Italy: Striped aubergines successful in last few years

Oblong, round, striped and white - Millennium Srl sells many varieties of aubergines in its stand at the Fondi Market (MOF) in Lazio.

"We sell around 1,000 tons of aubergines per year, and they represent 5% of our total turnover. Round ones are 60% of our production, followed by light purple (15%), oblong (10%), striped (13%) and white (2%) ones," explains Luca Peppe, owner of Millennium.

Aubergines are available the whole year round, with a peak between April and November. The turnover of the company reached €10 million in 2013 and has increased by 10% in the last 4/5 years.

"Our main sales channel is the domestic and foreign wholesale market (England, France, Germany and Austria in particular). 80% of the produce is destined there. The rest goes to retailers and distributors."

"We are looking for new clients and suppliers and are working on making the ratio between wholesale and retail sales as balanced as possible."



"Our products reach high quality standards and our cultivation techniques are natural and respect the environment," stress Luigi and Mario Peppe, the two brothers who established Millennium srl in 1998 to breathe new life into the work their father started in the 1970s.

Millennium collects the produce from 70 local producers as well as other suppliers all over Italy. In addition to aubergines, the company sells tomatoes (60% of the produce sold), vegetables (25%) and various types of fruit (15%).