Italy: Az. Barbuscia rewarded for its Grilled artichokes

Barbuscia's Grilled artichokes in extra-virgin olive oil have been rewarded with one star and can therefore display the Bellavita Awards London 2017 logo. The product was presented as part of the "Valore Sicilia" network.

The Bellavita star is a recognition of the network's passion, everyday work and effort for the promotion of its partner companies.

Nicolò Ravale, Barbuscia's International Manager, explained that: "We quickly process vegetables with artisan methods and place them in tins or jars. Our range includes grilled vegetables, preserves and spreads. The company is definitely growing, despite the slight drop in sales volumes in 2016."

Azienda Agricola Barbuscia is located in Sicily and grows artichokes, asparagus and peppers on approximately 200 hectares. They are then sorted and processed in the 600 sq m facility.

Alessia Barbuscia, daughter of the company's owner, and International Manager Nicolò Ravale.

The company was established in 1950 by Rocco Barbuscia and initially focused on cereal. In 2006, Calogero Barbuscia, the current manager, decided to invest in a new facility. Everything, from washing to packaging, is carried out by hand according to the most ancient tradition.

At TuttoFood 2017, Azienda Agricola Barbuscia presented its new range of ready-to-eat pulses with wild fennel.

The best-selling products are: Artichokes hearts in olive oil, Grilled artichokes in olive oil and Dried tomatoes in olive oil.

"The secret is respecting the raw materials, unlike other companies where vegetables are stored in salty water. We also stand out thanks to the quality of our oil and uniquely Sicilian aromas. In addition, we strive to obtain the perfect balance of flavours, so much so that it took us years to develop a product that was perfect for the foreign market," reports Calogero Barbuscia.

What is new and different from the other domestic and foreign competitors is the fact that vegetables are processed raw and only cooked when they're in the tin.

"We close them only once cooking and quality checks are over. The lower stress level of the raw material means it maintains its organoleptic, texture and crunchiness characteristics."

The company also holds the ISO 9001:2008 certification for its quality management system as well as the Organic certification issued by Suolo e Salute and the European Vegan and Vegetarian certification issued by Associazione Vegetariana Italiana. What is more, it is listed in the Registro delle eccellenze italiane 2016 and 2017.

A well-developed internationalisation strategy has also turned the brand into the protagonist of leading trade fairs where, it was well received and even won the Stella Bellavita Awards London (July 2017).

An assessment of 2016
The 2016 season was rather complex as the weather delayed the production of artichokes. In addition, Brexit meant UK operators were rather disheartened and the domestic market was stagnant.

"Consumers have shown more interest in 2017, also thanks to our tasting initiatives and special promotions. Average prices are also higher. Now we're hoping summer drought hasn't caused any damage."

80% of the produce is destined to the domestic market, while 20% is exported to the UK, Ireland, Germany, Belgium, France, Austria, Japan and Russia. The main sales channels are H&R, specialised stores, importers, wholesalers and distributors.

Contacts:
Azienda Agricola Barbuscia®
C.da Sortovilla - Piazza Armerina (EN)
Sede Legale: Via Giustolisi 91
95040 Mirabella Imbaccari (CT) - Italy
Mob.:+39 333 4449804 / +39 320 1129421
Tel./Fax: +39 0933 992541
Email: info@prodottitipicibarbuscia.it
Web: www.prodottitipicibarbuscia.com