Monini, one of the leading Italian olive oil company, has signed a contract with the Italian food chain Eataly to sell all range of olive oil 100% made in Italy located in the Us and abroad. “We have signed the contract with Eataly to distribute Monini oil products in the american market – states Riccardo Cereda, general manager at Monini – . The Italian retailer has now outlets in Chicago and New York and is considering new openings in Boston and Los Angeles.”
The project follows the plan of the Spoleto based company to consolidate its presence in North America. Monini has a subsidiary company having operations in the US starting from year 2000 and it distributes its products in some small shops in New York and Manhattan and in the different regional and local chains like D’Agostino Supermarkets, Fairway Market, Stop&Shop as Jewel’s and Mariano’s in Chicago. “In the Us there are few supermarket chains which monopolize the whole state and we are present in one of these like Kroger. And other part, there are also independent and more localized retailers which are becoming more relevant – Riccardo Cereda adds –. The big problem is that are so many competitors of different products coming from different countries. There are lots of brands from all over the world, like from Australia, Chile and Spain as local from California, which are doing well in the US market. We are battling to have specific space on the supermarket shelves.”
Olive oil products is a not a primary commodity in the US and the food service is often using law quality branded oil. In the past a bottle imported from Italy of extra virgin olive oil costed about $20. Now, due to an higher promotion activitiy, it costs close to ten dollars. Only organic , pdo and 100% Italian oil costs a bit higher compared to the normal oil. “We are distributing in the US the same quality brand oil that we have here in Italy: Evo, Bios, Pdo, Flavored Oils – says Cereda – . The main reference is extra virgin olive oil ‘Classico’ which is the best selling olive oil in Italy, according to Nielsen data. In the US it goes under the name ‘Originale’. But one of the most loved products by American consumers is White Truffle flavored olive oil”.
