"We have reorganised the section over the past few years, meaning we have changed our approach to the market. We rationalised our assortments, introduced new product ranges and started promoting local products more. People can find our stores in over 100 Italian provinces, where we try to meet customer expectations by giving importance to local products and tradition."
As regards the recent weather that hit most of southern Italy, Guernelli stresses that "it is an emergency. Almost all of the products are available, but of course quantities are low. I have never seen anything like it, the bad weather affected production in almost all areas in the Mediterranean."
When asked about flyer promotions and the fact that it seems producers are the only ones losing out, he replied that "that is not true, at least not at Conad. While we do ask promoters to take part in special offers, it is not true that they are the only ones losing money. We take on most of the investment, and we consider it a good way to retain customers. Having reliable, punctual and motivated suppliers is in our interest. It would be counterproductive to penalise suppliers, because we would ruin something that took years to build. Many are businesses that have been working with us for a long time and that follow our guidelines."
The manager also adds that Conad is working to improve the entire chain. "We want our customers to find produce that is fresh and tastes good. Having produce that is perfect at origin but which doesn't deliver when on the table is worthless."