A bit of Italy in a Swiss supermarket: that’s what Sapori d’Italia (Tastes of Italy) – the new 200-square-meters format launched by Coop (CH) (Swiss Coop) in the Aarau station – is intended to be. Italian cuisine is indeed one of the most appreciated in Switzerland. Hence the decision to build up a point of sale which is entirely dedicated to Made in Italy food & beverage specialties. We wanted to create a shop of authentic Italian specialties – explains Coop (CH) CEO Joos Sutter. To do this we have worked with our suppliers, producers and trading partners in Italy. With Sapori d’Italia, we are now able to offer our customers an assortment of the most appreciated typical Italian specialties and products of daily use. Sapori d’Italia represents a bit of the Italian joy of life – continues Sutter – which has now found its own space in the Swiss territory. We have gathered in 200 square meters all the best of Italian cuisine and we want to let people know the incredible variety of Italian regions and their unique aromas and tastes. Sapori d’Italia is synonymous with conscious consumption, love and culture of quality food, and above all an expression of the great consideration that Italy traditionally has for agricultural products, each and every one of which tells its own particular history.
A bit of Italy in every product
The ‘focaccia’ dough made exclusively for Sapori d’Italia acquires a particular aroma thanks to the 24 hours of leavening. Focaccias are then cooked in the shop and enriched with rocket, freshly cut Prosciutto di Parma and delicious mozzarella. There are also appetizers, salads and pastry products such as cannoli, amaretti, cantuccini, and ‘brutti e buoni’ cookies. Sapori d’Italia also offers a wide choice of Italian wines and typical drinks like gazzosa, in addition to pasta, risotto, sauces and olive oil.
A coffee roasting inside the shop
To ensure the best taste, coffee grains are roasted directly inside the Sapori d’Italia store. Indeed, only if coffee grains are toasted just before grinding they can give off their nearly 800 different flavors. Thanks to the barman’s ability and the original Cimbali roasting machine, coffee beans turn into an excellent small espresso, cappuccino or milk-with-coffee. Each store has about 20 seats where customers can enjoy coffee and other specialties directly on site, in a typical Italian atmosphere. Finally, as for fruit and vegetables customers can find typical Italian specialties such as Sicilian ‘fichi d’India’, but also typical Swiss products.