Ciarciello Group's debut at Macfrut was a strategic opportunity. "We chose this occasion to launch a novelty in which we believe a lot," explain Sara, Michele, and Giovanni Ciarciello. The protagonist at the fair was an innovative line of three packed, unwashed products in both the organic and traditional versions for cauliflower florets, broccoli florets, and turnip greens.
Sara, Michele and Giovanni Ciarciello at Macfrut 2025
The line is designed for a varied audience (from singles to sportsmen and women, and from families to students) and combines practicality, safety, and visual and nutritional quality. "For example, broccoli florets are provided in a safe and convenient format, also perfect for self-weaning," Sara points out. The idea behind it is simple yet powerful: to make vegetables accessible, immediate, and beautiful to look at, without losing quality and freshness.
The packaging, which was designed in collaboration with Gli Ortografici and Fulvia Guglielmi, plays a key role: two distinct graphic identities, one more pop and one more sober, to illustrate the product, the link with the territory and also tell the family history in an authentic manner.
"The packaging presented at the fair is still prototypes, but they have already attracted great interest. Now we will move on to the next stage: material tests, choosing the most suitable support, and production, with the official launch planned for October. To us, Macfrut was not just a fair, but a real test bench, a place for comparison and inspiration. It was also the symbol of a new stage in our journey."
A reality with deep roots and a modern vision
Ciarciello Group was founded in 1960 in Foggia, in the heart of the Capitanata area, thanks to the intuition of Giovanni Ciarciello and his wife Lina. Today, two generations later, the company represents a solid fruit and vegetable business directly cultivating 150 hectares, and managing a total of around 300 hectares thanks to a network of local farmer partners. The group consists of two administrative partners, seven farms, and a commercial enterprise, Ortofrutticola Ciarciello, which takes care of logistics and distribution.
The offer ranges from fresh and semi-processed to frozen products, with a specialisation in peeled onions. Crops, which are all located in the Foggia province, include onions, aubergines, tomatoes, pumpkins, broccoli, and cauliflowers, both organic and traditional. A new 3,500 square metre plant with cold storage cells and a storage capacity of 3,000 bins is nearing completion to support the supply chain and will become operational in June.
Organic production: sustainability as a daily choice
With 120 hectares dedicated to organic farming, Ciarciello Group adopts sustainable agronomic techniques and advanced technologies. "We use drip irrigation systems to optimise the use of water and employ techniques such as green manure, mulching, and crop rotations to preserve soil fertility," explains Michele.
Varietal choices are oriented towards resilience and quality in collaboration with seed companies, while the energy used is partly self-produced thanks to a 300 kW photovoltaic plant. Logistics are also low-impact, and digitalisation supports the entire crop management process.
Peeled onions: the flagship of the processed product range
Ciarciello Group is currently the leading Italian producer of semi-processed onions, with an annual volume of 5,000 tonnes. An achievement obtained thanks to investments in technology and continuous process refinement. "Our water peeling plant can process up to 3 tonnes per hour and it takes about 14 hours from harvesting to the peeled product, with processing carried out on the same day."
Onions are cooled immediately after peeling to preserve their freshness and microbiological safety. This system also reduces oxidation and improves shelf-life, meeting the needs of the Italian frozen food industry, with which the group has established partnerships.
Exports and high quality for European markets
Ciarciello Group is present in numerous European countries. "We export to most of Europe, with an established presence in Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Hungary. We are also gradually expanding our presence in new markets, with the aim of stable and lasting growth. The most popular products abroad are broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, onions, celery, and pumpkins," explains Giovanni.
"In order to guarantee freshness and quality, we have developed an efficient supply chain: harvesting and shipping are synchronised at short notice, with strict quality controls, a guaranteed cold chain, packaging supplied according to customer requirements, and complete logistics monitoring. Adaptability to customer requirements is another pillar of our business approach.
Agri-voltaics and drip irrigation: efficiency and respect for the environment
Sustainability also passes through technological innovation: the introduction of agri-voltaic systems and drip irrigation has transformed the Ciarciello Group's production model. Water is administered in a targeted manner, reducing waste and protecting the soil. Photovoltaic panels, on the other hand, power cold storage cells and processing plants with clean energy. "Efficiency and sustainability are two sides of the same coin for us. A choice that allows us to maintain high productivity even in complex climatic conditions and strengthens the resilience of the entire company system."
Future perspectives - innovate, transform, communicate
In addition to fresh and semi-finished products, the company now collaborates with external partners when it comes to frozen products, mainly destined for the processing industry. But the future goal is clear: "We want to build our own deep-freezing plant. It will allow us to shorten the supply chain, improve quality control, and reduce environmental impact."
The future of the Ciarciello Group will be played out on several fronts. First and foremost, the expansion of the lines for semi-finished products, starting with peeled onions and with other products such as peppers in layers, and additional vegetables for processing. "Our commitment is to upgrade the production lines by introducing new high-efficiency machinery, automation and robotics, in order to optimise processes and maintain higher quality standards."
Then the fresh packaged range will be expanded, as demonstrated by the line launched at Macfrut. "The aim is to enter the big retail trade with a product that combines practicality, aesthetics, and nutritional value, responding to the new needs of consumers". Finally, the creation of the new factory for frozen food. "Today, we are suppliers of raw materials for large groups in the frozen food industry, but we want to vertically integrate the supply chain and start freezing directly ourselves, at origin. This would allow us to not only maximise the value of our products, but also to reduce road transport, thereby cutting costs and environmental impact."
These objectives are flanked by a commitment to environmental sustainability, staff training, and communication: "We want to build a direct dialogue with consumers through a strong and consistent brand identity," conclude Sara, Michele, and Giovanni Ciarciello.
For more information:
Ciarciello Group
Strada Interpoderale San Nicola d'Arpi - Pod.4072/C
71121 Foggia (FG) - Italy
+39 388 779 7162
[email protected]
https://ciarciellogroup.it