QS-Report-OGK-1-2020-EN-Gesamt-FB-1

QS-Report Fruit, Vegetables, Potatoes | Issue May 2020 QS-Report Fruit, Vegetables, Potatoes Scheme participant portrait – La Unión Corp. La Unión Corp. is a global leader in the export of cucumbers. The family business has been a QS scheme participant since the beginning of 2016 and cultivates and exports not only cucumbers but also tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, zucchini, beans, melons and watermelons. Recently they have further expanded their production to include fruits from the tropical coast of Granada (avocados, papayas, medlars and cream apples). More than 70% of their production is exported to the European market. The company employs around 1,500 people at 25 locations between Almería and Granada in southern Spain. The fruit and vegetables are grown all year round by experienced, qualified producers pursuant to the highest quality and food safety standards such as QS. María Martín, Quality Manager at La Unión, talks in detail about the company‘s quality philosophy in an interview. WHAT ARE THE SPECIAL FEATURES OF YOUR COMPANY, WHAT ARE YOU PARTICULARLY PROUD OF? Martín: Quality and food safety are central con- cerns of La Unión, which is also what our customers value most. Our customer-focused work approach is further enhanced by our own laboratory, which enables us to carry out a wide range of analyses from production and marketing to the final con- sumer. Soil, water and product samples are col- lected on a regular basis. The laboratory enables us to perform more than 64,000 analyses per year. QS interviews María Martín WHAT ARE THE MAIN AREAS OF FOCUS IN QUALITY ASSURANCE? Martín: We are constantly working on the continuous optimisation of all of our processes. We also keep all market partners informed of the results of our soil, water and prod- uct analyses. As such, this enables us to position ourselves on the market as a fruit and vegetable company with its own laboratories and the ability to provide analysis results in less than twenty-four hours. FOR US, QUALITY AND SAFETY MEANS ... Martín: For us, quality and food saf e t y ar e insepar able . T he demand for food safety encom- passes all production processes throughout the entire value chain. It is our firm belief that the qual- ity of fruit and vegetables at La Unión Corp. is not only reflected in their taste, but also in the traceability that guarantees each of the food products we market. WHY DO YOU THINK IT IS IMPOR- TANT FOR COMPANIES TO HAVE A QS CERTIFICATION MARK? Martín: For us, standardization and food safety are intertwined. We therefore constantly pursue standardized processes in qual- ity management, in food safety and in dealing with legal require- ments. For us, QS also means recognition of our daily work, in which all divisions always work together. QS helps us to in­ corporate this daily work into traceabilit y systems and trans- parent processes, thus achieving our goal of being one of the safest fruit and vegetable producers in Europe. María Martín, Quality Manager at La Unión Corp. (Source: La Unión Corp.) The laboratory of La Unión Corp. has had a QS approval for over a year (source: La Unión Corp.) In the QS scheme, existing eligibilities of delivery for all QS certified locations are currently being automatically extended by two months. QS recommends its scheme participants to refrain from all QS audits for the time being. The current regulations of recognized standards on the corona crisis are accepted by QS. With its high degree of flexibility on the one hand and proven routines in hygiene and quality assurance on the other, the fruit, vegetable and potato sector is bravely weathering the corona crisis. Based on this, producers and companies are ramping up protection against infection on an ad hoc basis under extreme conditions, directing seasonal workers from outside the industry as quickly as possible and communicat- ing the decisive quality and hygiene standards. Espe- cially now, the sector is showing that, on the basis of joint quality assurance, it also functions well in times of crisis.