Valverbe Shines Bright in Varaita Valley with Smartflower

Located in the alpine Varaita Valley in Italy, the herbal tea company Valverbe prides itself on balancing ancient herbal traditions with advanced research into new production technologies. Earlier in the spring of 2022, Valverbe welcomed its first Smartflower at its headquarters, installed by Italian dealer Im-El Osasio. The Smartflower provides power to Valverbe’s electric vehicles and the industrial processes that are part of their manufacturing process, and has also become a new landmark for both the company and the nearby town of Melle.

Valverbe first learned about the Smartflower through another iconic Smartflower installation in Italy—the GreenPea Retail Park in Turin. Two Smartflowers, provided by energy industry leader Enel X, welcome customers to the green shopping center and are one of the many ways GreenPea showcases its sustainable efforts. Being a company that produces medicinal herbs and herbal tea products, the staff at Valverbe immediately fell in love with the idea of being able to produce clean energy through their very own giant solar flower.

“The Smartflower serves Valverbe’s eco-friendly philosophy and purpose. We have always cared strongly about the energy sources we use, and we make sure to only use renewable energy to produce our products,” said Luca Fasano, the CEO of Valverbe. Aside from the Smartflower, Valverbe has solar panels installed on the roof, and any energy they buy comes from certified renewable sources. Their packaging is sustainable as well: Valverbe’s herbal teas are packed in boxes made of cardboard manufactured using renewable energy, their filter bags are compostable, they make sure not to use any plastic in their packaging, and even the sealing thread is made from 100% cotton!

However, it’s hard to ensure that customers and visitors at Valverbe understand the full extent of their commitment to sustainability at first glance, especially when these impressive eco-friendly efforts are rarely visible to the public eye. Their new Smartflower was the perfect solution. It would serve as Valverbe’s solar centerpiece, and start conversations about clean energy. “At Valverbe, we pride ourselves on our attention to detail. We installed the Smartflower at the center of our facilities to show that when it comes to agricultural production and herb processing, our main aim is to preserve the environment,” said Fasano.

So far, visitors have approached the new Smartflower with curiosity and enthusiasm. Many photos of the solar flower have been taken, and staff members have observed that the large solar ‘petals’ of the system have had a major impact on visitors. Valverbe is currently working on developing new tourism activities at its headquarters to deliver a truly unforgettable experience for its visitors, and the Smartflower is poised to star as one of its new attractions.

“Sun, soil, water, and passion are the ingredients that make up the Valverbe brand. The Smartflower is our little sun that provides us with energy during any time of the day. We believe that respecting the environment must involve all stages of our processes, which is why we are investing in technology that maximizes our energy savings and ensures carbon neutrality,” said Fasano.

Learn more about Valverbe at www.valverbe.it/en/

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