Organic

Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. Oppenheimer's organic kiwifruit and pipfruit offerings are grown to USDA-organic standards. Our main storage facilities on either coast are also fully certified as organic.

Transitional

Transitional products are grown according to organic practices in an orchard or vineyard that has not yet completed three growing cycles - the point where it would become fully organic. During the spring and summer, we carry several transitional pipfruit varieties.

NutriClean

NutriClean produce is certified to have zero pesticide residues. At certain times of the year Oppenheimer offers NutriClean certified grapes, pipfruit and kiwifruit.

Pre-Conditioned (PQA)

We supply Produce Quality Assurance (PQA) certified, ready-to-eat nectarines, peaches and plums from Chile. The PQA methodology has emerged over the past five years and is based upon groundbreaking research conducted by Dr. Carlos Crisosto of the University of California at Davis into the physiology of stone fruit ripening. This pre-conditioning method involves subjecting fruit to a temperature conditioning routine prior to the initial cooling procedure. This delayed cooling protocol helps protect stone fruit against off flavor, mealy texture and internal browning. The PQA method has significantly improved the eating quality and shelf life of stone fruit stored and transported in controlled atmosphere. Please see www.producequalityassurance.com for more details.

Proprietary

While all Oppenheimer growers adhere to our HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point)-based food safety standards, some also follow their own, documented growing practices that further enhance the safety and quality of their fruit. At various seasons during the year we carry: ENZA pipfruit grown using Integrated Fruit Production (IFP), and kiwifruit grown using The ZESPRI System.

Integrated Fruit Production
ENZA apples and pears are available in the spring and summer months. ENZA growers employ a system called Integrated Fruit Production ensuring that production methods are sustainable and as safe as possible for the environment and human health. This system covers all aspects of production, ranging from soil and water management to planting systems and pest control. Pests are kept in check through Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This in-orchard monitoring program controls pests by introducing beneficial organisms like certain predator mites, and mandates a conservative approach to spraying on an "as needed only" basis.

The ZESPRI™ System
The ZESPRI™ System is the New Zealand kiwifruit industry's commitment to providing consumers with consistently clean, fresh, safe, natural and good tasting kiwifruit. The integrated production and marketing system addresses all areas of the kiwifruit growing and distribution chain, ensuring total integration from grower to consumer. Other underpinning principles include: documented and verifiable traceability and transparency from grower to retail shelf, ethical business practices, sustainable development, food safety and no genetic modification. All ZESPRI™ Kiwifruit growers are EUREPGAP certified. More information is available on ZESPRI International's Web site: http://www.zespri.com/environ_main.asp.