QUALITALY 139

May 2024 VI MAGAZINE confronted, given that tuna is among the fish most used and demanded by consumers. Overall, we are faced with a market that is still dynamic despite the fact that inflation, high raw material prices and rising production costs have had a certain impact, making it negative. In fact, according to the latest figures released by ANCIT (the National Association of Fish Canning), the packaged tuna industry in 2022 suffered a drop of 7.7% compared to 2021, with a total production of around 77,500 tonnes. Also causing some concern is the total volume available for the Italian market, down to 150,660 tonnes (-5% on 2021). Exports also fluctuated, totalling almost 32,000 tonnes (-4.47%), mainly to Germany and Greece to non-EU countries such as Saudi Arabia, Canada and the Emirates. Among the players in the sector, Angela Neglia , commercial director of the Callipo Group, gives an account of recent times. “The tuna market in the Horeca sector has performed well over the past 12-14 months. A rise that started already in the imminent post-pandemic period and has continued steadily, supported by the flow of tourists coming to Italy, for whom tuna is one of the favourite foods to choose at restaurants. In fact, it is a versatile product for various dishes and preparations, as well as being a protein food’. OLIVE OIL INCREASINGLY EXPENSIVE Tuna is popular and quality makes all the difference, but among the aspects that have shaken up fish production is the excessive cost of a key product in processing and preservation, olive oil. In fact, according to ISMEA (Institute of Services for the Agricultural Food Market) data, the price of evo oil (of Spanish origin) was quoted at around €9.00/kg at the end of January 2024), while refined oil was over €8.50/kg. An impressive increase of +80% compared to the same range of the previous year. “During 2023, the price of olive oil almost doubled. The main reason for this is the scarcity of the harvest, which has inevitably led to huge increases in the finished product,’ explains Angela Neglia. ‘Oil is a basic ingredient in most tuna products and many companies, including Callipo, have launched alternative products for which the amount of oil has been lowered for the same content. This was done with the aim of both containing increases and reducing waste, since, as a rule, tuna is drained before use. It should be added that a part of consumption has then shifted to products with seed oil or in natural form, preferred in both Horeca and Retail’. At the same time, however, another preference of a segment of consumers should also be highlighted, namely those who turn to premium products because they are the basis of gourmet dishes or special recipes, specific to high-end catering that wants to differentiate itself from other ‘offers’ on the market. “As far as Callipo is concerned, interest has been significant in Tuna Fillets and Ventresca,” adds Angela Neglia, “thus confirming the habit of selecting niche products. Also in line with this trend, it is worth noting a certain interest on the part of the pizzeria sector in premium products of this kind, which are necessary for making gourmet pizzas”. CONSUMPTION ACROSS THE WHOLE COUNTRY Tuna in the Horeca sector is subject to complex dynamics, but its presence remains significant in the Italian culinary panorama, also as the result of a long tradition that has consolidated its consumption and use. Certainly tuna, thanks also to modern and efficient transport and storage systems, can be found throughout Italy, although, it is mainly in the south with a typicality that characterises dishes and recipes. “Broadly speaking, we can say that tuna consumption in the Horeca channel is fairly transversal throughout the country. However, it is fair to make some clarifications: in northern Italy, the consumption of tuna in the Horeca channel is most prominent in the catering industry, which requires versatile but inexpensive products, while places devoted to tourism require a wide and varied offer, a range that allows for quick but at the same time healthy and refined preparations,’ she points out. SPECIALISTS IN BRANDED PRODUCTS Strengthened by the aforementioned Italian tradition, the Callipo story is one that has lasted for more than a century and which, for some of its processes, preserves an artisanal professionalism, made up of handmade steps. Well-established on an all-Callipo tradition, the company has been able to look outside the regional borders – and today Callipo tuna can be found abroad - making important synergies in the name of quality. “For 15 years we have been producing Qualitaly branded tuna in three different formats,” Angela Neglia concludes. “The attention to the selection of raw materials and the consistency of the excellence of the products has rewarded us, since we have seen our turnover grow both on this line of dedicated products and on other lines under the company’s brand name. __________________________________ BOX Tuna: synonymous with sustainability According to Doxa - Ancit 2023 data, Italy ranks second in Europe for the production of canned/packaged tuna, with a national production of over 77,400 tonnes and a consumption of about 2.55 kg per capita, data that comes from the last update in 2022. As for all other foodstuffs, when we talk about tuna, we are also talking about sustainability, such as directing choices and purchases towards sustainable and certified fishing, which in the period between April 2023 and March 2024 reached about 15,000 tonnes, with an increase of +311% in four years (Internal data MSC Italy - Marine Stewardship Council - fiscal year 2023/2024 vs 2020/2021). This attention is being consolidated across the entire Horeca line and among consumers who, precisely because of sustainability, are also prepared to spend a little more in order to have a guaranteed product. This is why many of the producing and processing companies are moving towards clear and traceable sustainability, in order to further increase loyalty in the sector. Also of interest is the new ISSF report published in March 2024, which shows the ‘state of tuna’ globally, as well as environmental systems and fishing practices. The data show that around 86% of the tuna caught globally comes from stocks in ‘healthy abundance’, an increase of 1% compared to the 2023 report. Overfished stocks (10 percent of the total) declined by 11 percent compared to the previous report. Stocks at the intermediate level were stable. __________________________________ Angela Neglia , Direttore Commerciale Callipo