FreshPlaza interviewed Francesco Nicodemo, President of FruttHera Srl, one of the leading Italian companies which will be at Fruit Logistica in Berlin (8-10 February 2012).FruttHera was established in 2010. What is the balance of activities carried out so far?
The business unit FruttHera was born in 2010 as an affiliated company of our Producers' Organization Asso Fruit Italia, which saw an increment of its turnover during 2010/11 thanks to the entry of new companies from the Basilicata, Apulia, Calabria, Campania and Lazio regions.
During 2011, the marketing team of Frutthera gave a strong push to the company activities and the upward trend so far looks promising for the future. 2011 closed with a turnover of about EUR 12 million, starting from a turnover of EUR 2 million in the first year of activity.
The result was achieved thanks to the ability to work on several fronts, a strategy which allowed us to create and consolidate marketing relationships with not only the Italian and international big retail, but also with national, European and extra-European markets.
The strawberry from Basilicata had a successful season. In your opinion, which are the aspects that supported such a positive development?
The pride of marketing with big retail was undoubtedly the strawberry, a well-known crop in the area of Metaponto. The reason for its success is the spread and the growth of Candonga variety. Thanks to the favourable crop conditions in the area of Metaponto the very precious organoleptic qualities of Candonga come out and consumers appreciate that.
Furthermore, and of equal importance is the production schedule. In these areas, with the right crop devices, we can guarantee the availability of this particular product on the market from February to the beginning of June. The couple Candonga-Metaponto is winning. Moderate success for Clementines is recorded for big retail.
As for international marketing, did you notice the opening towards new markets in 2011/12?
Our presence on the international markets is considerably increased. We consolidated the European markets, UK, Germany, Poland and the Scandinavian peninsula, where we exported above all grape, but also vegetables. Sales of grape are increased in Russia and sales of grape and kiwifruit grew in Saudi Arabia. Our products reached more distant countries too. We export grape in West-Africa, apple in India, grape and plums in Kuwait.
Francesco Nicodemo, President of FruttHera Srl.
What are the changes/novelties for 2012?
In 2012, FruttHera will follow two priority lines. On the one hand we will consolidate our presence in Italian and international big retail. In 2011 we invested in a growth of the Candonga strawberry and therefore we should have a better yield in the next campaign. Further we will increase our product range that is destined to the big retail sector. On the other we will develop our presence in countries such as Slovenia, Latvia, Brazil and Canada, which recorded very interesting market trends.
FruttHera will be at Fruit Logistica in Berlin, Hall 4.2/ Stand C-10, in Unioncamere Basilicata stand.
Contact:
FRUTTHERA S.r.l.
Raffaele De Marco
Sales Department
Tel.: +39 (0)835 954 666 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +39 (0)835 954 666 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Mobile: +39 333 789 42 52 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting +39 333 789 42 52 end_of_the_skype_highlighting