QUALITALY 140

June/July 2024 VIII MAGAZINE support its HoReCa partners in responding to the demand for quality products and to help them communicate their content value. “Consumers expect to find products from the area they visit, but sometimes a restaurateur puts price before this expectation when choosing. We have therefore launched the communication campaign ‘ More quality less waste ’, which was also presented at the Compasso d’Oro last June. With this initiative, we want to tell our customers that they can use the highest quality by controlling costs, paying close attention to portion sizes and recommended servings. By implementing this shrewdness, they can offer food that, in terms of taste, is satisfying and stays in the customer’s memory and will encourage him to return. Another important aspect to convey to customers is the composition of the dish: today the consumer is used to reading the label, which in the restaurant industry becomes the menu. In order to help restaurateurs with this information campaign, we emphasise on the labels of our Qualitaly branded products the added values (origin, free from, typical geographical indications, etc.) that are useful for operators to convey the quality of their choices and their work.” CIC, in addition to working with local distributors throughout Italy, periodically administers questionnaires to monitor the satisfaction index of its products, using the qualitative value of the answers as a tool for improvement. Offering quality at the right price is therefore possible and pays off in terms of reputation, loyalty and growth. __________________________________ BOX Italian, local and organic, including them on the menu reaps rewards Retail market data has been showing for years that consumers appreciate local, designation of origin and organic products that are considered healthier, more reliable and the result of production methods that respect territories and are therefore more sustainable. The three concepts are often linked in terms of production and values and are also sought after in eating out experiences. Many operators of public establishments have understood this. In fact, research carried out by Ismea, with the collaboration of Fipe and Assobio, across 2000 public establishments shows that already 55% of bars and 68% of restaurants buy organic products, accounting for an overall supply expenditure of 20 and 33% respectively. The organic sector in the eating out sector last year reached a turnover of 1.3 billion Euro; taking away the inflationary pressure, it is substantially stable compared to 2022. The first three reasons driving bars towards the purchase of certain organic products concern the possibility of offering a wider choice to customers (55.4%), serving healthier food (28.3%) and improving the offer (27.1%). Purchases are mainly concentrated on milk (which reaches a share of almost 26% of the total product), fruit juices and wine with an average of 11 out of 28 organic labels. As far as restaurants are concerned, more than half believe that the choice of organic products is a qualifying element of the offer, the second motivation is linked to the desire to offer their customers healthier dishes (46.2%), while in third place is the ethical and environmental driver (31%). Vegetables, oil, fruit and wine (with an incidence of 11 organic labels out of 50) are the most purchased references. Managing an entire organic offer is considered too complex, both in terms of supply and the higher costs that have to be passed on to customers, but the integration of a few products is sufficient to stimulate a positive feedback in the perception of the bar or restaurant by users. Even international consumers appreciate the Italian spirit in food and wine experiences linked to the national territories. After all, Deloitte’s Food Service Market Monitor 2023 notes the appreciation for Italian cuisine, which has reached a global turnover of 228 billion euros (+11% on an annual basis). The catering market in Italy is the sixth largest in the world with a value of 75 billion euros. “To maintain competitiveness and growth,” says Tommaso Nastasi , Value Creation Services Leader at Deloitte, “ Foodservice should be based on associations and partnerships that enhance the territory and its entrepreneurial excellence and adapt to new consumer preferences, favouring more vegetarian and plant-based options and focusing on the customer experience through the use of digital tools.” __________________________________ AT PAGE 32 DID YOU KNOW? Whatever the region, f ind a pizzeria THE FAVOURITE RESTAURANT OF 74% OF CONSUMERS AND THERE ARE OVER 34,400 OF THEM IN ITALY. RESEARCH BY CGA BY NIQ SHEDS LIGHT ON THE WORLD OF PIZZERIAS In Italy, pizzerias are not just places to eat, but an essential part of daily life and community, as well as a symbol of Italian culinary tradition. The “Italian HoReCa Guide” survey by CGA by NIQ provides a snapshot of the panorama of pizzerias in Italy. According to the survey, among the various types of catering establishments, the pizzeria has the highest preference (74%) among Italian consumers, surpassing in popularity bars with 65% and restaurants with 64%. There are no less than 34,406 pizzerias throughout Italy, 27% of which are located in large cities and 73% in more peripheral locations, while coastal regions host 40% of pizzerias compared to 2% in mountain areas. In the varied Italian HoReCa scene, pizzerias are also characterised by regional differences. In fact, Campania, Puglia, Molise, Basilicata, Calabria and Sicily make up 34% of the total market in terms of supply and consumption, followed by Tuscany, Lazio, Marche, Umbria, Abruzzo and Sardinia at 27%. In third place is the North- West area (Lombardy, Piedmont, Liguria and Valle D’Aosta) with 22% and finally with 18% of establishments and consumers the regions of Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, Emilia Romagna and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. If we focus on pizzeria chains, more than 75% are located in Lombardy, Piedmont, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta. However, their influence is not dominant, which is why a diverse retail