On February 6, the 20th edition of FRUIT LOGISTICA concluded in Berlin, where the highly anticipated FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award (FLIA) were announced at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds. Since its inception in 2006, the Berlin International Fruit & Vegetable Fair Innovation Award has consistently adhered to a selection mechanism combining “expert nominations and industry voting.” This year, five products in each of the two main categories made the shortlist, covering diverse segments including fruit and vegetable varieties, post-harvest treatment, and smart equipment. Following nominations by an independent expert panel and on-site voting by thousands of professional attendees, Germany’s “Pompur Hypoallergenic Apple” and Hungary’s ABZ Innovation “L50 Agricultural Drone” claimed the top honors in the Fresh Produce and Technology categories respectively.
Allergy Sufferers Enjoy Apples Again
For Germany’s 3.5 to 4 million birch pollen allergy sufferers, fresh apples have long been a “dangerous delicacy,” often triggering cross-allergic reactions like oral itching and throat swelling after consumption. This dilemma has been transformed by the introduction of the Pompur apple.
Developed over 20 years by Germany’s Niederelbe Breeding Company, Pompur is the world’s first apple officially certified as allergy-friendly by the European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation. Unlike traditional varieties, Pompur significantly reduces allergenic protein content while fully preserving the crisp texture and rich aroma of conventional apples. The review panel stated: “It is not a compromise, but a true apple.” The variety debuted in supermarkets across multiple European countries in the fall of 2025. Initial feedback indicates allergy sufferers can consume it without experiencing allergic reactions.
Agricultural Drones Drive Smart Farming
The Technology Award was presented to Hungary’s ABZ Innovation for its self-developed L50 agricultural drone. The L50 is the first European-made autonomous spraying drone equipped with a 50-liter tank and an integrated LiDAR system.
Its key innovation lies in the proprietary “ABZ Sense” intelligent terrain-following technology. This drone achieves integrated optimization in flight stability, automated control, and operational efficiency. It can adjust flight altitude in real-time across complex terrains like hills and terraced fields, ensuring the spray nozzles maintain a constant distance from the crop canopy. This enables high-precision variable-rate spraying. The combination of a high-capacity battery system and intelligent control algorithms boosts the drone’s endurance by 30% compared to previous generations, enabling it to cover 24 hectares per hour. The jury noted that amid labor shortages and increasing pressure to reduce chemical pesticide use in European agriculture, the L50 offers a “practical and implementable solution.”
This year’s award-winning projects collectively point toward the future direction of the fruit and vegetable industry: quality innovation centered on consumer demand and technological breakthroughs aimed at sustainability. he allergen-reduced apple brings the concept of food inclusivity from theory to retail shelves, while the agricultural drone accelerates the implementation of precision agriculture in Europe. These developments further highlight the industry’s ongoing breakthroughs in integrating health benefits with smart technologies.
