"A volatile market for fennel but providing customer service will ultimately pay off”

"There is no shortage in terms of the number of volumes sold, while the prices are a bit more volatile. However, we are not complaining because we have a large customer base, especially abroad, who trust us because they know we offer great service combined with a great product."

The exterior of the Caligari&Babbi building

Marco Babbi, sales contact for the Caligari&Babbi company that owns the Finò brand, specializing in fennel available 12 months a year says it's pointless to keep saying prices go up or down. "We're in a time of total uncertainty, so nobody wants to make schedules, he adds. So, we've got to adapt. But what I can say is that we offer our clients a range of tailor-made, bespoke services. This is really appreciated, and valued, especially abroad."

"At Finò, we're always at the top of the European game for a few reasons. We keep our varieties and technology up to date, our employees are happy (canteen, locker rooms with reserved spaces, first-aid room...), and we've got the latest certifications. And all of this was from scratch. My business partner Vittorio Caligari and I started over 20 years ago with nothing, and we've been investing ever since, culminating in the new headquarters we opened a few years ago."

Caligari&Babbi headquarters at sunset

Babbi concludes: "After a year of good prices, this year we have seen significant fluctuations, due, on the one hand, to the increase in the number of hectares without any real planning behind it and, on the other, to weather anomalies that led to a mild winter and a wintry spring. In short, it is not easy to grow, but thanks to our organization we are maintaining sales volumes. There is a world of opportunities out there, we just have to know how to seize them."