A. Darbo AG - Preserve, Honey, Syrup - Tyrol/Austria » Press releases

A new variety in the Fruchtikus range

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 14:44:00 +0200

A new variety in the Fruchtikus range - Fruchtikus mango & apricot

Since April, the Darbo Fruchtikus range has included a new flavour. The combination of fine mangos and selected sweet apricots is set to be a big hit with its extraordinarily fruity taste. Combined with valuable vitamins, this flavour is sure to go down well with old and new Fruchtikus fans alike.

Pure exoticism from Darbo

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 10:14:00 +0100

Pure exoticism from Darbo - Orange & passion fruit

An exotic combination that's finally come together: The taste of juicy, aromatic oranges combined with the pleasantly sweet & sour hint of passion fruit to tempt you into a special indulgence.
The high fruit content also ensures a superb flavour experience. And that's only possible because we select the best quality fruits. This ensures an intense flavour even when these syrup drinks are diluted.

In the elegant 500-ml glass bottle of course, mixed at a ratio of 1:6 and with absolutely no added artificial colourings or preservatives. Taste for yourself the new orange & passion fruit syrup from Darbo!

Orange & passion fruit syrup will be available from the best speciality stores from March 2012.

Darbo enjoys the highest levels of confidence

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:45:14 +0100

Darbo enjoys the highest levels of confidence

An uncompromising quality policy rewarded
As a food producer, a company has to consistently deliver top quality for many years in order to fully win over critical consumers who know what they want, and Austria's leading conserve and honey supplier Darbo now has confirmation that it has achieved this. In a recent survey, it was crowned "Confidence Winner 2012". "Our efforts in quality management are bearing fruit", was the satisfied summary of Mag. Martin Darbo, Managing Director of the Tyrolean family-run company.

At the end of 2011, the market institute's market researchers surveyed the trustworthiness of 230 food and non-food brands on behalf of the trade magazine "Regal". Among the factors taken into account were the quality and sustainability of raw materials, checks and quality seals, environmental compatibility, the responsible use of resources, the quantity and efficiency of the packaging material and also transportation routes from the manufacturer to the retailer. 500 people submitted their valuations for products in 16 categories. They gave their opinions on their confidence in a brand and answered the question as to whether the brand in question could be "fully" trusted.

In the "jam" category, Darbo emerged as the clear winner from among the brands available to choose from. Its 87 percentage points scored were the highest in the entire study. Martin Darbo sees this as the result of an uncompromising quality policy to which rigorous inspections in particular have contributed. The company currently employs 309 people, including 24 in product development and quality assurance alone. We monitor the entire production process from storage of the fruit to making the conserve through to packing and delivery", explains Darbo. "We've worked hard to achieve this confidence victory".

"Precision landing" for Darbo turnover 2011

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:20:00 +0100

"Precision landing" for Darbo turnover 2011

A new record for exports
Once again, Austria's leading conserve and honey supplier A. Darbo AG succeeded in continuing along its growth trajectory last year and increasing its turnover by 2.5 per cent to € 110.4 million (2010: € 107.6 million). Board Chairman Mag. Martin Darbo revealed that "we fell short of our 2011 target figure by only a few thousand Euros, so we can definitely talk about a precision landing".

Darbo is particularly pleased with the positive developments in the export business. Exports to the value of € 47.9 million saw the export quota climb to a new record level of 43.4 per cent. The biggest increase in exports was to Germany (+ 15 per cent). There were also increases in Darbo exports to Italy and China, with a slight decrease in those to Russia.

In 2011, the Tyrolean family-run company's growth areas included catering (+ 7.3 %) and industry (bakeries and confectioners, + 8.4 %). Despite a difficult environment with high raw material prices, a steep rise also in the price of sugar and a lot of home-made jam being produced in Austrian households, the company still performed extremely well domestically also: It maintained its market leadership and its traditionally large market shares (conserves 59.5%*, honey 39.1%*).

"In all, it was certainly a good year" is Martin Darbo's summary.

*Source: Nielsen, food retail for Austria (total) excluding Hofer/Lidl, 2011, value

Darbo tea syrup without added sugar*

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 08:51:31 +0200

Don't waste valuable tea-drinking time – that's the motto under which Darbo launched its innovative tea syrup last year. Just pour hot water onto the tea syrup and it's ready to drink in a jiffy without leaving it to stand.
Two new types have now been added to this innovative concept that don't need any added sugar and will be available to buy as from 1st September 2011. With the new elder-mint-apple and winter fruits flavours, Darbo is catering to consumers who prefer their hot beverages to be not so sweet.

Elder-mint-apple
Fine elderflower rounded off with apple and soothing mint make up this new flavour combination - without any added sugar*.

Winter fruits
This new winter fruits flavour conjures up a real winter mood. This fine combination of fruits, consisting of sour cherry, peach, redcurrants and blood orange with a hint of cinnamon and cloves, creates a very special flavour - without any added sugar*.

* contains naturally occuring sugars.

Herb & Ginger Syrup - Spicy and intensive!

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 13:00:00 +0100

Herb & Ginger Syrup

Our new herb & ginger syrup variety has a particularly robust, intensive and spicy flavour. And that's no wonder, given that special herb extracts such as yarrow and ribwort, rounded off with a touch of ginger, go into making the new Darbo herb syrup.
In the elegant 500 ml glass bottle of course, in a mixing ratio of 1:6 and with no added colourings or preservatives.

Why not try this attractive variety for yourself!

Herb & ginger syrup will be available in well-stocked speciality stores from March 2011.

Something's happening in the world of fruits…

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:53:00 +0100

Double Fruit spreads finely strained

Darbo now attributes two trends on the jam market to the company's new Double Fruit varieties. And three new varieties fit right in with those trends towards a high fruit content and finely strained consistencies.

Apricot & elder: The most popular variety among Austrians is complemented by delicate elderflower.
Berry & rhubarb: Choice red berries are combined with rhubarb to create a delicious fruit spread.
Cherry & ginger: Fine sour cherries rounded off with a hint of spicy ginger bring you a really special flavour experience.

The three new varieties are characterised by a high fruit content and a particularly fine consistency. The new finely strained Double Fruit range will be available in well-stocked speciality stores from March 2011.

Darbo chases a record

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 16:53:00 +0100

Darbo chases a record

Germany already accounts for one fifth of sales
Last year was another record year for Austria's leading jam producer and honey bottler A. Darbo AG. Having broken through the sales "sound barrier" of € 100 million for the first time in 2009 with sales worth € 102.65 million, in 2010 it increased that figure by another € 5 million (up 4.87 per cent) to € 107.65. "In Germany alone we earned € 22.6 million, which is already equivalent to 21 per cent of our total turnover" was the satisfied summary by CEO Mag. Martin Darbo, 33, of the ongoing favourable trends in the company's export business.

Darbo's increase in Germany was worth some € 3 million - almost 60 per cent of the company's total growth in 2010. Now the leading company on the Austrian jam market holds a 2.1% share of it's neighbour's large and competitive market (in 2009 it was 2.0 per cent). The company experienced growth on all its important export markets (Germany, Italy, the USA and China) except for Russia (down 1.0 per cent). This saw the company's export share rise to an all-time-high of 42 per cent (the figure for 2009 was 39.6 per cent).

A record high in jam sales
On the Austrian jam market, Darbo was able to increase its market share from 58.5 per cent in 2009 to an all-time high of 61.1 per cent. "This is where we benefited from the poor fruit harvest", explained Martin Darbo. "Housewives simply made less of their own jam.“ In the case of honey, the company's market share dropped slightly to 41.3 per cent (in 2009 it was 41.6 per cent).

Tea syrup showing great promise
The company's tea syrup, which was introduced throughout Austria only in the autumn of 2010, got off to a good start: This very promising innovation, which is already being exported to Germany and Italy, contributed € 1 million to the company's total sales in the space of just four months, two thirds of that being in Austria. "Wherever this world first is listed in Austria, it quickly achieves a 4.5 market share“, reports Martin Darbo. "And distribution is increasing all the time.“

Small jars experience a large sales increase
One figure that stands out among those presented by the CEO for his first full business year in charge is 21.2 million mini jars sold - a great success for the small packs that are especially popular in catering establishments and hotels. If these jars - which measure just 45 millimetres in diameter - were all placed in a long line, it would be 954 kilometres long. That's the distance from Vienna to Innsbruck and back. Martin Darbo attributes this massive leap in sales of almost 50 per cent (14.97 units were sold in 2009) to new sales partners in Germany and the USA. 87 per cent of mini jars are exported.

However, satisfaction over positive business developments is dampened somewhat by the raw materials situation: 2010 saw a historically poor fruit harvest, with many fruits in short supply and prices rising. Crystal sugar is also becoming more expensive. In the case of honey, some individual types (such as clover honey) were virtually unobtainable globally. Martin Darbo cautiously states that "it won't be clear until after this year's harvest whether there will be price rises for the end consumer". He expects a slight increase in sales for this year.