About us

History

Origins

In 1993 the National Union of Juice and Non-Alcoholic Beverage Producers (KUPSiNB) was established within the structure of the Scientific and Technical Association of Food Industry Engineers and Technicians (SITSpoż). Joining the organization of concentrated juice producers initiated the process of acquisition of the legal person status. As a result, the organization was registered as the independent Polish Association of Juices Producers (KUPS) in April 2004).

Voluntary Control System for juices and nectars (DSK)

In April 2002, upon the initiative of juice and nectar producers, the Voluntary Control System for juices and nectars (DSK) was established. It is based on the Western European structures, that is why it was originally the member of the European Quality Control System. DSK is particularly focused on self-adjustment and monitoring of the entire national market. In case of detecting irregularities, falsifications, unfair practices or other activities meeting the criteria of unfair practices, respective corrective measures are taken. The most severe penalty for dishonest producers and distributors is expulsion from the market.

In order to realize its goals, DSK cooperates with multiple recognized institutions and specialist laboratories, it has also cooperated with state-owned control entities and consumer organizations. We would like DSK to cover most juice and nectar producers on the Polish market, thus our initiatives have the purpose to popularize the DSK idea among producers, distributors, companies, organizations and consumers.

The DSK tasks are as follows:

  • assuring fair and equal competition on the juice, nectar and drink market;
  • protection of the image of the Polish juice, nectar and drink industry;
  • popularization, control, respecting and enforcement of current legal regulations and technical documents in juice, nectar and drink production;
  • protection producers of raw materials ready-to-use goods against unfair competition resulting from non-compliance with the qualitative standards adopted by DSK;
  • creating conditions enabling early warning against detected falsifications in juices, nectars and drinks as a form of protection against unfair competition;
  • protection producers against unjustified attacks related to quality of products;
  • improvement of juice, nectar and drink quality;
  • cooperation with official control and legislative institutions in terms of juice, nectar and drink quality;
  • promotion of DSK and its participants in producer, trader and consumer associations.

Section of Concentrated Fruit Juice Producers

Section of Concentrated Fruit Juice Producers is KUPS’s unit established by the General Meeting of KUPS Members in 2008.

Its purpose is to consolidate the industry and broadly defined promotion of interests of concentrated fruit and vegetable juice producers, as well as producers of other semi-products required to produce juice, especially:

  • monitoring of the raw material market in Poland and abroad;
  • preparing the strategy on development of the raw material base for the juice industry together with juice and vegetable producers;
  • monitoring of the concentrated fruit and vegetable juice producers in Poland and abroad;
  • analysis of trends regarding distribution and consumption of ready-to-use goods.

Actions on behalf of Consumers

Since its very beginning KUPS’s priority has been to take care to improve qualities of fruit and vegetable juices, nectars and drinks. For this purpose we:

  • have established and constantly improved DSK for juices and nectars, assuring juice genuineness and safety;
  • took part in the four-year international project called The Quality Initiative South and East European Countries, QUISEE);
  • have been cooperating with European institutions dealing with juice quality;
  • have been involved in the international Quali-Juice project;
  • have been cooperating with the General Inspectorate on Trading Quality of Agricultural and Food Articles, Trade Inspectorate, Office of Competition and Consumer Protection;
  • have been conducting promotional and informational activities.

Actions on behalf of natural environment

The juice industry is aware of importance of natural environment protection. The Voluntary REKARTON Agreement realized in the years of 2007-13 was the innovative and completely voluntary initiative of the juice, dairy and packaging industries, actively supporting collection and recycling of used milk and juice cardboard containers. KUPS was one REKARTON Agreement signatories. In 2008 the REKARTON program was given the awards of the Food Industry Leader in the Food Market Innovation category. In this way it was appreciated that this program allowed to successfully realize the goal of the Voluntary Agreement. KUPS actively supports development of the system of selective collection and recycling of juice containers. As a result, we protect forests against deforestation and less waste is delivered to dumps.