Campus Peroni, with greener and more competitive agricultural supply chain innovation

Technological innovation in the agricultural field favors not only a higher quality and sustainability of production, in line with the objectives indicated by the NRP in the component ‘Circular economy and sustainable agriculture’, but also a recovery of competitiveness on the part of companies in the sector, essential in key to post-pandemic recovery. Birra Peroni is convinced of this and presented the results and the progress of the most innovative projects that it is carrying out together with its partners in the context of Campus Peroni to support, through technology, the sustainable evolution of the supply chain. For the occasion, Birra Peroni wanted to celebrate the 2021 barley harvest, the most important event of the year for the brewing sector, with an appointment dedicated to the theme “How is sustainability measured?”, In the presence, among the others, of the Undersecretary for Ecological Transition Vannia Gava. “I want to congratulate this initiative: here you can breathe agriculture, digitization and, therefore, ecological transition – comments Gava – We have invested a third of the funds that Europe has allocated to us with the Recovery Fund for this mission. The commitment to go towards a clean and sustainable environment is made and we, as a government, want to support this process first of all by simplifying the bureaucracy: we must offer quick and effective access to the allocated funds “.” We must reduce the time and rely on technology, create the conditions for sustainable development. The agri-food sector – continues Gava – represents a flag of our country. The new technologies applied to the supply chain are welcome: they will be used to optimize resources and allow the traceability of the product to give guarantees of quality and clarity to the consumer at the same time. Our government role is not to tax, but to accompany companies along this process with few but clear rules, which can be applied and controlled “. Federico Sannella, Director of External Relations and Institutional Affairs of Birra Peroni, highlighted the reasons that led the company to engage in the field and the vision that underlies this investment. “The ecological transition of the agri-food sector must be managed from a supply chain perspective. As a processing company, we know we can play an important role in this transformation process, but it is necessary that all the players in the supply chain are involved: agricultural companies, the distribution sector, the world of research, universities and start-ups. more innovative ups: everyone must collaborate in a logic of open innovation that must be supported by adequate investments and ‘concrete projects’. The meeting was also attended by the representatives of the three innovative start-ups that are supporting Birra Peroni in this virtuous path: Pierluigi Meriggi, president and founder of Hort @, a spin off of the University of the Sacred Heart with which Birra Peroni has been collaborating for 5 years in the use of the Orzobirra.net platform, a decision support system (DSS) that is helping to improve quantitative and qualitative performance of barley production, but also to reduce its carbon footprint; Nicolò Barbano, Head of marketing of xFarm., An innovative start-up with which Birra Peroni is carrying out an experimental project that integrates satellite data and images, Iot sensors and weather stations in the field to encourage the use of precision agriculture and raise awareness farmers on the environmental impact of their actions. Finally, Virgilio Maretto, CEO and Co-Founder of PosTi, start-up with which Birra Peroni has developed the traceability in blockchain of 100% Italian malt recently introduced on all the beers of the Peroni family and who is now collaborating with the other partners on an evolution of the project that allows to measure and certify the sustainability of the supply chain in blockchain, communicating this value in a transparent and responsible way to consumers. also the first data relating to the 2021 barley harvest, which is nearing completion in these days and which is proving to be compl essentially good despite a climatically difficult start to the year which initially reduced the yield of agricultural production. Fortunately, the month of May, cool and sufficiently rainy, allowed for a good filling of the barley grain, especially of the late sown one, partially recovering the production and the harvest is now being completed in optimal conditions of high temperature and in the absence of rain, all to the advantage of quality and conservation of the harvested barley. Birra Peroni estimates it will harvest around 50,000 tons of malted barley and 4,000 tons of seed barley this year.