After the first year of experimentation and the launch of the "Divino - Il kaki italiano" brand, which saw its marketing end early due to considerable demand, Gallicchio Frutta Srls, the company behind the brand, is preparing for the next season.
Current fruit status.
"If last year we had a total of 64 hectares planted, for the 2024/25 campaign, we have just over 80. The growth in available volumes is therefore consistent, thanks to the entry into production of new plants (about 10 hectares) and the increased quantities harvested from plants already in production. Other growers have joined in; it is no longer just us who believe in this project. The idea of having a structured sales network behind us is driving many producers to join forces. This perfect alliance, we believe, will enable us to have more quantities available and extend sales at least until the end of February."
"We are in the process of establishing further partnerships with new Italian and European customers for deliveries starting next October. The enthusiasm is palpable—we did not imagine that the new brand would be so positively received by the market and that there would be so much anticipation from one year to the next," comments Managing Director Francesca Gallicchio.
Contributing to the brand's success, which was created to enhance the cultivation of persimmons, is the general increase in consumption. In Italy, the acreage of persimmons continues to grow, thanks to satisfactory economic returns. Meanwhile, competitive pressure from Spain, long considered the main competitor, is decreasing due to a natural phase of production downsizing caused by phytosanitary and commercial factors.
To date, there are 10 official suppliers of Divino kakis, in addition to occasional batches purchased from other operators in southern Italian regions such as Apulia, Calabria, and Basilicata.
Antonello Savoia.
Grower Antonello Savoia from Montalbano Jonico (Matera), with 14 hectares dedicated to Rojo Brillante, comments: "I have been a grower with Gallicchio for four years now. The company never imagined it could achieve great fame with this product. This new brand is making a lot of noise, and I am proud to be an active part of it. There is close cooperation; the payments are in line with market trends. However, the drought remains our biggest concern. There is a slight drop in yields on the plants, and the mild weather since last winter has caused some difficulties in the field, with drop rates certainly higher than a year ago. The crops, however, are in excellent condition and entering the swelling phase. In September, the fruit sizes went from 100-150 g to 250-350 g."
From Scanzano Jonico (Matera), for Roberto Frabbetti, it will be his second season supplying the company. "The idea of not having to deal directly with placing the product on the market allows me to concentrate better on other aspects, such as agronomy, to ensure a product with high-quality standards. In a short time, the company has become a reference point in the production and sale of persimmons, capable of meeting the needs of farmers and often taking on the management of the harvest as well."
In the next campaign, the fruits, in addition to the customized 30x50x9 cm single-layer box, will be distributed in a customized cardboard box and through packaging from Tosca Italy, Cpr, and Ifco.
For more information:
Divino - The Italian persimmon
Gallicchio Frutta Srls
Via Piemonte n. 36/b
75020 Scanzano Jonico (MT)
335 5872063 (Antonio)
334 8121776 (Francesca)
[email protected]
Facebook.com/DivinoIlkakiItaliano