At the foot of the Rhaetian Alps, apple trees have been cultivated since ancient times. This old tradition dates back to the Middle Ages and has been preserved over the centuries. Melavì is the heir to this long history. The company was founded in 2013 as a result of the merging of the three farmers’ consortia created after the Second World War.
The fruit growers have built this reality step by step, passionately cultivating the land every day and giving life to mountain apples with an unmistakable scent.
The area of Valtellina (including Ponte in Valtellina, Villa di Tirano, Sernio and Lovero) is ideal for growing apples: to the north, it is surrounded by the Rhaetian Alps, to the south by the Orobian Pre-Alps, with excellent soil for apple trees from the bottom of the valley up to an altitude of 900 metres.
The climate is mild, with plenty of sunshine and the right amount of rain through- out the season, and the temperature range during the ripening period enhances the taste and colour of the apples. The “classic” Golden Delicious and Red Delicious apples grow in the orchards, together with Gala, Granny Smith, Fuji and Morgenduft. Melavì is also the exclusive producer for Italy, Switzerland and Spain of the Rockit mini apples, a variety selected in New Zealand.
Depending on the variety, the harvest takes place from August to mid-October: on average, the members deliver more than 20,000 tons of apples each year, which are then selected and packaged by Melavì. Melavì also produces organic, cold-pressed and pasteurized apple juice, with no added water, sugar and preservatives, also available in apple and kiwi version.
Melavì apple and blueberry nectars maintain all the flavour and nutritionah properties of the fruit, and its dried apples also available in organic version – are prepared with no added sugar or preservatives.
