It's been 20 years since late radicchio from Treviso obtained the PGI mark and, this year, celebrations coincide with the 60th anniversary of Green Fruit, a company from Trebaseleghe (Padua) who were among the founders of the Consorzio di Tutela del Radicchio Rosso di Treviso Igp and are well-known for the Tosatto brand.
"Those who know the markets know our radicchio," explains Andrea Tosatto, son of the company's founder.
Green Fruit specialises in all kinds of radicchio, available throughout the year. Over time, radicchio has become increasingly popular on the market, so much so that the company is now cultivating it on 100 hectares.
"Over the past couple of years, we have done what we could to increase the share of PGI product and make our producers grow, also for what concerns certifications. Nine of our associates hold the GlobalGap certification."
Attilio and Andrea Tosatto: father and son. The former founded the company and the second is the current owner. The photo was taken during the celebrations for the 20th anniversary of the radicchio PGI mark.
Demand for radicchio from Treviso has grown over the years, especially from retailers. "They are now focusing on PGI and high-quality. We have developed an innovative pack with 2 radicchio heads which is proving very popular."
"The produce has changed a lot since we first obtained the PGI mark and is now more standardised. The distribution and packaging system has also changed. We went from 8 kg crates to smaller formats, now even the 3.5 kg format seems big. The only thing that hasn't changed is quality and clients keep buying if they find quality to be good."
This year, Green Fruit's turnover is expected to be around €3.5 million and is expected to increase by 20% next year. 35% of the turnover is generated by exports to Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Switzerland, United Arab Emirated and the Netherlands, among others. "Exports grow by 5/10% each year. We often ship other types of radicchio to these destinations, but sometimes we add a few crates of PGI product so people can get to know it. One always needs to look abroad, because it makes it possible to see how the world is turning."
The new pack with two PGI late radicchio heads from Treviso.
The idea of adding some PGI radicchio in the shipments sent abroad is paying off. "Volumes are still small, but its popularity is increasing. Demand is good in southern France and Paris. In Paris, in particular, we ship produce to a purchasing group made up of 200 restauranteurs and it's going really well. We started working with it last year, after a series of events in Paris."
Contacts:
Green Fruit S.r.L.
Via Castellana, 44
35010 Trebaseleghe (PD) - Italia
Tel.: (+39) 049 938 5078
Fax: (+39) 049 938 7012
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.greenfruit.it