The frisch-saftig-steirisch Product Groups


The success of OPST Obst Partner Steiermark GmbH is sustained by the customers’ daily "supermarket vote” as well as by the national and international certifications – e.g. GLOBALGAP, ISO 9001:2008, AMA Gütesiegel Österreich, etc.

The company is founded on an innovative market-led product policy and the highest possible quality assurance.

The key issues of the OPST Obst Partner Steiermark GmbH product policy are:
  • uniform variety policy, variety development
  • uniform quality standards, uniform production guidelines
  • comprehensive quality management (GLOBALGAP, ISO 9001:2008, etc.)
  • established harvesting guidelines
  • clearly defined acceptance and storage criteria
  • uniform specifications for storage, sorting, packaging
  • thorough acceptance and dispatch controls

APPLE


With "frisch-saftig-steirisch” apples the consumer is spoilt for choice, as the range of offer is wide and diverse.

New varieties, under consideration for planting in Styria, undergo a four-year probation period. During this time each new variety is tested on all relevant criteria regarding production, storage and marketing.

At the moment the market is shared by Golden Delicious, Braeburn, Gala, Jonagold, Idared, Elstar, Arlet, Kronprinz Rudolf as well as the two new varieties Evelina and Fuji.


Pear


The pear (Lat. Pyrus communis) belongs to the rose family. Due to the strong emphasis on apple production, pear-growing in Styria has declined in recent years.

Individual quality projects in the retail food sector are expected to be an incentive to plant new pear orchards. South-eastern Styria offers the best conditions with its deep, humus-rich, sandy clay soil.

The warm climate there is responsible for the delicate flavour of the dessert pears, which can only be of high quality when the months before the harvest are very warm.

Additionally, careful selection of the varieties and the plants guarantees high quality, tasty pears.

Pear orchards are usually set up in single rows. The orchards are lovingly cared for by the fruit growers all year round and are a part of the unique landscape of southern, eastern and western Styria.

The most important varieties are:

Williams Christ
  • Origin: seedling discovered by chance in Aldermaston (England) in 1770
  • Fruit: medium to large, lightbulb to bell shaped with a smooth, slightly bumpy peel, green to golden yellow in colour
  • Flavour: very juicy and tasty, sweet/tangy dessert pear with an individual, noble aroma
  • Ripening period: mid-August
  • Selling season: August to November
  • Recommendation: excellent dessert, preserving and distilling pear

Kaiser Alexander (Bosc's Pear)
  • Origin: seedling discovered by chance in Apremont (France) in 1793 and spread from the beginning of the 19th century as Kaiser Alexander
  • Fruit: medium sized, club to bottle shaped, often fat fruit with a greeny-yellow skin, typically with brown freckles
  • Flavour: half melting, fine grain, juicy fruit with a pleasant sweet, tangy flavour
  • Ripening period: beginning to mid-September
  • Selling season: until February
  • Recommendation: excellent dessert fruit 

DAMSON PLUM 


The original homeland of the damson is the Near East. Distributed by the Romans to northern Europe, it is cultivated all over the world these days.
Over the years an innumerable amount of hybrids have evolved.

The damson (P. domestica subsp. Domestica) belongs to the rose family and is a subspecies of the plum.
In contrast to the true plum the damson is oval, is always dark blue and is easily detached from the stone.

The flavonoid cyanidin in the skin is responsible for the damson’s typical blue colour - the location and the climate are decisive for size and flavour.

The most important Styrian varieties: Cacak’s Schöne, JoJo, Top Hit.

ORGANIC PRODUCTS


In response to requests from many consumer and food traders, OPST GmbH began the production and marketing of organic apples in 2004.

Every year Austria’s organic farmers harvest roughly 13,000 tons of organic apples and pears. Thanks to the optimal climate and the fertile soil the organic apples taste particularly good. Organic farming is time and effort intensive, because weed control and plant care take up more time. Inner conviction and special knowledge make it possible for organic farmers to succeed in producing excellent organic fruit every year. State accredited control agencies guarantee continuous controls in the whole production process.

Fruit growers who have chosen organic growth methods use natural soil and materials. That means, for example, that they only use organic fertilizer and biological pest control. Variety counts in nature and in cultivation – which is why Austria’s organic farmers have developed a wide selection of different varieties.


Organic Apple

In the production of organic apples, the Austrian organic apple growers concentrate on the varieties Topaz, Gala, Braeburn, Pinova, Elstar, Kronprinz Rudolf, Jonagold, Golden Del. and Arlet. The organic apple assortment ranges from "fruity-sweet” to "delicately sour”.


Organic Pear

Organic pear growers have been able to produce excellent quality and tasty products by planting the Uta variety and by working steadily over the years.

The Uta pear variety stands out due to its excellent flavour. It is juicy but firm, velvety smooth and has a strong, pleasant flavour.

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