The Consortium of Fruit and Vegetable Cooperatives of South Tyrol (VOG) has reported an increase in demand for pre-packaged products in European markets.

VOG CEO Walter Pardatscher (pictured) said the consortium's long-standing strategy of diversifying its sales markets had been beneficial, especially during Covid-19.

"[The coronavirus] has certainly confirmed our belief that shopping habits can change, and sometimes very quickly," Pardatscher said.

The buying habits Pardatscher refers to include an increase in online sales and home delivery of fruits and vegetables, which were previously unknown in Europe, as well as a preference for pre-packaged items.

"For companies, the ability to listen to markets and react quickly is proving to be essential," said Pardatscher.

“However, we must not lose sight of our medium and long-term goals. For VOG, the pre-packaged product represents an average of 25 percent (of production), "he added.

“Our innovation team is working on the possibility of increasing this percentage of participation. We are evaluating the scenarios to make sure we are ready, but we will have to wait for the next few months to see which trends stabilize and become permanent and which turn out to be only transitory. This is another case where balance is important. "

In early April, the VOG consortium reported that its stocks fell 25 percent compared to the same period last year.

"Market demand is still strong today, and we will have to plan our sales carefully in the coming months to meet the needs of our customers through the summer," added Pardatscher.