Fruits and vegetables As a reliable partner, we maintain direct and fair relations with local farmers. We place special emphasis on protecting, preserving and sustaining local structures. We prioritize Romanian production, and our goal is to offer at least 80% of our selection of fruits and vegetables from Romanian sources during the months of availability. Availability months refer to the production season in Romania for a specific product, such as September which is recognized as one of the seasonal months for most apple species in Romania. In order to ensure the optimal operational flow and to meet the needs of our customers, we choose vegetable and fruit suppliers based on two essential criteria: • production volume, • customers' favorite assortments. By establishing firm purchasing commitments at the beginning of the cultivation period, we ensure the necessary supply of products, while providing producers with the guarantee of a secure customer. Depending on the season, we extend the period of availability of local products. • By purchasing fruits and vegetables from local suppliers, we guarantee the freshness of our products, offer our customers advantageous prices and contribute to reducing the carbon footprint associated with their transport. • We collaborate with seasonal producers in Romania based on seasonal planning and strive to collaborate with local producers located in the vicinity of our warehouses. • The process of purchasing vegetables and fruits locally is carried out in compliance with the requirements of the Global Gap standards for the certification of agricultural products, also taking into account the zoning of crops. • We are developing and expanding laboratory analyses to monitor pesticide residues. • Zoning involves allocating crops in regions with optimal ecological conditions to obtain a consistent harvest and exploit their biological potential. For example, we source root vegetables from Dobrogea, a wide variety of vegetables from Galati County, apples, pears and grapes from the northeast of the country, and we bring potatoes from central Romania. • We aim to develop regions specialized in the production of vegetables and fruits, adapted to the soil characteristics of each area, but we also have local producers who supply only certain platforms. • We are actively committed to supporting local producers, even getting involved in the technological processes carried out by them, aiding in terms of treatments applied to the products or in the purchase of seedlings. • We offer our partners access to qualified personnel to assist them in applying the appropriate treatments for each type of product. • We defined quality categories, conducted field audits and provided assistance from specialized agronomists through the ENTEN program. • In 2024, we organized a meeting day with all suppliers, dedicated to a training and presentation held by a Global Gap certification body. SUSTAINABILITY STEP-BY-STEP CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND BUSINESS SUSTAINABLE ASSORTMENT ENERGY, CLIMATE AND RESOURCES EMPLOYEES AND SOCIETY INDEX GRI & SASB SUSTAINABLE ASSORTMENT
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