QUALITALY_135

July/August 2023 III MAGAZINE which objective and subjective elements seem to blur into a new significance. Food, before it reaches the table, often goes through a long production chain, and at each stage, Cooperativa Italiana Catering analyses and selects the factors that contribute to its quality. Selection by origin is one of the first implicit quality aspects of food. The territory of origin and its agri-food culture give the food unique characteristics. Origin selection enhances Qualitaly products and helps consumers recognise and choose Quality. Food must not present a risk to human health. It is imperative that our food is free of contamination and produced in state-of-the- art facilities in full compliance with health and hygiene regulations. Ensuring food safety is our commitment. We ensure product conformity. The technological and commercial characteristics of our products correspond to the standard characteristics established for the respective category. We consciously deal with food resources. That is why we have designed anti-waste packaging. The most environmentally destructive human activities are intensive farming and animal husbandry. Our ethical commitment is declared in every Qualitaly package in the portioning and yield indications. Last, but not least, is Quality determined by the characteristics of the food, such as appearance, taste, aroma and texture, perceived through the senses. Science teaches us that these are not subjective factors, contrary to popular belief. Qualitaly products are subjected to rigorous sensory testing by our technicians in order to produce consistent products. To ensure Quality, our buyers perform careful audits, check company processes, certifications, product analyses and data sheets of each food. Before becoming Qualitaly, foodstuffs are subjected to sensory, cooking and yield panel tests. They collaborate with distributor partners in after-sales monitoring to ensure that the food supplied meets the quality standards required for production. Our products meet the requirements of an all-round Quality, starting with the product, rigorously tested, to the monitoring of the production process, to the function of the food use. The quality of Qualitaly products is to be identified with Cooperativa Italiana Catering’s commitment to Quality. This is why we are able to provide consumer outlets with a Quality that is not undermined by the phenomena affected by the global market It is the search for consumer trust that is at the heart of our project. The Quality of Qualitaly products must be unconditionally guaranteed at the highest possible level. All products in the range, moreover, guarantee it in equal measure. AT PAGE 12 FOCUS ON Italian extra virgin oil: scarce and expensive ITALIAN EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL IS EXPERIENCING A DIFFICULT TIME. THE CAUSES OF CONCERN, BESIDES THE WELL-KNOWN INCREASE IN PRODUCTION COSTS, ARE TO BE FOUND IN THE SCARCITY OF RESERVES DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE. IT REMAINS, HOWEVER, A SYMBOL OF MADE IN ITALY EXCELLENCE, INCREASINGLY DRIVEN BY THE SUSTAINABILITY AND QUALITY DEMANDED BY CONSUMERS. by Maddalena Baldini Regarded as one of the absolute symbols of Italianness , Italian extra virgin olive oil is characterised by high quality and a series of intrinsic characteristics linked to the different varieties and regions, a heritage that, like other products, encompasses unconditional uniqueness. Beyond these recognised aspects, the Italian olive oil sector has recently experienced a slowdown, both in production and in exports. Indeed, there is discussion and concern about the divergence created between supply and demand, not only domestically but also towards other countries. The causes of this slowdown? There are several; first and foremost, the climate crisis which, in recent times, has put olive groves and agriculture as a whole to the test, in addition to bacterial causes such as Xylella. On top of all this, for production and purchasing, there are the well-known price rises. Just to mention a few figures, the stocks of Italian extra virgin olive oil recorded at the end of May 2023 indicated a decrease of 32.6% compared to a year ago; on the other hand, Evo’s total stock fell by 21% due to the decrease in production 2022, a drop that involved the main Mediterranean countries. The high prices are no joke either: Ismea has recorded, from the first week of March to June, an increase of 11.9% for the average price at origin on a weekly basis. A situation to be observed and emergencies to be faced, fortunately without neglecting the positive changes that are affecting the sector, such as the need to be increasingly sustainable. Building product culture “In the oil sector, we have witnessed major transformations especially in the purchasing process. Taking care of the planet is one of the key aspects for consumers. It is a topic that also encompasses eating out purchases and does not just mean packaging or food waste”. Explains Stefano Vezzani , commercial director of Oleificio Zucchi in Cremona. SO, SUSTAINABILITY, EVEN IN THIS SECTOR, IS THE WATCHWORD? Certainly, ecological behaviour such as recycling and waste reduction are the new normal, but sustainability in eating out concerns the entire supply chain with a careful eye on food origin and transparency of ingredients. This absolute respect for the environment is combined with an element that emerged during the pandemic, namely the need for operators to network and create a reliable supply chain on which to build business. WHAT ARE THE WEAKNESSES OF THE SECTOR?