Holderhof focuses on direct juice

The dimensions are gigantic: 100 chrome steel tanks with a capacity of 100,000 litres each will be available for the storage of fruit juices in the new fruit processing centre in Sulgen. But why do we need so many tanks? In contrast to most of the large producers of cider in Switzerland, Holderhof Produkte AG is fully committed to the production of direct juice from apples. This requires more space than concentrate, where a large part of the liquid is extracted before it is stored. Small cider producers and direct marketers have known for a long time that directly pressed apple juice is extremely popular with people. Holderhof founder Christof Schenk is also convinced that sales are shifting more and more in the direction of direct juice. In a survey conducted by the Association of the German Fruit Juice Industry, about two-thirds of the customers said that they attach importance to the fact that it is a direct juice when they buy it and are prepared to pay a little more for it.

Sophisticated pressing process

But how do the apples come into the tank as juice? Several processing steps are necessary. When the cider apples are delivered to Sulgen, the farmer first dumps the load into one of the four silos. From there they float in the cleansing water through the flume via a sieve and a lift to the sorting table. Bad fruit is sorted out there. Only the best quality finally reaches the mill, which grinds the apples into a liquid mass with coarse pieces, the mash. Via pumps, this mash comes to one of the two industrial presses, where the raw juice is pressed out of the fruit flesh under high pressure. The pomace that remains here can be used as animal feed. In the centrifuge, the juice is separated from the coarse components and from there it goes temporarily into the clear juice tank. Because the apple juice still contains fine fruit parts, it is still considered cloudy, which gives it a more intense flavour. After pasteurisation to a temperature of over 90 degrees, it remains preserved and can now be stored for several months.

Direct juice on demand

The cloudy direct juice stored in the large tanks can be extracted as required and used in the various products of Holderhof Produkte AG, or sold on to other beverage producers. Ideally, this should always be done in as natural a form as possible so that as many vitamins and ingredients as possible are retained. For use as clear juice without fruit components ¬- for example in apple spritzer -, the juice also passes through an ultrafiltration plant. In the fruit processing centre, Holderhof Produkte AG also processes sweeter dessert apple or high-stem varieties in addition to the often somewhat sourer cider apples. The aim is to make the best possible use of apples, a typical resource in Swiss agriculture. No apple should remain hanging unused on the tree, as has unfortunately been the case more and more often in recent years. With fair purchase conditions and long-term contracts, the Holderhof offers fruit producers in the region good prospects. Interested farmers are welcome to contact us.

Unloading the cider apples into one of the four silos.