A family that believes in the PGI Peach of Verona

"We believe in the PGI Peach of Verona because it can truly be a mark of recognition in the array of domestic and foreign fruit sold in Italy. Thanks to the promotion of La Grande Bellezza Italiana (LGBI), we hope that Verona's products will regain the splendor of the past," said Alice Campostrini and Luca Grazian, owners of the farm I Colli di Villafranca from Verona.

Alice Campostrini and Luca Grazian.

The Campostrini company is in its fourth generation. Alice decided to follow in her parents' footsteps soon after graduating in agriculture. "We never forced her, but it was her decision to continue the family business," say her father Claudio and mother Vanna Angelina Benedetti.

The I Colli farm has about 20 hectares of land, 15 of which are planted with fruit trees. "We used to have only peaches, or almost peaches, and then, with the crisis of the last few decades, we switched to apples and pears, keeping only a very small number of peach orchards. Now we are planting peach trees again, to the delight of my parents," says Alice.

Crimson Lady.

"It is important to harvest well, and I have always been very careful about quality," says Vanna Angelina, "ever since the days when fruit was delivered to the wholesale market. If we want people to buy fruit, we have to think about a product that is good to eat, there is no alternative."

Thanks to the La Grande Bellezza Italiana business network, Alice and Luca have participated in Fruit Logistica in Berlin and Macfrut in Rimini. "In October we will be at Fruit Attraction in Madrid, again in the LGBI stand. Thanks to the network, we can talk to the buyers of the most important Italian and foreign chains and we can see and compare ourselves with other realities on a global scale. We are a very small company, but thanks to this network, we gain considerable visibility," say Alice and Luca.

Alice, Vanna Angelina and Claudio Campostrini with Luca Grazian.

Parents Claudio and Vanna Angelina have given their daughter and son-in-law carte blanche. "There is no future without innovation. That is why we are happy that Alice and Luca have new ideas and are on the lookout for new products at trade fairs. Our industry needs the new generation, and at the same time, the industry needs to reward the work of young people who are so passionate about agriculture."

The Great Italian Beauty will begin the commercialization of the PGI Peach of Verona as of the end of June.

"Unfortunately, the fruit and vegetable sector has gone through terrible years in terms of compensating us farmers and we still haven't come out of it. I remember," says Claudio, "that my father used to tell me that in 1959 the price of peaches was 30 Italian lire per kilogram, while the cost of the workers was 60 lire per hour. In other words, two kilos of harvest paid for one hour of work. If we keep this ratio, today we should be paid 7 euros per kilogram for peaches."

"We hope that, thanks to the new PGI label," concludes the Campostrini family, "Verona peaches will receive the recognition they deserve on the market."