Description of the MEDEA Agricultural-Vineyard Estate.
Ortofrutticola Medea, was established for all intents and purposes in 2010, following the Bernecich Family's acquisition of a previous existing farm in the area.
The estate is located in Friuli Venezia Giulia, at the foot of the hill of Medea, (GO), on red soil rich in stone and consequently macro and micro elements, in the DOC Isonzo wine area and covers an area of 25 hectares developed in one block.
From 2010 to the present, the Farm has been implemented in a major way with the planting of new crops, the acquisition of equipment, machinery and greenhouses, the construction of buildings attached to the business, and with the business development given by the current ownership, which has generated a proportional increase in turnover.
Ortofrutticola Medea specializes in the production of fruit and vegetables, grown both in greenhouses and in the field, the production of extra virgin olive oil, and the production of PGI wine of the highest quality.
All crops are grown in full compliance with ORGANIC dictates and therefore, only organic fertilizers of animal origin "organic manure" are used; in this way, the qualities and organoleptic characteristics of all products are maintained and indeed, amplified. Production is carried out with a low environmental impact, and one of the winning choices of Medea Fruit and Vegetable Farm, has been to go along with the seasonality of the crops, which is also guaranteed thanks to the approximately 30,000 square meters of crops grown in greenhouses.
Special care is taken by the staff employed in agricultural activity to constantly monitor the crops and thus be able to intervene promptly if any problems arise on the crops, to prevent any damage to the crops.
In the description of this Estate, we are going to divide the operation into 2 parts:
1) The existing one, (consolidated)
2) The one that is feasible and/or already in progress, (development opportunities)
EXISTING OPERATIONS, (consolidated)
Current production is divided as follows:
a. Vegetables that vary according to season. All kinds of vegetables are produced, among which the main ones are zucchini flowers, poc radicchio, spinach, violet squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplant.
b. Orchard, with peach, cherry, apricot, plum, apple, pear, kako, jujube, pomegranate, fig, chestnut, as well as research on ancient fruit varieties, such as apple, pear, and tropical fruits, such as kiwano and passion fruit.
c. One-hectare olive grove, with the olives, which are cold-pressed and processed into ExtraVirgin Olive Oil.
d. Table grape vine.
e. Approximately 6.5 hectares of vines, with which, intentionally, it was decided not to exceed a production of 90 quintals per hectare, precisely to promote the absolute and extreme quality of the harvested wine and thus of the final product, which when fully operational with the new vineyards in full productivity, will be between 90,000 and 120,000 bottles per year.
The wine produced that has all the characteristics of DOC ISONZO, is classified as PDO, only due to the fact that its processing is carried out in other estate outside the area. The Medea Fruit and Vegetable Company has obtained the important trademark " IO SONO FVG". The wine produced, as mentioned of the highest quality, for a choice of the property, which has proved successful, is bottled under the brand name "TERRE DI TRINCEA”, (a name given because of the presence of countless trenches in the land), and then distributed and sold, almost exclusively through 80 regional markets, within which, the ownership held of sales licenses, has allowed over the years to acquire a "customer base" of about 40,000 people. Ortofrutticola Medea, is a member of the "ASSOCIATION FOR AGRICULTURAL TOURISM FVG."
Wine production carried out by Ortofrutticola Medea covers the following types:
- Chardonnay
- Malvasia
- Yellow Ribolla
- Pinot blanc
- Sauvignon blanc
- Black Pinot
- Franconia
- Red stalked persimmon
At present, of the present vineyards, 3 hectares, (those planted most recently), are at 50% of their productivity, while the other 3.5 hectares are already working at 75%.
Medea Ortofrutticola, employs 10 employees in its business.
The current turnover is composed of 80 percent from the direct sale of products, mainly through markets, and 20 percent from the sale of vegetables and greens to large-scale retailers.
The farm is fully and well equipped, with new and semi-new equipment, making it independent and autonomous in every stage and process of the production and processing of cultivated products.
An additional 7,000 square meters of wine vines will be planted by the end of the year, which have already been authorized, bringing the estate to a total of more than 8 hectares of vineyards, which can be further expanded.
Ortofrutticola Medea, is also awarded the title of "Didactic Farm”, which, together with the attractiveness of the area generated by the splendid nature of the territory, its bike paths that connect it to Grado and Cividale, and the already mentioned presence of the many war trenches, as well as the Ara Pacis Sanctuary on Medea Hill, make it a very popular destination for school groups and especially for both national and international tourists, thus increasing the added value of the Estate. In this regard, we recall that until recently, within the Estate, in one of the existing property complexes, (a total of 1,200 square meters of built with different uses), flourished an activity, given in management to third parties, of agritourism restaurant, (with important turnover), which housed precisely, all the people/tourists who for one reason or another, came to the Estate. Operation of the restaurant, which was temporarily halted due to lack of renewal agreements with the managers, is one of the operations that the property will restore shortly.
OPERATIONS REALIZABLE AND/OR ALREADY IN PROGRESS, (development opportunities)
In the Bernecich Family's planning, there are 2 options: the first is to divest the Medea Fruit and Vegetable Farm, (which is the third Farm they manage), so that they have more time to devote to managing the other two, which together exceed 30 hectares.
The second option, on the other hand, is to continue, as we have done so far, to invest in the Medea Fruit and Vegetable Garden, so as to develop all the performance areas that are still available and which, as we will see below, are not few.
The opportunities for implementation are diverse and, given the particular nature of the activity carried out, they all always enjoy major grants, Regional, National and European, which are provided largely on a grant basis.
-It is just these days the news that the Italian government, has approved the allocation within the PNRR of one billion euros, up to 80% of which is non-repayable, to create within the agro-winery companies, the photovoltaic plants so as to make them self-sufficient. In the case of Ortofrutticola Medea there is already a specific project in this
regard;It is just these days the news that the Italian Government, has approved the allocation within the PNRR of one billion euros, of which up to 80% non-refundable, to create within the agro-wine farms, the photovoltaic plants so as to make them self-sufficient. In the case of Ortofrutticola Medea, there is already a specific project in this regard;
-Another planned/possible implementation is the gradual planting, according to what is allowed, of additional vineyards, which could reach the remarkable size of 18 hectares, within the property now being offered for sale;
- for large producers who would be interested, there is a real possibility, already probed by the current ownership, of acquiring land bordering the property, for an additional size to the existing one, varying from 20 to 40 hectares;
- one of the most immediate projects, as mentioned earlier, is to restore the agrotourism restaurant/bar business, which has already been able to provide significant economic satisfaction;
- implementation then of the existing real estate structure, which in relation to the land owned, will be able to increase from the current 1,200 square meters to 3,000. Within these spaces, accommodation for receptivity, winery, farm store and tasting room, offices, room for educational farm, barrique cellar, among other things, will be located.
We have tried to outline, absolutely realistically, the Medea Fruit and Vegetable Garden, so as to give the opportunity to those interested, to understand its potential, both those already expressed and established, and those to be developed in the immediate future. For those interested in learning more about the Company and starting a conversation aimed at acquisition, we have prepared separately, a sheet also containing a whole series of economic-financial information, which will certainly serve to enhance even more what is undoubtedly an incredibly interesting proposition for those who wish to invest in this type of business.