Pol’s and GEA exemplify partnership supporting local, sustainable agriculture
Part of the Muzaffer Polat Group, Pol’s was established in 2017 to help generate a sustainable infrastructure of profitable agriculture, employment and knowhow for struggling farming communities in the remote Ermenek region of Turkey.
Pol’s works with local growers and smallholders from field to factory, to support and help promote controlled agriculture for cultivating and preserving seasonal fruits and vegetables. In partnership with community farmers, the firm processes a wide range of freeze dried fruits and vegetables, producing bulk freeze dried products for industrial and commercial applications, and a Freeze Fresh range for the consumer snack and healthy eating market.
Freeze drying can represent an ideal approach to reducing waste during bumper harvests, or when the market for fresh produce might be depressed. The extra revenues can represent a lifeline for farming communities and small producers, as well as ensuring that valuable crops and harvests are utilized, rather than just thrown away. Importantly Pol’s supports small-scale farmers with a focus on quality, from the minute the fruits are harvested and arrive at the factory, to the storage and release of packaged products.
“Pol’s has, from its inception, made great strides to optimize and improve its processes and product quality, and within a very short timeframe the firm has developed from a newcomer in the field of freeze drying fruits and vegetables, to being a key supplier to many of the big European customers,” said Serdar Gez, Managing Director at GEA Turkey. “Turkey is a major producer of berries, such as strawberries, but industry was in some doubt that a successful infrastructure could be established in such a remote part of the country. Pol’s focus on controlled and optimized agriculture, together with GEA knowhow and technology, has demonstrated how farming can be profitable for smallholders and the processing sector alike.”
Ali Polat, CEO of Pol’s, further described the firm’s approach to supporting local agriculture: “Since the day our company was founded, we have helped to support local agriculture, and we strive to select the best quality products grown by farmers. Pol's high performing freeze drying processes are generating a wide range of products that are now being exported 16 countries, primarily Germany and the US.”
Since the day our company was founded, we have helped to support local agriculture, and we strive to select the best quality products grown by farmers. Pol's high performing freeze drying processes are generating a wide range of products that are now being exported 16 countries, primarily Germany and the US.- Ali Polat, CEO of Pol’s
- Ali Polat, CEO of Pol’s
A diverse product portfolio
As one of the only companies in Turkey to exploit freeze drying technology for commercializing local fruit and vegetable crops, Pol’s mission is to contribute to sustainable development of agriculture, promote local engagement, and offer the healthiest products to consumers and customers, from seed to plate.
In addition to its installed base of GEA freeze drying plants, the Pol’s site at Ermenek, which is in the Karaman region of Turkey, includes a suite of pre-process lines, for raw material reception, cleaning, washing, forming (for example, cubing, slicing, granulation and powdering), freezing and frozen storage, along with solutions for bulk & small packaging of the end product.
The Ermenek facility isn’t just focused on freeze drying. The site processes a diverse range of frozen fruits, including strawberries, cherries, blackberries, pomegranates, apricots, figs, apples, oranges, lemon, limes, bananas, plums, and blueberries. The company in addition produces powdered and granulated fruits and vegetables, and processes tahini from selected sesames, alongside fruit syrups, preserves known as Pol’s Gourmet, and regional Ermenek halva, known as Helvart.
Freeze dried products from Pol’s (Photo Pol’s)
Confidence in GEA
GEA recently secured a third contract from Pol’s to deliver and install GEA RAY® freeze drying equipment at the 4,000 m2 Pol’s fruit and vegetable freeze drying facility site in Ermenek, Karaman, Turkey. Handover of the new equipment is expected by mid-2022.
The three orders for the supply of GEA freeze drying systems at the Ermenek facility - with a combined value topping several millions of Euros - means the site will operate three RAY® 125 machines, as well as a RAY® 1 unit.
The additional RAY® 125 machine will give Pol’s the ability to increase freeze drying output from 200 tonnes annually, to 300 tonnes per year, effectively tripling capacity at the plant since the first RAY® 125 and RAY® 1 units were installed in 2017.
“Pol’s management has been impressed by the reliability, robustness and high quality processing offered by our globally renowned freeze drying technology,” said Morten Woldsted Pedersen, Sales Manager at GEA Powder & Thermal Separation. “Pol’s of course reviewed freeze drying systems and technology from global competitors, but has repeatedly returned to GEA for new equipment, and to harness our technology and process expertise. Pol’s has put its confidence in us to deliver optimum solutions for processing the highest quality freeze dried fruits and vegetables.”
The presence of dedicated GEA representatives here in Turkey was a key consideration for the customer.Serdar Gez, Managing Director at GEA Turkeyexplains: “Local GEA experts, on the ground, can continue to work with Pol’s going forward. This is particularly important given the geographical remoteness of the Ermenek site. Our experts understand the environment, and can work to deliver the best solutions, and offer timely remote support. And when it is feasible, we can be ‘on site’ in the shortest possible timeframe.”
GEA RAY® batch freeze dryer with freeze dried strawberries (Photo GEA)
The RAY® 125 unit is the second largest of the GEA family of RAY® batch freeze dryers, with a potential output of up to 460 kg per 24 hours, when running with fruits. Featuring a fully automated continuous de-icing system, the RAY® 125 is designed to minimize energy consumption in the refrigeration plant, optimize freeze drying capacity per square meter of tray surface, and help to ensure constant condenser capacity. Offering complete hands-off control of the drying cycle for each batch, the system is inherently user friendly. The operator just needs to close the door and push the button to start.
GEA technology has been instrumental in enabling Pol’s to grow into the leading freeze drying company for fruits and vegetables in Turkey. Within just a few years from its foundation, the firm is now considered a key global producer, with market-leading expertise and a portfolio of the highest quality products. The philosophy of sustainability that Pol’s has made part of its culture, together with its successful partnership with GEA, has also spurred significant interest in GEA freeze drying technology from other potential producers in Turkey and internationally.
Polat further outlined the cooperation between Pol’s and GEA: “We were looking to make significant investment in this industry, and to enable that we trusted in the quality and after-sales support of GEA when it came to choosing the freeze dryer, which is perhaps the most important equipment in our factory. GEA did not disappoint that trust, and we are currently moving forward on this beautiful journey together.”
We were looking to make significant investment in this industry, and to enable that we trusted in the quality and after-sales support of GEA when it came to choosing the freeze dryer, which is perhaps the most important equipment in our factory. GEA did not disappoint that trust, and we are currently moving forward on this beautiful journey together.- Ali Polat, CEO of Pol’s
- Ali Polat, CEO of Pol’s
Encouragingly, Pol’s is in active discussions with GEA with a view supplying freeze drying technology at a proposed new facility, currently being planned for construction at a greenfield site in Turkey, which will significantly increase capacity for both freeze dried, and other Pol’s product lines.
