About Us

Yabulka is a trademark of BulApple Ltd, a cooperative of apple growers, registered in Bulgaria in 2013. We specialise in growing, storing and selling fresh apples. We farm almost 100 hectares of apple orchards in Central Bulgaria with a total production of 5000 tons a year. We aim to develop long term partnerships, rooted in mutual trust and responsibility. Our cooperative sells its produce on the Bulgarian market via leading supermarket chains, as well as exports to Europe with Italy, The Netherlands, Czech Republic and Romania being our current main export destinations.

Our Mission

We believe fundamental principles of sustainability are at the root of every successful endeavour. Since our very beginning, we aim to bring positive change to our environment and ameliorate our region by rising local standards of living and shifting the business climate in Bulgaria toward better practices.

We work towards a sustainable business model, which brings positive development to local communities by rising employment and forging lasting partnerships.

We strive to create and preserve value throughout the years, instead of focusing solely on increasing profit margins.

Region

The South-central region of Bulgaria is one of the most fertile in the country and the main producer of fruit, vegetables, and wine. The area enjoys long warm summers and relatively mild winters. Protected by the Rhodopa mountains to the South and Sredna Gora peaks to the North, the valleys alongside the Maritsa river benefit from moderate rainfall, west winds and fertile soils - all factors which contribute to the quality, taste and colouring of our apples.

Sustainable farming

Our activity depends on nature and since our very beginning we strive to work in harmony with it. Our work process is built on basic sustainable practices, which our cooperative and all its members apply strictly when looking after our apple plantations.

We grow our fruit in strict accordance with all European rules and practices, with all our production and our storage facility being Global Gap certified. We import only top of the range compounds from Spain, Italy and Germany. Our young trees come from the golden standard of Italian producers Vivai F.lli Zanzi and Gruber Genetti. We employ our own in house agricultural specialist and we carry out regular soil, leaf and fruit probes in laboratories in Greece and Italy, checking for remains of pesticides and basic elements, according to which we figure out what feeding our trees require. Before the start of picking season each year, we carry out an obligatory pesticide analysis of our fruit.

We understand the needs and specifics of each variety, we know their optimal fertility and we work in accordance with it, without augmenting it artificially. The region’s specific climate conditions allow for a higher sugar content in the fruit, while the fertile soil helps us avoid unnecessary use of synthetic fertilisers. We rely on manual weeding instead of using herbicides, as well as count on the local friendly fauna to naturally keep gluttonous insects at bay. We believe our most important and experienced partner is nature and we work and develop alongside it. The result is longer storage periods, excellent taste qualities and characteristically fresh fruit.

Our plantations are equipped with drip irrigation, their own boreholes, and hail netting. Each of our gardens is serviced by its own base for short-term storage during picking season, as well as our own machinery and personnel facilities, allowing us to close the cycle and count on ourselves during the entire process, from planting to picking, sorting and storing. In this way we are able to limit transportation and machine hire, and all related harmful emissions.

We believe that soil, person and agriculture are part of one whole, and we strive towards balance and harmony in the long term.

Global Gap Number (GGN): 4059883313963

As employers

We believe at the base of every sustainable economic growth lies a responsible and aware society. With our continued efforts to develop our employees we contribute to developing society as a whole. The way we manage our work processes is flexible and relies on the expertise of all our different specialists: agricultural experts, sales teams, management and garden personnel work in synchrony, counting on each other when taking everyday and longterm decisions.

Each member of Yabulka contributes to our success and we take care of each one by implementing an integral and transparent work ethic. We provide higher-than-average year-around salaries to our workers, and ensure optimal work conditions, safety and career development opportunities to all our staff.

Our work ethic and organisational culture have developed organically over the years: each of our trees was planted by our own hands. Our growth from the first garden up to our current 98 hectares of Class A premium produce has thought us a great deal: to trust each other, to understand the land and its needs, to learn from our mistakes and to never stop growing.

Our tireless work during the last years has built us up as flexible leaders, a sustainable business and an accountable team. The purpose we find in our work motivates us to grow and develop.

Effects on the region and local economy

Our company’s sustainable practices reflect not only upon our success, but also upon the region: good business practices, a healthy work environment and our innovative approach affect the region’s business climate and contribute to developing the local economy.

All our personnel receives adequate health and pension benefits, granting them security and peace of mind. Higher salaries allow our employees to actively contribute to the development of various local businesses.

We have a direct effect on regional farming by developing local infrastructure: we build roads and supply water and electricity to our gardens, facilitating the planting and farming of all neighbouring land as well. Our purchases of farming machinery, equipment, vehicles as well as building and maintaining our storage base create added value to the economy.