OUR MISSION IN U.P.O. SICILIA
The Extra Virgin Olive Oil "NOCERBIA" comes from the skilful work of over a thousand members gathered in the Cooperative, which have been cultivating the olive tree for generations. The members, almost all owners of small extension of olive groves, are able to take care of the plants with meticulousness to the benefit of the quality of production.
UNIONE PRODUTTORI OLIVICOLI SICILIA Società Cooperativa was recognized as the Organization of Producers of the Sicilian Region with D.D.G. n. 207 of 30/01/2015 setting the objectives of promoting the Common Agricultural Policy through the enhancement of competitiveness, market orientation, the promotion of the beneficial effects of the consumption of extra virgin olive oil and the protection of the environment.
The area of cultivation of the Cooperative includes the municipalities of Sciacca, Caltabellotta, Menfi and Burgio involving the western area of Agrigento which from the sea extends to the south-western hills of the Sicani mountains forming a suggestive expanse of silver-green color.
Our Cooperative has always been and will always be QUALITY oriented.
Each member makes available all his experience and passion in searching for the best time for harvesting and respecting the environment, to give their families and consumers the best extra virgin olive oil. Careful work of the land and a scrupulous pruning of plants, with a strong tradition, offers a high quality product that is highly sustainable from an environmental and ethical standpoint.
The Cooperative carries out specific collective control plans to follow the production cycle from the field to the packaging.
The associated companies are supported by monitoring programs of the main pests, management of the land and the plant, control of the methods and times of collection and post-harvest, control of crusher processing, storage and packaging of oils, to order to guarantee products of:
- High hygienic-sanitary quality
- Excellent olfactory and gustatory pleasantness
- High nutritional quality
- High environmental sustainability
- Constant quality level over time
The corporate strategies also aim to improve the lives of producers by promoting the utmost respect for safety standards in the workplace and workers' rights.
Quality guarantees
The Cooperative based on its mission is constantly committed to the quality objective in order to offer a high-end product on the market. To guarantee this, it requires its members to adopt precise guidelines, disciplinary production and self-control plans, based on the current regulations imposed by the European Union by the Reg. (CE) n. 178/2002 and on the certified voluntary traceability required by the UNI EN ISO 22005: 2008 standard.
The traceability plan consists in constantly checking the movements and the path made by the olives from the field, to the crusher, to the storage tanks and to the packs. It also verifies the packaging materials up to palletizing, including private parcel or package shipments, by postal service or express courier.
Traceability provides for the detection and document collection of all the processes performed by the various operators involved in the production process, in order to isolate a storage or packaging batch in case of emergency and allow the manufacturer and the internal and external control bodies to: supervise to guarantee consumer food safety; manage and control any dangerous situations through the knowledge of the various production processes (raw material flows: documentation of origin and destination and so on).