© La Cupa Società Cooperativa Agricola "We are in the process of restructuring and making various company changes. The aim is to expand the production capacity of the plants by acquiring new customers. We have run out of stocks of processed tomato products, with the exception of puree, the quantities of which will in any case barely meet demand until August," says Gianluca Manfredi, president of the Apulian cooperative La Cupra, which specialises in the production of a wide range of artisanal processed products including ready-made tomato sauces, although its flagship product is dried tomatoes.
"The latter are in great demand, even in the semi-dry variant, which involves a partial drying process so as to retain good part of the berry's natural moisture."
The cooperative is based in Scorrano (LE), Puglia. For over forty years, it has cultivated a wide range of vegetables on its 100 hectares of land. All the products are destined for the production of preserves, creams, pickles, and dehydrated vegetables, available in various formats depending on the commercial channels of reference. The company has two processing lines: one for pickles and the other for olives. The flagship product, as mentioned, is long tomatoes dried exclusively in the sun on drying frames covering an area of 18,000 square metres. Other dried vegetables that require a high level of specialisation complete the range.
© La Cupa Soc. Coop. Agr.
"Because of the cold and rain, we are late with the tomato planting that we started last week. We have to hope that the weather will assist us so that we can complete a campaign that is increasingly affected by climate change."
"We are in full swing with artichoke processing, which we process into a wide range of products thanks to the extraordinary demand and versatility of Carciofo Brindisino. Since 2011, this vegetable can boast the EU PGI mark, which guarantees its origin, typically, and traceability, supported by the compliance with production specifications. The table olive campaign also went well, proving that Italian products are considered safe for health and the environment, as they are grown transparently and sustainably."
© La Cupa Soc. Coop. Agr.
Among the most popular products in our assortment are the typical products of the Salento region, the tasty Cicorine Salentine, the Bocconcini Sfiziosi stuffed with a mix of 10 vegetables, stuffed chilli peppers, and the Cellina di Nardò and Leccino olives. Spreads with olives, artichokes, and tomatoes, as well as passata made from Apulian long red and yellow tomatoes and organic extra virgin olive oil, enrich the offer.
© La Cupa Società Cooperativa Agricola
© La Cupa Soc. Coop. Agr. "One of the strengths of the branded products is the good quality/price ratio, despite the fact that we are positioned in the high-end segment," explains Luigi Giangreco, the cooperative's sales manager for the semi-finished and big retail chain sector. "However, also thanks to the investments made in communication, consumers are able to recognise our brand and therefore buy our products, appreciating their quality. This is how, based on consumer demand, the large-scale retail trade began to prefer us to mid-range products. We are satisfied with the results we have achieved and, despite a generalised drop in consumption, we have increased our sales in the retail channel by a good 30%."
© Freshplaza
Current sales channels are specialised shops, restaurants, small supermarket chains, and online sales. An important part of the turnover comes from the supply of processed and semi-finished Private Label products both in Italy and abroad (Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Austria). With the inauguration of the new company plant, the priority objective is to increase turnover, especially abroad, and to expand the range of ready-to-use sauces in traditional Mediterranean flavours."
For more information:
Gianluca Manfredi 
La Cupa Società Cooperativa Agricola
Via Supersano, 120
73020 Scorrano (LE) - Italy
+39 0836 460630
+39 320 856 2927
commerciale@cooperativalacupa.it
www.cooperativalacupa.it