World Report

Leading producer Conserve Italia has opened a new processing plant to cater for growth in the market

Developing services for citizens, supporting education and training, and protecting the environment are priority areas for the regional administration

hanks to modern cultivation techniques, the orchards and farms of Emilia Romagna boast some of the most advanced agricultural production in Italy.
Closely linked to the agricultural sector is the food processing industry, which represents one of the most important economic activities of the region. Exports from the Emilia Romagna’s food industry account for approximately 17 per cent of the national total.

The 43,000 plants of the region’s 8,000 food processing companies are distributed throughout Emilia Romagna, but are particularly concentrated in the provinces of Parma and Forlì-Cesena.

With consumers moving increasingly towards a healthier lifestyle, demand for high quality food products is continuing to rise. One Parma-based food and beverage company that has benefited from this is Conserve Italia, one of Europe’s leading producers of processed fruit and vegetables and fruit juices.

ORIANO EMILIANI
Director General of Conserve Italia

‘For us, Europe started before it did for other food companies’

“People are willing to pay more for good value foods,” says Director General Oriano Emiliani. “Our products are of a very high quality, and we enjoy strong consumer loyalty. We are growing faster than the market, and over next year we expect to see an even bigger increase in demand than we have had up to now.”
Conserve Italia is an international multi-brand enterprise with subsidiaries, including Salfa, Conserves France, Mediterranean Growers in London, Warburg in Germany and Poland’s Konserwa Polska. The company’s brands include Valfrutta, Jolly Colombani, Yoga, Derby and Saint Mamet.

Conserve Italia recently added to its plants in Emilia Romagna by opening a new factory at Pomposa, near Codigoro in Ferrara. The plant is already in operation, processing peas, green beans, fruit in syrup, peaches, pears and fruit cocktail.

“At the end of next year, when the plant is finished, it will be the biggest in Europe for this type of production,” says Mr Emiliani. When tomato production starts there next year, Conserve Italia expects to double its tomato processing capacity.

Conserve Italia, a multi-brand enterprise whose products inspire customer loyalty

France, the UK, Germany and Italy are the company’s most important markets. “For us, Europe started before it did for other food companies,” says Mr Emiliani.

“There are companies that sell on the international market, but they are not international themselves. Conserve Italia is different because we work with our colleagues abroad on a daily basis.

“All the people in the company are young, professional and international, so its easy to do something new or better because they are open to change. This is not common in Italy. We were one of the first companies in the country to have an integrated communications system, which we have used for many years. It is an indication of our modern working style.”

Conserve Italia would particularly like to expand in the British market, where the company’s annual turnover is £15 million, about 5 per cent of its global total. “Our aim in the UK is to be known as the leading brand,” says Mr Emiliani. “It is an interesting market because it is a modern market. People in the UK are conscious about the quality of food.
“In Italy, being able to trace a product from its origin is normal. We do not buy raw materials from other people, we buy them from our stakeholders. We are aware of all the steps to the final product. There are fields in Emilia Romagna, Veneto and Tuscany that are reserved entirely for our foods, so we are sure about the product.”