"Our production process is controlled right from sowing, with the choice of the best local cultivars, down to processing, through a meticulous effort that guarantees high quality resulting from a cultivation cycle with low environmental impact. Turning the products of the land into refined gastronomic combinations means giving value to them in a virtuous way, bringing them to the market at a remunerative price compared to the fresh product, with a view to rewarding hard work, and that of my family in particular," reports Orazio Leonforte, owner of Azienda Sughi del Principe.
© Azienda Sughi del Principe
For over 20 years, the niche brand Sughi del Principe has been known in Leonforte, a small pearl of Sicily in the province of Enna, for its professionalism, experience, and product innovation. The company processes delicacies of the Mediterranean cuisine obtained from around 40 hectares, part of which is managed by local farms. The range includes sides, pestos, sauces, jams, chutneys, marmalades, soups, and wine jellies. All products are made with natural and genuine ingredients following the ancient recipes of the Sicilian tradition, in compliance with high-quality and food-safety standards.
© Azienda Sughi del Principe
Premium jams, marmalades, and mustards are made from the best Sicilian oranges, lemons, and tangerines and boast a fruit content of no less than 70%. The jars of Sicilian caponata encapsulate the true tradition of the ancient recipes of Sicilian noble families, as do the classic and genuine pasta condiments, pesto, and various sides. Processing takes place in the absence of oxygen to make sure that colour, flavour, and taste remain unaltered. The jars are sterilised at controlled temperatures to guarantee a shelf life of 24 months.
© Azienda Sughi del Principe
Specialities include the well-known Leonforte peaches, siccagno tomato puree, and dried tomatoes. The word 'siccagno' does not indicate a variety of tomato, but rather a dry processing technique, i.e. without water, which has been rediscovered by nutritionists all over the world precisely due to this characteristic.
© Azienda Sughi del Principe
The particularity of the Leonforte peaches, which the company turns into jams and syrups, is their processing in the fields: while still small, fruits are wrapped in parchment paper bags to protect them from the weather, thus eliminating the need for pesticides. They are late stone fruits, as they ripen in September, and boast a typical pale yellow colouring with some reddish streaks. The yellow flesh is sweet, fragrant, and has a crunchy texture.
© Azienda Sughi del Principe
"We have also developed a line of homemade jams and marmalades available in 200-gram sizes, processed using our own fresh fruit. This is a growing market, although a very difficult one as it is quite saturated. We manage because we have an ethical view of the world, which combines respect for nature and its natural cycles without forcing them. We have the privilege of being producers who process according to the seasonality of the fruit."
© Azienda Sughi del Principe
"We keep growing on the domestic market and especially on the foreign markets, with 70% of the turnover achieved in Switzerland and Germany in the specialised, wholesale and high-end H&R channels. Private labels also represent a slice of our market and confirm themselves as a dynamic segment with a growth of +0.8%. Consumers are increasingly convinced that the products can be found on the shelves at a lower price than the same branded products. This highlights how a large part of Italian families is opting for the products with the lowest price as a consequence of the crisis that is also affecting the shopping cart."
For more information:
Orazio Leonforte
Azienda Sughi del Principe
Contrada Bozzetta snc
94013 Leonforte (EN) - Italy
+39 347 5892727
sughidelprincipe@hotmail.com
www.sughidelprincipe.it