Edeka has begun the construction of a new banana ripening facility in Borna, Saxony.
Around 286 million bananas a year (2.6 million containers) will be ripened at the new site, which is due for completion in the third quarter of 2017,before being delivered to Edeka and Netto warehouses in eastern Germany.
The Edeka group is investing around €7m in the site, which features 38 ripening chambers measuring 90x45m each. The fruit will be ripened within around five days under controlled conditions and between ten and fourteen jobs will be created through the investment, the company announced in a press release.
With the new ripening facility, Edeka will ensure the efficient supply of high quality bananas to its regional retailers. The bananas, grown in Central and South America, will be shipped, still green, to Europe before they are transported to Borna from ports in Hamburg, Rotterdam and Antwerp for ripening.
The site’s energy management system will comply with the ISO 50001 certification framework, which sets out international standards for efficient energy use. Solar panels will be erected on the roof of the facility, which will also include a gas-powered thermal power station with a cooling area.
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