La Grande Bellezza Italiana closes the balance sheet for 2024 with a double-digit increase, reaching a global turnover of EUR 135 million. All member companies are growing, and branded product turnover exceeds EUR 5 million. "We have been working hard since the end of 2018, the year the project was launched," comments Leonardo Odorizzi, one of the founders of the business network.
Part of the group at Macfrut 2024
"We have overcome many difficulties, including the pandemic, as well as market distrust due to past experiences that have seen many aggregation projects fail to overcome the third-year crisis."
"The Pesca di Verona Igp project took shape in this last financial year, born in an almost tragic situation where, only three years ago, there had been an 80% collapse in cultivated hectares, leading to the closure of the Consortium after 12 years."
Alice Campostrini and Luca Grazian with Leonardo Odorizzi
Now the consortium has 12 members, and 20 farms have decided to join this year. Four big retail chains are already involved in the next campaign. The distribution of PGI Piana del Sele cauliflowers, the first to gain European recognition, began in the autumn of 2024. In just a few months, 6 chains have tested a product with a highly original packaging for this item, supported by a promotional campaign. The consortium's figures confirm a profit of more than 60 eurocents compared to the traditional product.
Not to forget the distribution of PGI Cuneo red apples, which are finding their place even though the sector is overcrowded by more than 62 apples per club. We are currently working on reviewing the marketing to promote their crunchiness, flavour, and the markedly 'red' colour even more. The ambition is to make them 'the red apple' par excellence.
Stefania Ponso for PGI Cuneo red apples
"As far as radicchio is concerned, we worked with two chains in central/southern Italy, experimenting with a 'unique' proposal that saw the well-known PGI radicchio from Verona paired with the variegated one, the pink one, promoting its colours and characteristics with signs at the points of sale providing information on its use."
Part of the Geofur team, which operates in the radicchio sector
"From 6 to 8 May, we will attend Macfrut in Hall B2 with a 480-metre stand featuring a kitchen run by the school Generazione Vincente Academy, where it will be possible to taste some of our seasonal products with recipes created by the school's students, and an Arena that will host several working tables with speeches by many representatives from the big retail trade, the production world and institutions," concludes Odorizzi.
For more information
La Grande Bellezza Italiana
Business network
C.so Milano 36/A
37138 Verona - Italy
[email protected]
www.lagrandebellezzaitaliana.it