Together is better. The Italian tomato brand Cirio has teamed up with olive oil manufacturer Filippo Berio to distribute its range of products in the British market, namely, wholesaler, cash and carry and local stores. Conserve Italia is the headquartered food company owner of Cirio and will serve directly the major retail chain in the country.
The olive oil market is the fastest growing in the oil and fat market in Uk; it is valued at £420 million and is forecast to grow further. Currently olive oil holds 16.3% of the oils market by volume, but is surpassed by vegetables and sunflowers oils which account for two-third of the market. However, across all categories, olive oil is expected to register the highest growth driven by its nutritional benefits and the perception of olive oil being premium food ingredients. These advantages make these products attractive to 55+ consumers, the older population consume oil as they desire better value for money, and the functional benefits of oil.
Cirio company has often wondered if trying to wake up the British tomato market would be worth of effort. And now, they decided it is time to have another further go. Today Cirio is the one of the biggest selling in Italy and it is also one of the most costly abroad. Since Italian perceive it as one of the best, they expected to pay more for it. This doesn’t happen in Uk, where the majority of consumers in the large distribution are looking to buy the cheapest, regardless of quality. This may explain why few of theme are familiar with the well known Italian brand.
