In Slovakia, we have a number of local producers who have decided to take a difficult, but honest path in business. Their products are local and meet the strictest standards. Not because any guidelines dictate it, but because they believe it is the only way to win customer loyalty and at the end of the day be a proud local business.
This is exactly the case of the popular Jablčnô brand, which has not always had it easy on our market, but has managed to hold its own. It has won an award at the internationally renowned Great Taste Awards in London, where Jablčnô has made an excellent name for Slovakia.
The key to success is quality raw material
Unfortunately, the current market situation is such that it is much more economically advantageous for producers to buy raw materials from abroad and not have to "toil" in the orchards or fields. However, this is not the case Apple. As the name suggests, the alpha and omega of the brand are apples and apple juice. It comes from their own apple orchards, which are located in southern Slovakia, in Kravany nad Dunajom.
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"Thanks to the fact that we have our own orchards, we can supervise the apple growing process and rely on the quality of the apples. If you have the 100%-advantage of not knowing your raw material, it's both reassuring and more economical. We grow, process, mix the drinks, bottle, distribute and sell. This gives the customer confidence in our brand, as they can see that we have no reason to hide anything," says Matúš Fürek, the man behind the Jablčnô brand.
In these orchards, apples are also grown in a strict regime, the so-called Integrated Production, where a fundamentally lower amount of chemical means is used for their cultivation than in the classical conventional type, a precursor to organic production.
Building immunity with apples
Especially nowadays, it is extremely important to take care of your immunity. It is a pity, therefore, that many of us have no idea what is really in the fruit that is so close to our country. Apples are simply a vitamin bomb. This is confirmed by the Jablčnô team, who are real apple pickers. They process the apples gently so that the maximum amount of vitamins, minerals and other health-giving substances are preserved in the final product.
Source: unsplash
"It's common knowledge that if you eat one apple a day, you won't need a doctor. There is a reason for this, of course, and we now know that an apple, for example, has 13 different kinds of vitamins. Vitamin C stands out the most, which helps significantly in building our bodies' immunity. It also contains a wide range of minerals and trace elements. Interestingly, some apples contain over 80 % of water, which is ideal to supplement your daily drinking regime. Also, apples are rich in fibre, which is extremely important for our digestive tract and helps keep our digestion in good shape," He says.
Jablčnô portfolio beverages are made with apples, which as standard contain vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, E, K; folic acid and pantothenic acid, as well as minerals and other health benefits such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron, manganese, fluoride, lutein, Omega 3 acids, Omega 6 acids and beta-carotene.
When you don't do things like the majority, a uniqueness is created
Jablčnô is one of the few producers to use 100% apple juice, not concentrate. This is a crucial aspect, but what does it mean for the customer?
"Drinks from concentrates now represent the majority of the market and there are reasons for this. For a better understanding it is necessary to explain what a concentrate actually is. The production process involves, firstly, squeezing the fruit to produce fresh juice. This is then heated up to 110°C and about 80 % of water is evaporated. The resulting raw material is then frozen and distributed around the world," describes Matthew.
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This is particularly advantageous from a logistical and economic point of view, as only ⅕ of the volume needs to be transported, which saves costs considerably. The concentrate is then diluted again with drinking water at the final processor and possibly enriched with vitamins and other substances, such as preservatives. However, the resulting product is usually depleted of the original natural vitamins, minerals, enzymes and other health-promoting substances.
"To summarise, concentrate is very far from the quality and especially the nutrient content of fresh juice and therefore its use in our products is taboo for us. The final effect for our customer is that he buys a drink whose main raw material (apple juice) was produced in southern Slovakia, the apples were ripened in the sun and had enough time to ripen," he explains.
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Jablčnô even adds herbs from the meadows of eastern Slovakia or other local ingredients to their drinks. Although people today are used to products with a lot of added sugar and preservatives, you'd be hard pressed to find them in the case of Jablčnô.
They turned a problem into a competitive advantage
A lot of food in today's stores is literally made like cars in a factory. Stenciled taste, every batch is the same to a hair's breadth. In many businesses, this is the tried and true way, but Jablčnô didn't go that way. "Just as a carpenter doesn't know what the wood grain will look like, we can't guarantee the taste of apples for 100 %," says Matthew.
He points out that the final taste of apples is influenced by a number of factors beyond the control of man. From the number of days of sunshine a year, to the average temperature, to the soil in which the apple tree is planted.
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"The question is whether we look at it as a handicap or a benefit. We see it as the latter. If the customer sees and feels that the taste of Jablčnô is not always absolutely the same, they have direct proof that it is a natural drink. Because when you use artificials, it is not a problem to guarantee complete identity of taste, but the subsequent effect on the organism itself is questionable."
The important thing is to make a decision and then go after it stubbornly
Today, the Jablčnô team brings a piece of our nature in liquid form to many shops and cafés. From a business point of view, many might wonder when the brand will 'cast its nets' and give other fruits a chance in its portfolio. After all, so do others. However, Matthew and his team are clear about this.
source:Jablčnô/ Veve´s cafeteria
"There was a period that we considered other fruits but we have cured ourselves of that speculation. Since we are aware that we cannot be the best at everything, we had to choose one direction clearly. We are directing all our creative and professional efforts to apples and trying to maximize our knowledge and ability to work with them. This is the only way we can aspire to be the best in the business and represent a stable partner for the customer to have confidence in." he adds.
