain
apple juice according to wine-
making principles: Thomas Kohl
produces varietal juices as well
as “cuvees” for his Gourmet +
2 Säfte (Gourmet + Juice) line:
mountain apple juice mixed
with pear or apricot, for
example.
A young farmer named Stefan
Gruber founded his company,
Alpe Pragas, in Braies (Prags) in
the Pusteria Valley, before he
even attained legal age. It pro-
cesses fruits into preserves,
smoothies and chutneys, in-
cluding the goji berry, which
grows in South Tyrol. Organical-
ly grown dried fruits, mean-
while, can be o­ btained from
Kandlwaalhof Farm in Lasa
(Laas), a village in the Venosta
Valley. Mustard is a specialty of
the farmer, Karl Luggin: he
finishes it with ­Vinschgau apri-
cots or Palabirne pears, herbs,
cider and vinegar. Luggin is also
South Tyrol’s only manufacturer
of organic vinegar.

Alpe Pragas processes fruits into spreads, smoothies and chutneys. Braies (2)

The production hall at Alpe Pragas. Braies (3)

South Tyrol Speck is sold at the Pur Südtirol specialty grocery store. Bolzano (4)

Processing and Finishing  20

Alto Adige Speck

The relationships that South

Tyroleans have with their Speck
ham can sometimes assume a
zeal that is akin to a religion.
The color, the texture, the
proportion of “white” and “red”
parts, the smell, the spices, the
salt content, the maturity peri-
od of five or – perhaps – six
weeks: there are many factors
that go into really good Speck.
Many South Tyroleans obtain
their Speck as a whole haunch
and directly from the farm,
practically taking the secret of
their chosen producer to the
grave.

It is thus unsurprising that

there is a quality seal for Alto
Adige Speck with strictly regu-
lated quality criteria. About 40
percent of the total production
of Speck Alto Adige, which is
more than 2.3 million hams, is
made under the PGI quality
seal. Among the 30 South 4

Tyrolean Speck producers with

quality seals there are eight
industrial manufacturers and
22 small butchers, which pro-
duce for the local market.
Südtiroler Bauernspeck – a
special version of the product
that is sold in selected gourmet
shops – is manufactured by five
companies. Around 30 farmers
fatten nearly 600 pigs for this
production, which must be
carried out in strict accordance
with traditional methods. As a
result of the feeding and the
varying ages of the animals, the
Speck pieces differ in size and
fat content. Depending on the
weight and thickness of the
sections the maturation period
can run up to eight months.

Processing and Finishing  21

 White Gold:
Yoghurt and Mozzarella

In South Tyrol, the processing slightly behind the market

of milk is mainly handled by one leader. Eighty percent of the
of the province’s nine dairy dairy’s production is sold under
processing cooperatives – that its own brand in Italian super-
is, when farmers don’t process markets; the remaining 20 per-
their own milk in their own cent is produced for other
cheese dairies. According to the brands. The Bressanone ­(Brixen)
principle of labor division, each dairy, Brimi, specializes in
dairy cooperative specializes in ­mozzarella cheese, which repre-
certain products. sents 85 percent of its total
production, ranking it fourth
Maximilian Alber, Stefan Zingerle and The focus of the dairy in Vip- among Italy’s largest mozzarella
­Philipp Zingerle iteno (Sterzing) is yoghurt producers.
Start-up entrepreneurs: Hoila Cider production. Sterzing yoghurt is
particularly creamy because a These days South Tyrol produc-
great deal of water is removed. es about 120,000 metric tons
How can it be that South Tyrol produces no cider even With annual sales of nearly of yoghurt every year; of those,
though it cultivates the best apples? In 2010, brothers 77 million euro, the Vipiteno 3,000 are of organic quality.
Philipp and Stefan Zingerle posed this question to their dairy is third overall on the With an annual output of
friend Maximilian Alber. The answer: South Tyrol’s very Italian yoghurt market; for plain 20,000 metric tons (organic:
yoghurt, counting whole and almost 200 t) the second most
first cider, dubbed “Hoila” in reference to a friendly skimmed milk, it ranks just commonly processed product is
greeting in South Tyrolean dialect. The product has cheese – including soft, table
been on the market since May of 2014: this mix of and hard cheeses in addition to
South Tyrolean apple varieties (a bottle contains three mozzarella. Fresh cheeses like
ricotta and mascarpone (about
apples) has a natural alcohol content of 5.5 percent, 7,500 t), cream (2,200 t) and
and has no flavorings and colorings. Experts developed butter (about 3,000 t) follow.
the recipe at the Research Institute of Heriot-Watt
University in Scotland, and the cider is made at a
South Tyrolean wine cellar. Hoila Cider intends to fill
200,000 to 300,000 bottles a year. South Tyrol is
the main market – and Hoila is a statement: “We’re
proud of South Tyrol,” says Philip Zingerle. “Two of
us three are returnees; the other is homesick.”

Processing and Finishing  22

Hops and Malt

Even Empress Sissi is said to

have enjoyed relaxing in the
garden of Forst Brewery, drink-
ing the beer served there dur-
ing a visit to Merano. With
annual production of 700,000
hectoliters and 420 employees,
Forst occupies an important
place on the beer market today:
it has 85 percent of the market
share in South Tyrol and five 6
percent in Italy. Managing
Director Margherita Fuchs von
Mannstein holds the scepter in hops from the cultivation areas Fortezza (Franzensfeste) is the
her hand; her mother Marga- of Hallertau (DE) and Saaz (CZ). only brewery in South Tyrol that
rethe is the president of the The yeast for its beer produc- makes its beer exclusively from
company. Forst sources its tion comes from its own pure organic ingredients. The Batzen
malted barley from Germany, its culture, and the water is Bräu brewpub in Bolzano makes
corn grits from Italy and its sourced from local mountain its Kranewittenbier out of
springs. locally sourced ingredients such
as juniper berries, barley malt,
Several small brewpubs pro- spelt, rock salt and pepper. The
duce specialty beers under the Gassl Bräu tavern in Chiusa
South Tyrol Quality Seal that (Klausen) replaces some of the
strictly regulates the standards malted barley used to make its
of brewed products. AH Bräu in Keschtnbier with chestnut flour.

Production of plain yogurt in one

of the province’s nine dairy-processing
cooperatives.Vipiteno (5)

South Tyrol has several small pub

­breweries that produce specialty beers.
Pictured: brew kettles at Batzen Bräu.
Bolzano (6)

Processing and Finishing  23

Spirits
In addition to wine and beer,
South Tyrol produces hard
liquor that regularly receives
awards. Pircher, a manufacturer
of fine spirits and fruit liqueurs
located in Lana, distills over
25,000 metric tons of fruit
annually. Roner, a company
from Termeno, uses eight kilos
of pears to make one bottle of
its Williams Reserv, which was
named Fruit Distillate of the
Year at the 2014 International
Spirits Competition. It was
Ludwig Psenner’s idea to put a
whole pear inside the bottle; he
founded Psenner Distillery,
which is also headquartered in
Termeno. Even small private
distilleries produce fine spirits,
such as Plonhof Farm in Ter-
meno. A little further north,
in Frangarto near Bolzano,
Walcher Distillery is in its ninth
generation of producing
schnapps, organic distillates
and fine spirits, including South
Tyrolean specialties such as
Latschenspitz (Mountain Pine
Spirit), Zirbenspitz (Swiss Pine
Spirit) and Spargeler (grappa &
asparagus).
Production of traditional South Tyrolean Schüttelbrot,
a flat bread made from rye flour, water, yeast and
a variety of spices. Plazotta Bakery, Appiano (7)
South Tyrolean distillers are
venturing out into new territory
from classics like fruit brandy
and liqueurs. Italy’s only
­whiskey distillery operates in
­Glorenza (Glurns) in the
­Venosta Valley: in early 2012
Puni began distilling the first
Italian whiskeys, using native
crops to do so. Meanwhile,
Zu Plun from Siusi allo Sciliar
(Seis am Schlern) offers the first
rum and gin distilled in the
Dolomite Mountains.
Alexander Agethle
Agronomist and organic farmer who owns Englhorn,
a cheese dairy
At his own dairy on his home farm, Englhof, located
near Malles in the Venosta Valley, agronomist and
organic farmer Alexander Agethle has been producing
three varieties of cheese since 2003: a soft cheese, a
semi-aged cheese for slicing and a hard cheese. These
products have garnered him numerous awards: in fact,
a product made from the raw milk of his twelve
Braunvieh cows was selected as the best cheese in
South Tyrol in 2014. Agethle is currently expanding
production and renovating the old village dairy. He has
found an innovative model for financing the project:
the money that his customers supply for the project
today will be paid back over the next ten years in the
form of cheese. Food sales using vouchers are even
legally regulated; Italian law refers to it as “sale of
future goods.” For voucher customers, the price of the
cheese will be maintained for ten years at 22.70 euro
per kilo.
Processing and Finishing  24
From Grains to Bread

As the result of its long tradi-

tion of farming grains, South
Tyrol has now become an im-
portant center for flour produc-
tion and grain processing. The
Rieper company in Vandoies
(Vintl) produces (along with
feed) high-grade flour made
from wheat, rye, corn, barley,
oats, spelt and buckwheat,
which sells beyond the local
market. The raw materials come
from grain-growing countries
such as Germany, Austria, Italy,
France and the United States.
South Tyrol’s second large flour
producer, Molino Merano (Mer-
aner Mühle), specializes in
organic products as well as
particular grain varieties.
7

Fuchs, meanwhile, is based in

the Venosta Valley town of
Castelbello (Kastelbell) and
grinds flour in its own mill
every day. Breakfast cereals are
the most important product
line above and beyond flour,
grains and seeds. A leader in
catering and organic farming,
Fuchs is currently Italy’s largest
manufacturer of muesli. The
company exports its products
to more than 30 countries,
ranging from Australia to
Iceland.
Alexander Gross worked in
industrial operations for a long
time, and then struck out on a
new path. This master baker,
food technology specialist and
nutritionist now has a business
in Lana that produces whole-
grain pasta and breadsticks
from old varieties of grain such
as emmer and einkorn wheat
under the brand name Pastalpi-
na. Klaus Lantschner of Egger-
hof Farm in Aldein, too, has
successfully filled a niche with
his special pasta creations,
which range from red wine
tagliatelle to nettle fusilli to
blood fettuccine.
Wafer Cookies
Perhaps the South Tyrolean
brand product best known
abroad is the wafer cookie:
Loacker, a manufacturer of
cookies, relies upon unadulter-
ated raw materials such as
Italian hazelnuts, real bourbon
vanilla pods and pure chocolate.
With 700 employees, nearly
23,000 metric tons sold, 669
million units produced and a
turnover of around 283 million
euro, Loacker is one of the
largest food companies in the
region. Its Italian market share
is 60 percent, but the company
is especially active on an inter-
national level. Loacker cookies
are available in over 100 coun-
tries on five continents, with 68
percent of its production being
exported, mainly to the Middle
East and Central Asia. The top
three countries to which Loack-
er exports are Saudi Arabia,
Israel and Libya.

Processing and Finishing  25

 Homemade Coffee Culture
Coffee is consumed in South
Tyrol as it is in Italy: a quick hot
espresso standing at the bar or
a leisurely breakfast cappucci-
no. But when it comes to coffee
8 is made from the hairy lupine, a
9
Processing and Finishing  26
culture, South Tyrol is full of
surprises. In the village of An-
terivo (Altrei) a special local
specialty grows at 1,200 meters
above sea level: Altrei coffee. It
local, blue-blooming lupine
variety that has been cultivated
as a substitute for coffee since
the nineteenth century. The
seeds are dried, roasted, ground
and brewed from a mixture
made with wheat, barley or figs.
Even though one wouldn’t
necessarily connect the pro-
cessing of “real” coffee beans
with South Tyrol, there actually
are coffee-roasting companies
in the province. The family-run
roasting company Schreyögg,
near Merano, has permeated
the air of the old town of Mera-
no with the aroma of coffee
over the course of the last
century; meanwhile the young
company Caroma, owned by
Valentin Hofer of Fiè (Völs),
gets its beans from certified,
sustainable and carefully pro-
cessed agriculture. Kuntrawant
opened in the Venosta Valley
in 2013, and now the coffee-
manufacturing company roasts
small quantities of coffee three
times a week.
Fresh lupin seeds in the pod. Anterivo (8)
Altrei coffee is not made from coffee beans,
but rather from the seeds of bitter blue-lupin.
Anterivo (9)
Frozen Products
Because South Tyrolean food-
stuff is not always produced for
immediate consumption and
often faces long transport
distances for the international
market, some major South
Tyrolean companies have be-
come active in the frozen food
industry.
Pan is a good example. In 1967,
Georg Pan came up with the
idea of making more out of the
apple: he developed the Eu-
rope’s first frozen apple strudel.
Today, 35 kilometers of strudel
leave the plant in Laives (Leif-
ers) near Bolzano every day. The
company also offers frozen
specialties and baked goods,
and has headquarters in Swit-
zerland and the USA in addition
to the main company headquar-
ters. Stefan Pan, president of
South Tyrol’s trade association,
is at the helm of the company
today.
Event
Nutrisan
The goals of this Bolzano trade fair, which focuses on food intolerances and
balanced nutrition, are to impart know-how and to position nutrition skills as
life skills. Together with the Biolife fair for organic products, the last Nutrisan
had 270 exhibitors and recorded 36,600 visitors over the course of three days.
Koch, a frozen food manufactur-
er from Bolzano, initially pro-
duced only South Tyrolean
specialties such as Knödel
dumplings or Schlutzkrapfen
(spinach-filled ravioli). Now the
company is a market leader in
frozen foods such as potato
dumplings, puff pastries and
lasagna pasta strips, which are
exported to twelve countries.
Minus, another Bolzano-based
company, also specializes in
frozen products, offering vege-
tables, mushrooms, fruits,
juices, potatoes and pasta and
supplying leading manufactur-
ers of frozen foods.
Ulrich Ladurner
President of the Dr. Schär group
The world leader in gluten-free products is head­
quartered in Postal (Burgstall), near Merano: Dr. Schär.
The company produces bread, pasta, flour and baking
mixes, snacks, breakfast cereals and frozen products
for consumption by celiac patients. When Ulrich
Ladurner, who was trained as a chemist, entered the
small company in 1980, gluten-free products were just
one segment among many. Realizing that the market
would grow, Ladurner switched his entire production
to gluten-free products a little while later: in coopera-
tion with doctors and celiac associations, a complete
line of gluten-free products came into being for the
first time, under the brand name Schär. Today, Dr. Schär
employs 710 people in 12 offices and recently reached
a sales volume of 230 million euro. The group’s main
markets are Italy, the UK, Germany, France, Spain and
the United States. In Italy, the group covers 45 percent
of the total market for gluten-free products; in Ger-
many the share is about 72 percent.
Processing and Finishing  27
Distribution and Marketing

Pur Südtirol is a specialty market that gives local quality products

a common platform, and now has three branches. Bolzano (1)

Distribution and Marketing  28

The talent that South Tyroleans have for skillfully
creating regional circulation and innovative con-
cepts in marketing strategies is particularly evident
in their product development. As is true in produc-
tion and processing, solidarity also plays an impor-
tant role in marketing: agricultural producers are
organized into cooperatives in order to optimize
manufacturing processes and to establish common
sales and marketing strategies. After all, foodstuffs
are the mainstay of South Tyrol’s external trade: in
2013, food and beverages were in first place, with
almost 700 million euro and thus 18 percent of the
province’s total exports; agricultural products, with origin of raw materials in accordance with zero
615 million euro and a 16 percent share of external mile philosophy, traditional processing and modern
trade, came in third. product image. The elements that engender par-
ticular interest amongst South Tyrolean consumers
In addition to the collaborative efforts in the field – direct sales at the farms themselves and at the
of marketing, there are also individual visionaries weekly farmers’ markets, which are widespread
who have created a brand from their family busi- here not only in rural areas but also in the urban
ness, day job or a good idea. The focus is always centers of Bolzano, Bressanone, Merano, Brunico
on same characteristics: high quality, regional and Laives – have also contributed to the top-
quality image and economic success of South
Tyrolean food products on an international level.

An acute awareness of quality and an appreciation

of local and fresh foods are also reflected in the
local gastronomy sector. Nowhere else will you find
so many traditional restaurants, wine taverns and
gourmet eateries in such a small space – and so few
branches of fast food chains.

Distribution and Marketing  29

 South Tyrol, Dramatically
Staged

A place that would give South Merano, Brunico and Bolzano.

Tyrol’s quality products a com- Local materials such as apple
mon platform had long been and chestnut wood were com-
lacking. That is, up until bined with a contemporary
Günther Hölzl and Ulrich Wall- style for the straightforward
nöfer opened the first Pur interior furnishings of the
Südtirol gourmet market in stores, which were conceptual-
2010. The concept is this: a ized by Merano-born designer
reinterpreted farmers’ market Harry Thaler.
that sells local specialties,
farm-fresh seasonal vegetables,
wine and artisanal goods at
three sites as well as online.
About 170 farmers and 60
artisans, including bakers and
butchers, supply their products
to one of the three stores in

Ulrich Wallnöfer
Founder of the Pur Südtirol gourmet market

For Ulrich Wallnöfer, the strength of South Tyrol’s food

industry lies in its diversity. Niche producers and
industrial food companies exist here side by side. In
addition to the intensive cultivation of apples and
dairy farming there is an enormous potential for
products ranging from vegetables all the way to
alternative farming methods such as permaculture: 2

“The creativity of our farmers livens our world,” says

the business-administration graduate, who returned to
his roots in 2009 after years abroad. South Tyrol’s high
density of leading visionaries also contributes to the
fact that new things are constantly being further
developed: “As these leading personalities open up and
Lüch da Pcëi, a mountain farm, is committed to sustainable business
widen their horizons, South Tyrol will continue to practices and has built its marketing strategy around them.Val Badia (2)
evolve.” Unlimited growth should not be the goal,
Organic products are sold not only in shops, but also at markets.
however, Wallnöfer emphasizes. Farmers’ market in Piazza Walther, Bolzano (3)

Distribution and Marketing  30


Marketing on the Farm
Cheese, yoghurt and other
products such as jams and
honey have been produced on a
mountain farm in San Cassiano
in Val Badia since 2002, and
marketed under the brand Lüch
da Pcëi. The farm is run by a
married couple named Craz-
zolara: Marina is responsible for
customer service and marketing
while her husband, Luca, man-
ages the farm, which has biogas
and photovoltaic systems as
well as around 60 cows. For
their yoghurt and cheese, they
use only farm-fresh milk, which
is rich in omega-3 fatty acids
thanks to a particular kind of
fodder. The Crazzolaras are
dedicated to green energy,
animal welfare and sustainable
production methods and have
made this philosophy the basis
for their clever marketing
c­ oncept, which includes the
packaging of the products,
raising awareness about sus-
tainable economic activity and
charity events related to their
cheeses. Thanks to these deci-
sions, the owners of Lüch da
Pcëi have managed to turn their
farm into a brand.
Distribution and Marketing  31
3
Innovative farmers’ market
Vinschger Bauernladen, a spe-
cialty store in Naturno
(Naturns), has included prod-
ucts from the valley’s farms and
agricultural cooperatives in its
range of goods since 2005.
South Tyrolean mountaineer
Reinhold Messner was helpful
in setting up the enterprise: he
resides in nearby Juval Castle
during the summer and lives in
a self-sufficient way, manufac-
turing all of his own food. The
Vinschger Bauernladen cooper-
ative comprises 90 companies,
12 of which are certified organ-
ic. The goal is to deliver quality
products from selected produc-
ers directly to the end consum-
er, without lengthy intermedi-
ate trade. The line of products
includes 800 different products,
ranging from fresh seasonal
fruits and vegetables, Speck
ham, cheese and bread all the
way to jams, honey, juices,
syrup, herbs and cosmetics.
Home Delivery of Organic Foods
Even those who don’t go shop-
ping can have organic fruit and
vegetables delivered. The
­Biokistl cooperative from
­Lagundo (Algund) was founded
in 1999, based on the idea of
providing fresh and seasonal
products to South Tyrolean
households. From the small
Obsttaschl (bag of fruit) to the
larger Kistl (crate) it offers
subscription models for weekly
deliveries of nearly 1,000 or-
ganic foods and additional
products that serve particular
needs. There is a special assort-
ment for mothers with small
children; immediately edible
fruits, vegetables and finger
food can be delivered directly
to the office.
Fine Dining and
Farmhouse Fare
The South Tyrolean’s love affair
with quality food has allowed
20 top restaurants with a total
of 23 coveted Michelin stars to
come into being within a small
space. These restaurants owe
their success not only to the
imagination of their chefs, who
are almost always local, but also
to the regional products upon
which they rely.
There are 32 South Tyrolean
restaurants that bear the title
Südtiroler Gasthaus (South
Tyrolean Inn). The brand stands
for South Tyrol’s well-main-
Distribution and Marketing  32
tained tavern culture. An inde- the new wine is tasted at these
pendent jury checks the inns taverns, served with homemade
regularly, in accordance with food and chestnuts. The Red
strict quality controls. In these Rooster Quality Seal has been
taverns, Alto Adige wines stand awarded to 41 Buschenschänke,
firmly in the spotlight and high indicating that the majority of
quality and seasonal local pro- the raw ingredients for the
duce are the stars of the show food come directly from the
on the dinner plates. owner’s farm.
In many of South Tyrol’s rural
taverns, called Buschenschänke,
farmers serve up down-home
fare in their wine cellars and
traditional Stube dining parlors.
In autumn, the period in which
Törggelen festivities are held,
 5

Anna Matscher
Mountain Gastronomy Self-Made Star Chef

For years, star chef and author a project called Cook the As a newcomer, gaining a foothold in the male-
Norbert Niederkofler has been ­Mountain, a sort of research
drawing from the abundant
dominated world of top chefs is no easy task. But
workshop built around the
wealth of South Tyrol’s nature: theme of mountain gastronomy. Anna Matscher is a resolute woman. She taught
he sources products for his The Michelin-star chef envi- herself to cook at a high level. Her hard work was
kitchen almost entirely from sions a network that brings rewarded: after ten years, she became the first
farmers and gatherers in the together chefs, farmers,
immediate area. He is known
South Tyrolean woman to earn a Michelin star.
­breeders, ­mountaineers, natu-
for his experimentation with ralists, sociologists and entre- There was a period in which she was deprived of it,
local exotics such as birch bark preneurs from mountain re- but since 2005 Michelin has been among the many
and lingonberries. In order to gions throughout the world. other prestigious food guides that are once again
promote modern, nature-
oriented cuisine, he launched
satisfied with the Zum Löwen restaurant in Tesimo
(Tisens). Like the South Tyrolean food world, Anna
Matscher’s cooking is a fusion of northern tradition
and Mediterranean creativity, flavored with herbs
from a garden that she created herself. Where
Preparation of traditional Schlutzkrapfen ravioli at Baumannhof,
one of South Tyrol’s many rural taverns. Signato (4) possible she uses South Tyrolean products, and
she passes on her hard-won knowledge by giving
High-quality local foodstuffs are needed in the fine dining sector.
Pictured: char with vegetables and herbs. Zum Löwen restaurant, Tesimo (5) cooking classes.

Distribution and Marketing  33

Distribution and Marketing  34
 Out Into the World

The food industry’s importance for South Tyrol’s economy is

particularly evident when one considers that nine companies from
the sector are among the 20 largest companies in South Tyrol.

The same goes for external trade. Nine of South Tyrol’s 25 most
important export products are either directly or indirectly related
to the food sector. This is the ranking:

Apples and pears

Parts and accessories for tractors and

transportation vehicles

Bread and pastries

Wine

Fruit juices, including grape must

Lifting, handling and loading machines

and devices

Fruit, nuts and other plant-based foods

Meat

Cheese and dairy products

Together, these products amount to 36.6% of

South Tyrol’s overall external trade.
Source: ASTAT

Distribution and Marketing  35

 Food Research
and Development

In addition to foods that have a long history of

being cultivated and processed, many innova-
tions and new concepts for food production,
storage and processing have originated in South
Tyrol.

Various research facilities and academic institu-

tions with local and international staff conduct
research in the food sector, develop new prod-
ucts, offer advice and services to domestic and
foreign companies, and participate in collabora-
tions with Italian and Austrian universities and
research institutes. Their primary goal is to
encourage an exchange of know-how between
research and the food industry.

South Tyrolean companies and the public

administration alike are keenly interested in
advancing research in the food sector. In the
years to come, South Tyrol will develop even
further as a center for expertise and excellence
in food research and agricultural technologies.
The substantive and territorial conditions for
doing this are already in place; the infrastructure
necessary will follow with the new technology
park in Bolzano, where researchers and entre-
preneurs will work together on developing the
future, including in the food sector.

Chemical analyses in the laboratories of Laimburg Research Centre for

Agriculture and Forestry. Ora (1)

Agricultural technology made in South Tyrol is highly sought after worldwide.

Pictured: machine tests at Laimburg Research Centre. Ora (2)
1

Food Research and Development  36


Machinery and
Agricultural Technology
Agricultural know-how has a
long tradition in the once-poor
rural province of South Tyrol.
The experience and ingenuity of
the farmers have led to made in
South Tyrol agricultural technol-
ogy that is now sought after
worldwide.
Some South Tyrol companies
are experts in fruit-growing
technology: the Lana-based
Bermartec has developed envi-
ronmentally friendly lifting
platforms and harvesting equip-
ment since 1996 under the
brand name Knecht, and the
three-man company Silver Bull
is focusing on innovative har-
vesting systems with appealing
design.
2
Geier, which manufactures
caterpillar vehicles customiza-
ble for extreme hillside loca-
tions and steep sites, is another
company that is internationally
known. The Seppi M. Company,
which was founded in 1939 and
is based in Caldaro, is also well
known as a pioneer in mulching
technology: around 75 percent
of its mulching, milling and
stone-crushing machines, which
are used in agriculture and
forestry, are exported abroad.
The young company Frutop,
based in Terlano, has success-
fully dedicated itself to fighting
against weather damage in the
agricultural sector: it has done
this not only through its inno-
vative hail-protection systems
but also through solar and wind
protection and consulting
services for farmers.
Food Research and Development  37
Laimburg Research Centre for
Agriculture and Forestry
Laimburg Research Centre for
Agriculture and Forestry is
South Tyrol’s leading institute
for research in the field of
agriculture. During the 40 years
of its existence, Laimburg has
evolved into an internationally
recognized reference center.
The institute’s fields of work
include all areas of agriculture:
fruit cultivation and viticulture,
enology, cultivation of berries,
stone fruit, vegetables and
herbs as well as mountain
farming. Its research is not
limited to cultivation itself, but
also addresses post-harvest
technology. Laimburg plays a
leading role globally, especially
in the area of fruit storage:
here, experts conduct research
on temperature control, shelf
life and storage atmosphere.
Using state-of-the-art methods
of chemical analysis and
through sensory analysis, the
researchers at Laimburg check
the quality and components of
foodstuffs. This laboratory
research is an important start-
ing point for the maintenance
and further quality improve-
ment of food produced in South
Tyrol, as well as for the develop-
ment of innovative products.
Laimburg Research Centre
plans on expanding its exper-
tise and support product inno-
vation in food manufacturing
through the food-science sec-
tion of South Tyrol’s new tech-
nology park. Research focuses
on food quality, food safety,
food processing technology and
the authentication of origin for
typical South Tyrolean
foodstuffs.
 Professional Training
Agriculturally oriented educa-
tion is of particular importance
in South Tyrol. It is available at
several vocational schools – for
fruit cultivation, viticulture and
horticulture, for agriculture and
forestry, for agriculture and
home economics and at the
agricultural high school in Auer,
where students graduate after
attending a five-year program.
At the Faculty of Science and
Technology of the trilingual
Free University of Bolzano,
students can earn a bachelor’s
degree in Agricultural and
Michael Oberhuber
Agro-Environmental Science, a
Director of Laimburg Research Centre master’s degree in International
for Agriculture and Forestry Horticultural Science, a mas-
ter’s degree in Environmental
Management of Mountain
“In South Tyrol research and development is in the
Areas or a PhD in Mountain
initial stages, and not only in food technology,” says Environment and Agriculture.
Michael Oberhuber, director of Laimburg since 2009. Research is conducted in the
That’s because many of the province’s research institu- field of innovation for agricul-
tural machinery, for example.
tions are still young. According to Oberhuber, the
entire food industry needs what Laimburg has succee-
ded in doing for the field of primary agricultural
production: “The credibility of South Tyrolean products
should be based in science.”
“In South Tyrol there is also the opportunity to link
food production closely to the region and to tourism,”
says Oberhuber. The director of Laimburg studied
chemistry at the University of Innsbruck and comple-
ted a research doctorate in organic chemistry. He then
conducted two and a half years of research at Scripps
Institute in California, one of the largest private
biomedical research organizations in the world. He
subsequently worked in Austria in the biotechnology
and pharmaceutical industries.
Food Research and Development  38
Advice Needed
In addition to the food technol-
ogy professors at the University
of Bolzano, businesses and
research institutions can also
fall back on the knowledge of
local food-technology special-
ists. These experts assist in the
development of an idea, all the
way to finished product. De-
greed master brewer and bever-
age technology specialist Hans-
peter Alber from Tsuum Servic-
es, a company located at the TIS
Innovation Park in Bolzano,
works mainly for the German
market and specializes in the
processing of fruits and vegeta-
bles; he is highly sought after in
the beverage industry.
Zuegg Consulting, based in
Lana, has 25 years of experi-
ence and assists companies
with product development, the
provision of storage life data
and the implementation of
hygiene guidelines. The main
focus is on dairy, fruit and
vegetable processing. And Otto
Unterholzner of the Merano-
based Food Industry Consulting
advises his clients in the areas
of food law, product develop-
ment, hygiene, and quality
management.

Well Cooled is Half the Battle
The idea of selling traditional
South Tyrolean dishes that can
be prepared quickly, are attrac-
tively packaged and taste deli-
cious came from the manage-
ment of Alpeker. The company,
which is based in Lana, wanted
to offer traditional dishes –
ranging from appetizers to main
dishes with sides to desserts –
as frozen products. The Alpeker
team went in search of manu-
facturing partners and, with the
Production of frozen South Tyrolean tradition dishes: apple strudel from Pan,
Speckknödel dumplings and Spätzle from Koch. Bolzano (3)
3
TIS innovation park
The Cluster Alimentaris was
founded in 2009 at TIS innova-
tion park in Bolzano in order to
help of the Cluster Alimentaris ease the road to innovation for
at TIS, found Gustoalpin, a South Tyrolean companies in
company based in Sesto the food sector. The institution
­(Sexten) which manufactures advises companies, facilitates
Knödel dumplings and stuffed contacts with experts and
pasta, and Eisenstecken Bakery organizes training courses,
from Caldaro. Today the A
­ lpeker including those on topics such
brand is present in major as marketing and target groups.
Italian supermarket chains like The network deals with two
Carrefour, Sma and Conad. focal points: the first is product
development with local raw
materials, because the origin
of ingredients is becoming
increasingly important in the
food industry. The second is
food packaging, which plays a
major role in determining
­durability, environmental
friendliness and sustainability.
With its Cluster Alimentaris,
TIS will be an integral part of
the Food technology research
section in Bolzano’s soon-to-
be-opened technology park,
creating a network between
companies active in the food
sector and guiding them in their
innovation process.
Food Research and Development  39
NOI Techpark

Because 94 percent of South South Tyrolean companies. So

Tyrolean foodstuff companies
are small businesses with fewer
than 50 employees, their re-
search and development op-
tions are limited. In order to
promote innovation within the
food sector as well as in other
fields of excellence within
South Tyrol, a technology park,
NOI Techpark Südtirol/Alto
Adige, is being built in Bolzano’s
industrial area. The intended
main research focuses on Al-
pine technology, renewable
energy and energy efficiency,
food technology and automa-
tion as a cross-discipline.
The technology park also allows
South Tyrol’s various research
and innovation facilities to
come together into the same
space and to pool their exper-
tise. They are going to work
closely not only with one an-
other, but also with innovative
the technology park, like a think
tank, can contribute significant-
ly to scientific and technologi-
cal innovation and to the ex-
change of knowledge within the
province.
It will primarily be Laimburg
Research Centre, the University
of Bolzano and Eco-Research
laboratory that will conduct
research together in the Food
technology section of the tech-
nology park. Studies will focus
mainly around the processing
and certification of food: poten-
tial research fields include
improving recipes, novel ingre-
dients for food and scientific
ways to certify the origin of
typical South Tyrolean food-
stuffs. The findings are planned
to undergo practical tests
through micro-pilot systems at
the technology park. The Food
technology section will also
1
provide various services for
companies working in the
sector.
The three core fields of the
technology park’s Food technol-
ogy section are:
1) Food quality and food safety
2) Food-processing technology,
e.g. pilot facilities for meat
and Speck processing
3) Authenticating the origin of
typical South Tyrolean food
In order to achieve these ambi-
tious goals, the research capaci-
ty of the food-sciences field will
be increased – through invest-
ing in infrastructure, the inclu-
sion of academic personnel and
the training of the next genera-
tion of researchers, for
example.
The food technology area is
currently in a three-year build-
up phase. By the time it is
completed, all laboratories
should have begun their re-
search activities, with the first
young scientists having been
trained and collaboration with
businesses and technology
transfer having been set up.

Substation house of the former Alumix Factory in

Bolzano, where the new technology park is being built. (1)

Research institutions and innovative South Tyrol

companies come together at NOI Techpark Südtirol/
Alto Adige. (2)
2

NOI Techpark  40
Networks & Partners
in South Tyrol
Laimburg Research Centre for
• 
Agriculture and Forestry: the
goal of this research instituti-
on with an international
network is to increase the
competitiveness and sustai-
nability of agriculture in
South Tyrol. The focal areas of
its activity are plant health
and plant quality, biodiversity
of species and agro-biodiver-
sity, and high mountain
farming.
p www.laimburg.it
TIS innovation park: the TIS
• 
innovation park is a center
and catalyst for innovation,
cooperation and the transfer
of technology. Within its
Food & Health area, the
Cluster Alimentaris was
­created as a network for the
foodstuffs sector. In 2015,
Alimentaris launched a web
portal for the South Tyrolean
food sector, www.food.bz.it.
p www.tis.bz.it
Free University of Bolzano:
• 
this trilingual university is an
important pool for qualified
personnel. Research into
agriculture and food-technol-
ogy is mainly carried out at
the Faculty of Science and
Technology. The other depart-
ments are: Economics and
Management, Computer
Science, Educational Sciences
and Design and Art.
p www.unibz.it
• Bolzano Trade Fair: the
­exhibition space for the en-
tire Alpine area positions
itself as the most important
networking forum between
companies from the Ger-
man-speaking countries and
Italy. In terms of content, the
trade fairs and exhibitions
focus on economic themes
that are relevant in the Alpine
countries.
p www.messebozen.it
• Bolzano Chamber of
Commerce: the autonomous
statutory body under public
law represents the interests
of the economy, carries out
economic research and pro-
vides funding services and
services for local businesses.
This includes areas such as
continuing education, forma-
tion of enterprises, corporate
succession, sales promotion,
innovation service and the
court of arbitration. The
Chamber of Commerce also
has official responsibilities
such as maintaining the
commercial register, register-
ing patents and trademarks
and issuing the foreign trade
documents.
p www.handelskammer.bz.it
Networks & Partners in South Tyrol  41
Business Location Südtirol –
Alto Adige (BLS)
• Export Organization South South Tyrol’s location-develop-
Tyrol (EOS): EOS supports ment agency advises companies
South Tyrolean businesses from home and abroad regar-
by promoting their export ding all location issues, looks
ambitions. The private-sector for suitable commercial sites
specialist department of the and premises for them, and
Bolzano Chamber of Com- connects them with organiza-
merce assists South Tyrolean tions, service structures and
companies with sales promo- trade associations.
tion for their products and p www.bls.info
organizes marketing cam-
paigns for products produced
under the South Tyrol Seal
of Quality.
p www.eos-export.org
• European Academy (EURAC):
researchers from across
Europe and the world work at
this research and education
center, which was founded in
1992, in the fields of Autono-
mies, Mountains, Health and
Technologies.
p www.eurac.edu
Publishing Details

© Business Location
Südtirol · Alto Adige
Bolzano 2015

Concept:
Business Location
Südtirol · Alto Adige

Art Concept:
Studio Lupo & Burtscher,
CH Studio

Photography:
Gregor Khuen Belasi
p www.gregor-khuen-belasi.com
Pan Surgelati Srl, Koch Snc (39)

Illustrations (10-11, 34-35):

Philipp Putzer
p www.farbfabrik.it

Cover photo:
Vineyard with dry-stone walls near
Bressanone
Photographer: Gregor Khuen Belasi

Project Coordination, Translation,

Copy Editing, Proofreading:
Ex Libris Cooperative
p www.exlibris.bz.it

Research and Editing:

Barbara Bachmann /
Ex Libris Cooperative

Printing:
Longo, Print and Communication
Printed in Italy
Business Location
Südtirol · Alto Adige

Passaggio Duomo, 15
39100 Bolzano
Italy

T +39 0471 066 600

F +39 0471 062 852

www.bls.info
service@bls.info
 Südtirol
—
Lebensmitteltechnologien
—