The pun is based on the Italian words Mele - Miele - Ape (Apples - Honey - Bee), cue to the funny bee that represents the table grapes sold by the intermediary.
"In Campania, where we sell the majority of our produce, everybody is looking for the grapes with the bee. Final consumers want it because they know it is good."
"In Campania, where we sell the majority of our produce, everybody is looking for the grapes with the bee. Final consumers want it because they know it is good."
That is why the company dedicated the delivery of one of its trucks to this product (see photo below).
Everybody benefits from hard work
Harvesting started on June 15th with Sicilian grapes from the Mazzarrone area. "This year, quality is very good. Victoria grapes have excellent sugar levels, a good colour and are healthy."
The campaign will then continue with fruit from Apulia from July 20th onwards. "Growers want to work with us because they understand that everybody has something to gain if we all do our part. If the produce is good, prices are good both in northern and southern Italy."
Results though can only be obtained with hard work. Michele spends a lot of time away from his family to supervise the various Sicilian campaigns. "I am fully committed and I can see how our business is growing year after year. When my grandfather tells me about the sacrifices he made when he first started out, I think about when I will be able to talk to my nephews about my work ."
And hard work pays off - "the blood orange campaign went very well this year and I can proudly say that we did not sell 1 kg of foreign produce. We only sold Sicilian citrus fruit from the area of Palagonia. Often though, it is sold at low prices because producers do not work together. I am no expert, but sometimes I ask myself, why do Melinda apples never reach such low prices? It is true that Sicily is penalised from a logistics point of view, but our produce is just as good."
Contacts:
Ortofrutta di Mele Carmela sas
Via Orlando 29
80049 Somma Vesuviana (NA)
Tel.: (+39) 081 5304557 / (+39) 081 5307933
Fax: (+39) 081 5308624
Email: ortofruttamele@libero.it / ortofruttamele@legalmai.it
Alfonso Polise: (+39) 333 3367870
Michele Sodano: (+39) 333 3367869