To comfortably fit a meatball into a sandwich, you would have to flatten it. The same goes for peaches and nectarines: If you want them to be a handy snack, you have to flatten them, too. That's how Ondine was born." Joaquín Berges, the marketing manager of Frutaria Innovation (Samca Group), used this analogy to explain the concept behind the Ondine family of fruits. On 17 July 2025, Ondine project protagonists in Italy, namely, Alegra, Cico-Mazzoni, Greenyard, and Naturitalia, organized an on-site field trip followed by a visit to the Agrintesa processing plant in Bagnacavallo, Emilia-Romagna.
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© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.comClaudia Iannarella, Enrico Bucchi and Roberto Colombo at the Mosconi company
Participants were able to tour an Ondine production plant at the Mosconi company in the Italian city of Faenza, province of Ravenna. After Enrico Bucchi and Claudia Iannarella (the respective sales and marketing managers of the Alegra Group) gave an introduction, Cristian Moretti (the director of Agrintesa) and Roberto Colombo (the technician) answered the journalists' questions. "Ondine's productivity is high," Colombo pointed out. "We produce around 30-35 tons per hectare. We could produce more, but we want to maintain a limit to guarantee high quality. The Brix degrees easily exceed 14, and the color varies depending on the production calendar, yet it is always visually appealing."
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© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.comCristian Moretti
"The Gross Saleable Production in the field is very interesting, especially since the goal of reaching €1.50 per kilogram per producer last year was largely met," says Moretti. However, it must be said that producing Ondine is by no means easy. Planting costs are significant. One must consider the expense of the plants, the defense structures, and the management of the thinning and harvesting phases. In short, Ondine yields good results, but it is a type of cultivation for experienced professionals."
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© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.comAristide Castellari opening the conference at the Agrintesa assembly hall in Bagnacavallo
After the field visit, we moved on to the Agrintesa plant in Bagnacavallo. There, Salvo Garipoli of SG Marketing moderated a conference opened by Aristide Castellari, president of Agrintesa.
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© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.comFrom left to right: Berges, Mazzoni, Galeati, Renella, and Bucchi
"A round nectarine is a dessert, but a flat one is a snack," said Berges. "The Ondine project was born in 2021. Its strong points are its perfect pistillar closure, high sugar content, and lengthy commercial calendar. The fruits are sold in bulk and packaged formats. They are positioned in the snack segment, and we used the ice cream metaphor for the marketing campaign."
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© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.comJoaquin Berges
Garipoli of SG Marketing presented the promotional campaign, which primarily focuses on social media and points of sale. All packs are entered into a raffle for prizes such as bags, trolleys, and holiday vouchers.
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© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.comSalvo Garipoli of SG Marketing, the company that organised the event to perfection
Enrico Bucchi, Alegra's commercial director, said, "It is an engaging project because we are dealing with a unique product that came to Agrintesa thanks to Director Cristian Moretti and the technical department. There are three areas of work: agronomy, commercial management, and fostering collaboration between partners and the breeder to create a close-knit team."
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© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.comEnrico Bucchi
"At Naturitalia, we are always looking for innovative products, and we have found a complete novelty in Ondine," said Augusto Renella of Naturitalia. "We are still in the early stages, but we have already encountered a high level of interest, both here in Italy and abroad. This is a project that requires oversight and attention to detail, where everyone involved must share a the same brand vision."
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© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.comAugusto Renella
"Even a company like ours needs to evolve, and this product allows us to do so. Vertical integration of production is pretty much essential these days. When you team up with other industry partners, it also becomes horizontal. Ondine is one of the best examples. A project must be ready when the market demands it. The flat nectarine has ample room for growth. We have organized coordination, and we receive positive feedback from customers," said Maicol Galeati, Greenyard's managing director.
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© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.comMaicol Galeati
Matteo Mazzoni said, "You can't develop a product like this alone; you need close partners. Innovation should be directed, not pursued for its own sake. Italian producers are going through difficult times, but this could be a very advantageous opportunity. All eleven varieties of Ondine have a distinctive flavor and color that consumers enjoy. "It catches your eye at first glance and wins you over with its taste and convenience. It's the perfect snack."
© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.comMatteo Mazzoni
The Ondine Day concluded with a buffet inspired entirely by the flat nectarine. Participants tasted the fruit in various ways, confirming its versatility and status as a promising innovation in the European fruit and vegetable industry.
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© Cristiano Riciputi | FreshPlaza.com
The meeting was also an opportunity to present the new 2025 communication campaign, "Snack the Summer." The product's new, innovative visual is intended to position it immediately and effectively within the snack consumption sector. The campaign is based on three factors: taste, format, and freshness.
To engage the target audience, the "Win Summer with Ondine" consumer competition was launched and will be active from 14 July to 31 August 2025. The goal is to stimulate repeat purchases with an eye-catching prize pool and an instant-win feature.
For more information: Ondine fruit website
