“Around 3,200 tons of spinach are harvested and processed every year in Marchfeld for Iglo spinach products,” is how the Austrian subsidiary of the international food group Nomad Foods, based in the British Virgin Islands, advertised its products last year.
But the traditional brand itself was surprised by the closure of the Ardo factory in Groß-Enzersdorf, which was first announced on September 24th. “Iglo is not the largest customer, Iglo only has 20 percent of Ardo’s volume,” says an Iglo Austria spokesman to KURIER. “Iglo is connected to the Marchfeld and the Marchfeld is extremely important for the brand. We are still looking for solutions and are of course having discussions, but nothing has been decided yet.” The fact is: In Austria, six out of ten packs of cream spinach sold come from Iglo.
It is also a fact: the Belgian company’s plant has the only facility in Austria for processing leafy vegetables such as spinach. The machines are said to have only been purchased in the last few months. Ardo wants to use them in other plants in the future.
Deadline October 2027
With Ardo production ending at the end of the year, Ardo frozen spinach will still be available on the shelves until October 2027 at best.
“Then there will be a phase where there will be no production in Austria,” says the Iglo spokesman. “As far as I know, setting up a new production line takes 12 to 18 months.”
Spar already has some replacements
Meanwhile, Spar spokeswoman Nicole Berkmann confirmed to the APA that the frozen producer Schneiders Vegetableland from Groß-Enzersdorf “will produce almost all Spar frozen vegetable products in the future”. “We currently have a good 20 frozen products at Schneiders Vegetableland, plus five that we previously had produced at Ardo. They are various vegetable mixtures,” Berkmann tells KURIER. “We’re still looking for a solution for spinach and red cabbage, and we’re on it. It won’t happen overnight.”
Rewe for Austrian frozen vegetables
Rewe is also working on an Austrian solution. “We continue to consistently rely on frozen vegetables from Austria and will maintain this focus in the future. The supply of our customers with Austrian frozen vegetables is currently secured,” Rewe Austria tells KURIER. “At the same time, we are constantly examining new opportunities for collaboration with alternative suppliers from Austria in order to ensure reliable, high-quality supply in the long term.”
The discounter Hofer also relies on Austria
“Collaboration with Austrian producers and strengthening local agriculture are of great importance to Hofer. Our goal is still to offer our customers frozen vegetables from Austria in 2027. The current supply of frozen vegetables for Back to the origins as well as Hofer’s own brands were made via Ardo,” said Hofer in a written statement. “Basically, our focus is on products from Austria, wherever possible. At the same time, our aim is to ensure reliable availability for our customers. If Austrian frozen vegetables are not available in sufficient quantities, we therefore keep various procurement options open. We ask for your understanding that we cannot provide any further information at this time.”
Well-attended “networking meeting”
Ardo’s schedule is tight. Frozen vegetable production in Groß-Enzersdorf will be ended by the end of 2026, the pasta division will be discontinued by the end of March 2027 and logistics will continue to operate until the summer.
Meanwhile, a special “summit meeting” regarding Ardo took place on Wednesday in a meeting room in downtown Vienna. Lower Austria’s deputy governors were there Stephan Pernkopf, Lorenz MayrVice President of the Lower Austrian Chamber of Agriculture, AK President Markus Wieserthe Ardo works councils, representatives of the Lower Austrian Chamber of Commerce and Helmut Miernickihead of the Lower Austrian Business Agency Ecoplus, Robert Kriegl from the Marchfelder cooperative ETG, as well as representatives from the food industry and possible investors.
The discussions went in two directions: increasing existing production lines and setting up possible new production lines.
Pernkopf and Mayr then told the KURIER: “The goal is clear: to secure as much vegetable production as possible in Marchfeld and to secure as many local vegetable products as possible in stores.”