At the foot of Mount Etna in Sicily, an orange with very special properties is grown: the Moro orange. Federica Zani knows this small citrus fruit very well and is particularly fond of it. "It is an organic juicy orange, untreated and small in size (5, 6 and 7). It is similar to the Spanish blood orange, but even more colorful, with a skin that turns almost black as it nears harvest. It is also sweeter, less acidic, and very interesting from a nutritional point of view, as it is rich in iron, minerals, antioxidants, and vitamin C. It is the perfect combo to boost the immune system over the winter period!"
Although the campaign began at the end of November and will run until March, Ciaponi Frères waited until the end of December to start marketing. "In terms of volumes, this year's production is higher than last year. To preserve all its properties, we prefer to wait until the orange is fully ripe on the tree before harvesting it. At the moment, it is very cold at night in Sicily, with temperatures around 2°C, and 18°C during the day. It is this temperature difference between day and night that increases the concentration of red pigments, so now is the perfect time to eat it."
Although the Moro orange from Sicily is still a niche product, the company wants to make it better known in the French market. "It really is a product that needs to be better known. We are trying to introduce it to French supermarkets so that more consumers can discover it."
For more information:
Federica Zani
Ciaponi Frères SA
Phone: +33(0)5 53 98 77 77
ciaponi@ciaponi.fr