Massimo Savini, CEO of RLA, a logistics operator specializing in fresh produce, reported that, due to the bad weather, the volumes of fresh produce handled during May and June 2019 have dropped significantly.
"Due to the bad weather and slow consumption, things are very different from last year. I would like to be able to say the opposite, but this is how things are."
Massimo Savini
Savini believes cooperating is the only way out for the 'Italian System'. "A lot more could be done. Strategic alliances are the only way to resolve the current crisis, at least in part."
"We cannot think we can conquer the foreign market with a myriad of small brands no one has ever heard of. The only brand that strikes is the 'made in Italy' one with the flag as a symbol, provided that it is supported by high-quality produce."
Tomatoes sold under the Fresh Guru brand
According to Savini, small logos are almost useless, in the sense that they are not at all considered abroad. He is not wrong, otherwise we would not be talking about a crisis.
Mixed pallets
"We should focus on making costs drop by working as a network while maintaining our autonomy. I am talking about all the actors within the chain thinking with the same mentality."
RLA is located in Gambettola, in the Forlì-Cesena province, where it has an organization and sorting facility. During the visit, it was clear how the various supermarkets tend to prefer made to measure pallets with a few crates per product. But of course this drives costs up.
Crates with 5 punnets of plums. A third of the volume is empty, but this is how retailers prefer them, thus contributing to driving costs up
"Logistics is increasingly fragmented, with demands from retailers leading to higher costs- There are crates organized in a way that leaves a third of the volume empty, so we basically transport air. Pallets get lower and lower and at times cannot be stacked, so we keep transporting air and wood."
"What is also missing is a strategic marketing and communication effort to promote the Italian fresh produce all over the world, though of course communication is not effective if quality is not high."
Contacts:
Rete logistica agroindustriale
Massimo Savini
Via Dell'Arrigoni 308, Cesena
Tel: (+39) 0547/657840
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.rlaitalia.it