Palo, the canned tomatoes Italian brand with which the FDP company from Fisciano (Salerno) decided to carve out an important role in the red canned food market, made a very brilliant debut. The core business is the San Marzano PDO tomatoes and other specialties (peeled dates, peeled tomato fillet and organic tomato preserves) that are born in one of the most fertile areas of Campania: the Sele plain, historically dedicated to the cultivation of tomatoes.
THE OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES OF THE PALO BRAND
“Despite the significant drop recorded in the last harvesting campaign – reports Giuseppe Mirra from the company’s sales department – volumes increased by about 7% and values by 12%. With the Palo brand we started offering our products on the market in 2018 and after two years of tomato processing in such a crowded and competitive sector, we managed to position ourselves among the most important Italian brands of Southern Italy. In 2019 we also grew in the Horeca sector, both with our own brand and with the private label. A special mention should also be made for our organic products, which represent 50% of production. This year volumes have declined slightly, but this was offset by an increase in values.”
THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF EXPORT SALES
Palo performances are more and more driven by exports, which play a leading role in turnover and development plans for the future. “Our exports have increased by 12% – says Nicola Palo, sole director of the company -. At the last edition of Anuga trade show in Cologne we presented our latest product innovations (such as Il Vesuviano) which we hope will strengthen our relationship with the most important players in international large-scale distribution. Next year we want to improve on the domestic market and, at the same time, increase our business abroad. We aim at expanding into new foreign markets including Japan, Canada, Eastern Europe, South Africa, and Israel”. The company is also planning a massive campaign on social media and trade magazines. Moreover, it will attend all major international trade fairs: Marca, PLMA, Biofach, and Cibus.