The Sicilian pistachio harvest began a few days ago in the countryside between Comiso and Vittoria, in the province of Ragusa. The crop is relatively young, in its second year, and the quantity and organoleptic quality are in line with the expectations of the Anastasi farm. These are the words of Massimiliano Anastasi, marketing manager of the Bronte Group (CT), which in 2017 invested in a pistachio grove of over 30 hectares.
Massimiliano Anastasi
"Investing in a completely new area for this variety," explains Anastasi, "was a bet we won and is the result of our company's policy of expanding and improving Sicilian crops. The product is mainly destined for our processing plants. Supplies to Sicily are part of the growing global demand for dried fruit."
The harvest was mechanised. (Click here to see the photo gallery of the harvest)
The company was officially founded in 1972 by Antonino Anastasi's grandfather, who was a producer and trader of nuts and dried fruit, and who soon realised the commercial value of these products and began the marketing of almonds and pistachios. In a few years, he also began to buy dried fruit to meet regional demand, even going so far as to peel the fruit for even more profitable sales.
Ripe pistachios on the plant
From shells to semi-finished products for industrial processing
"It was my father, Giuseppe Anastasi, who continued the activity. He had the intuition to add the shelling of pistachios," continues the manager. "An activity that was perfected thanks to the purchase of a special machine brought from England. From here, the company began to market its products in Germany, France, Switzerland and even Japan, with a significant increase in volume year after year. A further leap forward in quality came about 20 years ago with the arrival of my brothers Antonio, Andrea and later Matteo, who together with me focused on the introduction of the processing of chopped products, i.e. grains of different sizes and pistachio paste. The semi-finished products obtained in this way are now marketed all over the world, on every continent. Our customers are the food, canning and confectionery industries, as well as distributors to the catering sector, which remains firmly anchored in the B2B sector. In terms of sales and turnover in this sector, Anastasi is one of the leaders in Europe."
Pistachio ready to be processed
Our production division is basically made up of four plants and as many departments," explains Anastasi, "starting with the shelling and selection of the raw product. Then comes the shelling and chopping, the production of semi-finished products such as pistachio pastes, pistachio kernels, roasted and salted pistachios and pralines, and finally the processing of Sicilian DOP Bronte and other products. Quality standardisation is very important in a global company like ours and for this reason we have obtained the following certifications DOP certification; BIO certification; UNI ISO 45000; FSSC 22000; Kosher; Halal; Sedex member.
Andrea, Matteo, Massimiliano, Antonio and Giuseppe Anastasi
If we go back to agriculture," he says, "it is obviously separate from the industrial context, but it represents the idea of a production adapted to the high quality standards we have set ourselves in the pistachio processing industry, starting with a first-class product. The challenge for the future is to reach 100 hectares of our own production, with the aim of completing a high-yield supply chain. The management of the farm is in the hands of my father, Giuseppe, who has over 50 years' experience in the sector, and the agronomist Salvatore Adamo, who has always supported us with his dedication, experience, expertise and competence."
Salvatore Adamo, agronomist
In the meantime, the pistachio harvest has also started in other areas of Sicily (on the same days at the end of August).
For more information:
Massimiliano Anastasi
Anastasi Srl
Marketing Manager
Viale J.F. Kennedy
95034 Bronte - (CT) Italy
Tel.: +39 328 5737830
Email: [email protected]
www.anastasisrl.it