In the photo, from left to right: Georg Kössler and Harald Weis

HARALD WEIS IS THE NEW CHAIRMAN OF VOG – HOME OF APPLES

After 17 years at the helm of the Consortium, Georg Kössler passes the baton to Harald Weis, who will continue to drive the development of South Tyrolean apple farming industry.

All change at the top of VOG, the Consortium of South Tyrolean Fruit Growers’ Cooperatives: Harald Weis has been appointed chairman of the historic South Tyrolean apple farming cooperative, taking over the reins from Georg Kössler who has decided to stand down from the role after 17 years dedicated to consolidating the role of the Consortium.

Formerly vice chairman of VOG, Weis was unanimously elected chairman yesterday during the General Meeting. A native of Termeno (Bolzano), the 55 year-old has been chairman of the ROEN fruit and vegetable cooperative for a number of years and brings lots of experience in the South Tyrolean apple-growing sector to his new role.

“As chairman, in the next few years I want to continue to work in the interests of our farmers. In a globalised world, the combination of a strong association and centralised marketing is imperative for the success of our fruit sector,” commented Weis.

His appointment guarantees the operational and strategic continuity of the Consortium, which remains committed to ensuring quality and reliability throughout the production chain in synergy with its commercial partners, protecting the over 4,000 member apple farmers and continuing to satisfy consumers.

At the helm of VOG since 2008, Kössler oversaw the Consortium during a key growth phase. Numerous forward-looking measures were adopted during his tenure, from the introduction of the vertical integration of the supply chain to the untiring varietal and brand innovation work that today enables the Consortium to boast a wide and diversified range, offering the right apple 12 months a year.

“I look back at lots of very busy years in which we managed to make important changes”, explains Kössler. “The most recent key developments were the introduction of centralised marketing and the renewal of our product range, supported by our farmers with substantial investments. Today VOG represents a leading European apple farming region that is dedicated to quality. The strong sense of cohesion within our community makes me optimistic for the future.”