Fructal icons to grow up by many Slovenes
For 80 years, a special story has been written in Ajdovščina, which is deeply anchored in the Slovenian tradition. This year we are marking the Jubilee of Fructal, a brand that has drawn countless smiles on her faces in all these years and happily filled many hungry stomachs. It seems like Fructal has always been here – deeply anchored in the Idaho environment and consciousness of Slovenian consumers and in the hearts of those behind it.
Also Matej Žvokelj, technical director of the companygrew up with Fructal. As a proud Ajdovec, he really likes to say how important he seems to him that Fructal has remained in his environment even after the ownership change and still related to the community that has actually grown with him in all these years.
Fructal’s success is by no means taken for granted, it is the result of connecting, vision, and especially the desire to offer consumers in Slovenia and beyond. “In Fructal, we have always been committed to quality – throughout the process, from development, planning to production, we strive for high standards, which wants to provide consumers with a safe and quality product. I think our consumers recognize and appreciate it, « At the beginning of the interview, we are impressed by the interlocutor Matej Žvokelj and takes us through the past, present and, above all, the future of one of the most recognizable brands.
We concluded a conversation by viewing production, where we were convinced of our own eyes (as well as through the smell) how carefully controlled the production of Fructal products.
This is not only a story of entrepreneurial success, but also about belonging, understanding the importance of local knowledge, respecting tradition and responsibility for nature. Fructal is not just the products found on the shelves. It is a heritage that looks to the future; In the hands of children who will once start building their memories in the hands of Frutko, frutabel or tetrapak juice. Those that our ancestors started 80 years ago.
Matej Žvokelj Photo: Blaž Samec
Matej Žvokelj has been employed in Fructal for 16 years. Immediately after completing his studies, he began working in the quality control service, where he took care of the packaging area. It has advanced to the place of production technologist and production manager. Five years ago, he assumed the tasks of the technical director and thus the responsibility for updating the production lines and the operation of the operational team in both production locations, in Ajdovščina and Duplica.
Fructal’s heart is Slovenian – you have preserved the headquarters of the company in Ajdovščina. Why is it important to stay closely connected to the local environment and one of the major ransomers of Slovenian fruit?
In Fructal, we have exceptional knowledge that has been carefully built and passed from generation to generation in 80 years. Our products are the result of local knowledge, many years of experience and quality home raw materials. In recent years, we have purchased all the fruit of Slovenian fruit growers available – this fruit is not only fresh, as it has traveled shorter distances but also top quality.
What does this mean in numbers? How many tons of fruit and what kind do you buy from domestic fruit growers?
We buy peaches, Vipava peaches, apples and pears from fruit growers from all over Slovenia, which we use in our products. Fructal purchased from Slovenian farmers in 2024 More than 1676 tons of Slovenian fruit, Of these, 1530 tonnes of homemade apples, 20.5 tonnes of homemade pears, 87 tonnes of home pears William, 31 tons of domestic peaches and 8 tonnes of bio Vipava peaches.
We procure other fruits where the quality is appropriate. For example, oranges are purchased mainly in Brazil, like most industry. In recent years, farmers have been facing weather problems and the production of fruit is very unpredictable all over the world, including Slovenia. We adapt to this.
Frutek has been with us since 1974. Photo: Blaž Samec
In 2021, Fructal launched a new fructal superior Slovenian fruit product, prepared exclusively from native Slovenian apples, pears and peaches.
This was followed by Fructal Superior Slovenian pear William, which is fully prepared from the pears of William from the Bojela farm from Posavje, ie from exclusively Slovenian raw materials.
Can you predict what the purchase will be for this year?
Fruit growing is extremely subject to natural influences, and in recent years these weather inconvenience has not been favored, we have had a decline in crop every year, so it is very difficult to predict the quantities, but we will definitely buy all the fruits of the appropriate quality available.
Which Fructal product is the most popular among Slovenian consumers?
Our parade horse is definitely Frutek, with whom all Slovenian children, as well as toddlers in many other countries grow up. Particularity in pocket packaging is increasingly popular in pocket packaging, which allows us to constantly create new combinations. Frutabela, which is offered in five original flavors, is also extremely popular. In recent years, the range of popular fruit slices has been increased with frutabella Nature and Frutabelo Sport, which are very popular among customers.
Did you know? In production in Ajdovščina, they produce as many as 10,000 frutabel every hour. Even when entering the plant, it smells of a legendary fruit-fruit slice, which has been a hit since 1990 both in our country and in foreign markets.
The legendary Frutabela celebrates 35 years. Photo: Blaž Samec
You invest a lot in constant innovation and the development of new products. What leads you to this?
When developing products, we always think about how to offer a quality, safe yet convenient product to the consumer. One of the pronounced trends in the food industry is today reducing sugar content – either with less sugar, without sugar or with less sugar added. Fructal has an important advantage here: our 100 % juices and fruit porridge do not contain added sugar, as the only source of sugar is naturally present in fruit. Our state -of -the -art process equipment, however, allows us to preserve the natural quality and delicacies that nature offers us.
How do you check consumers’ wishes before deciding to develop a new product?
When developing new products, we monitor trends that are quickly changed in the field of nutrition, and above all, follow what nature can enable us. Of course, the wishes of consumers, which are evident from various research, are also a strong factor. All proposals that come to the table, however, are not always realistic.
You are present in many markets. Are you targeting another one you would like to penetrate? How do individual markets differ from each other?
Fructal is present with its brands mainly in the Southeastern European markets, and we also export a lot to Italy and the USA. We are currently testing in the Italian market, where we are very pleased with the acceptance so far. We are targeting the US market mainly in ethno channel in regions, where more residents from the former country live. Although exports in the USA covers a smaller percentage of sales, it is growing year by year.
Among the juices, people are the most traditionally popular flavors: strawberries, peaches and orange, which are certainly part of Fructal tradition that we are proud of and preserve. However, we produce a wide range of juices and flavors adapt to the wishes and requirements of consumers.
Photo: Blaž Samec
In your opinion, how will production change in the future – especially in the light of durability and efficient use of resources?
This year, we are intensively preparing for sustainable reporting and setting sustainable goals that will focus on more efficient energy use, reduction of wastewater and emissions, which will be achieved through additional investment and process optimization.
Fructal has been intensively dedicated to sustainable activities over the last decade. With the packaging recycling project, it reduced the environmental burden.
In 2018, they designed the FRUCTAL FIRST functional beverages filled with bottles, entirely made of recycled materials.
Sustainable efforts were further enhanced and in 2020 the transition to plant packaging, which covered as much as half of all packaging in the product range.
It is one of the biggest investments in the recent period in full swing. What are you specifically investing in and how will this affect the production and sustainable development of Fructal?
Last year, we started a large investment cycle worth 7 million euros. One of the key projects is the complete update of the filling lines in five bottles and tetrapak packaging. We have also set up a new tetrapak filling line, which allows us to use packaging with a higher proportion of recycled materials. In addition, we invested € 1.5 million in the pocket ‘pocket’ packaging line. This will allow us to produce baby food and innovative fruit products in the ‘fruit to go’ segment and the like.
With more than seven million euros in investing, Fructal increases production capacity, introduces advanced technologies and improves employee efficiency and working conditions.
How important is the digital transformation for Fructal and what areas do you already realize?
As a modern company, we follow the needs and introduce solutions that simplify our work, provide greater security, improve productivity or help with efficiency. Mainly in production, modern technology enables us to automate processes and increase capacities.
Matej Žvokelj Photo: Blaž Samec
What is your vision for the company for the next 80s?
Fructal has always been associated with the local environment. We respect the tradition and knowledge that has been given to us by previous generations. We are committed to quality and we have always been able to adapt to different challenges, we are aware of the importance of constant development. I think these are a great foundation for another 80 years.
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