“We are working so that our products are no longer only perceived as high-end occasion products. The consumers that choose us are those looking for flavorful products and keep purchasing them despite the price. This enables us to work well, without compromising on the quality of raw materials," explains Alessio Brusadin, owner of La Dispensa di Brusadin.
"We process around 100 thousand jars a year, with a growing turnover made mainly between September and Christmas. We are now trying to deseasonalize the production."
In the photo, Alessio Brusadin
Alessio Brusadin is a globetrotting chef from Pordenone, as he likes to define himself, and he works for many prestigious locations both in Italy and abroad. He has worked for many years in 5-star hotels such as the Hyde Park Hotel, Halkin Hotel with Gualtiero Marchesi and the Metropolitan Hotel, until he opened his own chain of Italian restaurants abroad with one (Grano) being awarded as the best Italian restaurant in London in 1999.
“After fifteen years abroad, I have come back home and spent five years in Alto Adige, in Smarano to be precise, where I started my adventure with processing. My return to Italy led to a rediscovery of flavors and amazing products. The idea is to capture them all in jars with unprecedented flavors, in an entirely natural way without adding preservatives. In 2017, we set up a new laboratory in Brugnera (Friuli) where I can work on everything I have discovered, tasted and experimented over the past few years."
The company produces gourmet jams in 270g jars: strawberry, apricot, orange, fig, cherry, mango, raspberry, peach and fruits of the forest. The "Le speciali" range features: Russet apple, rhubarb and currants, Strawberry and elderberry, White peach, guava and lychee, Fig and Gewürztraminer, Pineapple and bergamot orange and many more.
“The most popular product is Navel blond orange marmalade with the addition of dried fruit. Oranges are peeled by hand and the peel is julienned, then blanched with the addition of sugar and subjected to a very slow candying process. The flesh is cut into chunks and added to the candied pieces. When it reaches 63° Brix, we add the dried fruit (walnuts, figs, dates, raisings, fennel seeds), rum, lemon juice and a small part of fresh peel to enhance the aroma."
The range also includes a line of fruit and/or vegetable chutneys, cooked in a sweet-and-sour syrup made of raw cane sugar and organic apple vinegar flavored with aromatic herbs. There are countless variants of these products, which are usually adapted and revisited depending on who makes them. The most popular is the mango, bell pepper, shallot and basil chutney available in 150 gram jars. It works amazingly with raw fish, white meat and fresh cheese. For the Italian culinary tradition, chutneys are an innovative product that is mostly popular with the younger generations. Originally from India and largely used in Anglo-saxon countries, they are increasingly appreciated in Italy. Chutneys usually include up to 15 ingredients between vegetables and/or fruit and a mix of spices.
"We have simplified the quantity of ingredients, reducing the spices to exalt the flavor and aroma of the fruits and vegetables, plus we have opted for combinations that work well with our typical cheeses, cured meats and dishes."
“My contribution to our health is working with natural and healthy products with a list of ingredients that is as short as possible. At the moment, in addition to the increase in costs, we are dealing with the high prices of the fruit, which is particularly excellent this campaign. Raspberries, for example, are not only hard to find, but their price has increased by as much as 300%. Sales channels are specialized stores, while we do not have the price of big retail chains as we are talking about an artisanal product that has high chain prices to begin with."
For further information:
Alessio Brusadin
"Alessio Brusadin Invasi dal Gusto"
Viale Europa, 24
33070 – Brugnera (PN) Italy
+39 333 499 3767
info@alessiobrusadin.it
www.alessiobrusadin.it