La Molisana’s official export share, currently at 30-35%, grew by a further 45% in the first quarter of 2014. Through a concerted effort to promote the culinary benefits of high quality Italian pasta, the Italian company is fast establishing a presence in Russia, Ukraine and The Baltic States and South Africa.
“Based upon our own experience,” Sacco explains, “in order to sustain international growth, you need to have an effective strategy that integrates individual approaches to each market and internal production systems. Our pasta is unique in that it represents the individual nature of the Molise region, however it is also more widely representative of the country as a whole and, as such, one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations”.
Right now the core export market for La Molisana is Japan, and the areas showing the most promising growth trends are Ukraine, Russia, The Baltic States and South Africa.
“The best selling strategy in these emerging markets”, continues Sacco, “lies in selecting the best commercial partners to help companies like our own explain and justify the high price gap between genuine quality Italian pasta and mainstream products. We are investing in adv to say that no two pastas are the same and a premium product needs to possess certain core qualities (see table below). The choice of media to communicate this message needs to reflect product positioning. For example, in Lithuania, the exclusive food sector publication Vmg is running a series of prestigious La Molisana recipes to promote our product in style”.
What makes a good quality pasta?
DURHAM SEMOLINA
Strong yellow colouration
-Confirms the presence of carotenoids which give the pasta its classic amber-yellow colour
Low ash content (0.82 ss)
-Gives the pasta a sweeter taste and enhances the yellow colour
High gluten content (85)
-Gives the pasta the correct texture and elasticity and determines its capacity to retain shape during cooking
High protein content (over 14%)
-Intensifies the inherent qualities and cooking stability of Durham wheat pasta.
WATER
-Average fixed residual content equal to 126 mg/l
-Low in dissolved minerals
-Rich in mineral salts
Source: La Molisana