The Coscia pear also known as "Etna pear" because it is grown near the famous volcano, is characterized by its small shape as well as by its intense flavor, Raffaele Scirillo of Irpinia Frucht GmbH at the Berlin wholesale market tells us. "The special thing about Coscia pears is that they turn out much smaller than conventional pear varieties such as Abate. However, the item is not permanently available, the marketing period lasts from July to September/October. We received the first delivery back in June, but at that time the quality did not meet our expectations," says Scirillo. Meanwhile, sales of the Abate pear are increasingly dwindling.
High-priced exclusive
"There is demand for the Coscia pears, although we can't sell this product by the pallet. After all, the price is from 3.30 to 3.50 EUR/kg. We find the main sales with these pears at the weekly markets, while the interest in gastronomy is rather restrained. We are currently the only ones who offer the Coscia pear on the wholesale market." Apart from that, he said, he noticed that customers in general were paying more attention to their money and to the respective prices, and were more likely to buy more precise quantities than in previous times.
Delay in Amalfi lemons
Due to the weather-related hardships this year, there have been minor losses for individual products. However, the situation has returned to normal, he said. "Because we work with a large network of suppliers and generally maintain good contacts with the Italian market, we have been able to maintain our range well. There have been delivery delays most recently with Amalfi lemons, but this was more due to the fact that Italy celebrated Ferragosto on August 15. On this day, the companies are mostly closed. Therefore, our supply of citrus has dropped slightly in the meantime."
Raffaele Scirillo
Lower demand for prickly pears
Furthermore, Irpinia also offers prickly pears, which again are only purchased to order. "Many people are familiar with the product, but it is not particularly easy to eat because of its prickles. In contrast to southern Italy, interest in Germany is not too high. On top of that, the price is 4.00 to 5.00 EUR/kg."
In 2022, Irpinia Frucht GmbH was busy throughout the year, he said. "Especially in the summer, it became apparent that people were more motivated to go out, meet in restaurants, go shopping at the markets, etc. Especially on weekends, the stores were full. It's definitely quieter this year. Whether it's quieter than the time before the pandemic is hard to say," Scirillo says. He has also noticed, he says, that while there is more interest in organic products, customers are also very price-sensitive. "Some customers are also foregoing appropriate qualities in some cases, as long as they can get cheaper goods."
Further Information:
Raffaele Scirillo
Irpinia Frucht GmbH
Telefon: 030 / 398 843 02
Telefax: 030 / 398 843 07
E-Mail: [email protected]
Instagram: irpinia_frucht_berlin
