A SLICE OF SICILIY
OP Esperidio Soc. Coop. is an organization of 70 Sicilian producers operating in the production, marketing and distribution of citrus fruit on the national and international territory. Our company was born many years ago in Palagonia, a town on the slopes of Etna, and boasts 1100 hectares of land quite fertile for lemons and oranges, especially for the red pulp category which includes tarocco, moro and sanguinello recognized and IGP certified.
Our mission has always been to provide a genuine and high quality product to our customers; in fact, the farmers of our group scrupulously carry out all the production processes basing their choices on an environmentally friendly policy.
We do the same in the warehouse for the packaging processes and for the realization of the packaging, designed to guarantee the long conservation of citrus fruits as well as their safety in transport, both for short and long distances.
RESPECT FOR NATURE, RESPECT FOR ALL
Another value on which we base our work is respect for our collaborators; therefore, the company undertakes to ensure working conditions in compliance with the canons of the laws provided for by national regulations and the conventions of the International Labor Organization.
Currently, the management of the company is entrusted to Mr. Lino Catena, who works with a team full of professionals of various kinds, namely: agronomists, farmers, marketing experts, consultants for sales, packaging and human resources, who work every day to perfect all aspects of the production and traceability of oranges and lemons.
In this regard, it is guaranteed by an advanced traceability system that starts from the collection, labeling the product, and allows the end customer to know the whole history of that lot.
Furthermore, before shipping, our citrus fruits are subjected to organoleptic analyzes carried out in the laboratory, which calculate the degree of acidity and brix of the product.
If the ripening index does not exceed the established standards, the product will not be harvested.
+ SUSTAINABILITY
+ QUALITY
In January 2016, we implemented and certified
a Quality Management System necessary to make the most of resources, to always improve the efficiency and effectiveness of processes and to better satisfy customers.
We have obtained the GlobalGap certification for oranges, lemons and mandarins; GRASP, IFS, BRS and IGP Arancia Rossa di Sicilia and from December 2019 we have been certified organic
Furthermore, the company has not only joined the SAI Platform, but has also achieved the FSA Silver level on the production of oranges, lemons and mandarins.
SAI Platform is one of the main global initiatives of the agri-food supply chain for sustainable agriculture, while the Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) is a sustainability verification scheme, with which each company can evaluate the performance of its sustainable practices and have it verified by a third party through an audit.
Our Quality Management System, in addition to dealing with all the processes identified within the company, is closely linked to the production and Integrated Production Regulations (IPR). It is a heavy commitment for the company to comply with the strict limits of the IPR; in fact, it provides:
✓ Residual limits equal to 50% of the RMAs allowed by law;
✓ Qualified technicians who manage the productions.
The sample to be analyzed is always taken from the farm through the formation of an elementary sample, a global sample, and a final sample and the laboratories supported by the company are all qualified and accredited by ACCREDIA.
Therefore, from what can be deduced, our company is based on precise values in order to produce quality oranges and lemons, which satisfy the customer chains that are part of the large-scale retail trade and the palates of consumers, because our health depends on what we eat.
