In a perfect mixed salad, full of fragrance and flavour, the success of the whole depends on every single ingredient being excellent. Likewise, the quality of our products comes from the care and attention we dedicate to every single phase of the production chain:
- growing and harvesting the produce
- rigorous quality-control and preparation
- freshness preservation and rapid transport aboard refrigerated vehicles.
And every step of the way, we operate in full respect of the environment. This is the recipe that has made SAB synonymous with quality. All our product lines, from packaged greens to flowpack trays and from ready-meals to aromatic herbs, bring this quality onto your table every day.
1989
S.A.B. (Società Agricola Bergamasca) is established as a consortium of family-owned farms specialising in the production of leaf vegetables, both outdoors and in polytunnels.
1993
A new plant is opened in Telgate (Bergamo) for the valorisation of ready-prepared salads.
2007
SAB introduces the Integrated Cycle: our member farms establish the “Terra e Sole” cooperative and send their harvest to the “Il Tricolore” organisation, which is tasked with valorising the product and readying it for sale. Around this time SAB also receives major international certifications, demonstrating its high standards of production.
2015
Another plant is opened in Monterotondo, near Rome, to better serve the Central-Southern Italy area.
Riding favourable market trends, SAB invests heavily in the pre-cooked ready meals segment. SAB launches its “Fast&Fresco” range, with the aim of becoming a leader in the convenience sector.
2016
2017
SAB exports its know-how abroad by opening a new facility in Aufkirchen, Germany, just outside of Munich.
Focus shifts to internationalisation and developing the convenience sector through targeted investments.
2018
The integrated cycle: from seed to plate, all in plain view.
The three stages of our integrated cycle allow us to manage every step of the production chain. The first stage consists of harvesting the produce grown exclusively for us by the farmers of the Terra e Sole agricultural cooperative, and then delivering it to the il Tricolore consortium. Here, in the 18,800 square metres of the three production facilities, the cycle enters its second stage, valorisation: the vegetables are cleaned, washed, dried and finally packaged before entering the third stage, namely distribution and sale. This is when SAB puts out onto the market a product that is simply perfect, guaranteed and certified by its 100% traceability.
Our green heart beats to the rhythm of the seasons.
The Terra e Sole cooperative is a pool of specialised farms chosen with a clear vision in mind: work together in order to grow together. Its farming operations, distributed across the entire national territory, respect the peculiarities of the various regions and the seasonality of crops. Its pride and joy are the so-called “baby greens” (rocket, cornsalad, baby spinach, baby lettuce). The produce then reaches the logistics facility in Eboli, and from here makes its way to the production plant in Telgate, serving the north of Italy, or the one in Monterotondo, serving the centre and south. An additional facility in Aufkirchen, Germany, near Munich, was acquired in 2017 to satisfy the growing demand from Northern European markets.
Il Tricolore.
The SAB integrated cycle is supported by the TERRA E SOLE cooperative of farmers, who deliver their range of fresh products exclusively to the “Il Tricolore” consortium.
Throughout every phase of the valorisation process, we employ what are known as “mild technologies”, conceived specifically to best preserve the characteristics of freshly-harvested vegetables for the longest time possible.
The various phases of the valorisation process are as follows:
- Receiving and accepting the raw materials
- Cleaning and sorting
- Washing
- Drying
- Weighing and packaging