After last year's resounding success, with results far exceeding expectations, the Italian Villari Group is launching a new campaign for Interdonato's premium 'Ducifinu' lemon brand.
"In the world of citrus fruits, the lemon is perhaps one of the most trivialised. We have invested in giving a new meaning to an autochthonous citrus fruit with unique characteristics that unfortunately have not been well appreciated," says Attilio Villari, the company's sales manager. "Our success over the past year can be measured by the feedback we have received from our customers and end users. They saw Ducifinu not as a simple lemon, but as a high-quality, 100% Sicilian product. And all this at a time when the Italian lemon was being challenged by foreign competition, particularly from South Africa and Argentina."
"It is a highly distinctive product that is well established in the fruit and vegetable trade. The end consumer is no longer asking for a kilo of lemons, but is specifically asking for our product," continues Villari. "Ducifinu is particularly appreciated for its attractiveness. Firstly, for its special, carefully designed packaging. Then for its intense and unusual flavour, which is less acidic than the classic lemon, and for its fine peel, rich in essential oils. It is a niche product that we have defined as a 'limited edition' because it is only available from the end of September to December, and especially during the first harvesting period (September/October). There is no competition from Sicilian lemons, as the classic yellow Primofiore lemon is not yet present on the fruit and vegetable counters."
There is no denying that the new campaign has been heavily influenced by the weather. "Unfortunately, the drought has not been good for us, but that is true of any crop. In our case, it has caused a series of problems during the ripening of the fruit. Gruppo Villari has always been committed to paying particular attention to irrigation methods and this has allowed us to avoid wasting water, which has become an invaluable and precious commodity.
We have also been able to implement a real water-saving policy thanks to the use of local water resources, such as natural springs in ancient water mines," says Villari.
The harvest of premium Interdonato 'Ducifinu' lemons is scheduled to begin on 30 September. "Harvesting will take place in stages, from the end of September until December, which is the ripening period for Interdonato lemons. In terms of quantity, we can say that it will be more or less the same as last year," explains Villari. "In the first phase of the harvest, the product tends to be green, especially in the extremities. This does not mean it is not ripe, it is just a peculiarity of this variety of lemon. As the fruit ripens, the colour intensifies."
"Our Interdonato lemons will be marketed under the Ducifinu brand name in Italy in the wholesale and retail channels. Over the past few years, this variety of citrus fruit has been very popular on the French markets. We are going to continue in this direction this year, not only in France, but in all of Europe."
Photos provided by Gruppo Villari
For more information:
Gruppo Villari s.r.l.
Via Provinciale Allume 4
98027 Roccalumera (ME)
Tel.: +39 094 27 47 844
Email: [email protected]
www.gruppovillari.it