According to the yearbook of Fruit Logistica 2021, the largest Fruit & Vegetables producers in Europe are Spain and Italy. The Iberian country produces more than 10 million tons of Vegetables and more than 13 million tons of Fruit, while Italy produces 6.9 million and 10.3 million tons, respectively. In third place there’s France for the Vegetables (5.7 million tons) and Poland for Fruit (3.8 million tons). With respect to consumption, every day in this continent each person eats 220 grams of fruit and vegetables.

A huge market, where companies have to face significant challenges to remain competitive. How are they responding?  “Quality and organic food are always in first place. But there’s also an increasingly conscious search for products processed in Italy and of Italian origin”, comments for example Carlo Guido Muratore, Purchasing and Sales Manager of Capuzzo. “In addition, the market is looking for increasingly advanced environmentally sustainable packaging, but sustainability also requires to search for controlled raw materials. That's why Capuzzo focuses on controlling a full-scale sustainable footprint”.

“Two major thematic strands are emerging in healthy food and snacking: plant-based and protein positioning”, adds Angelica Addeo, Brand Manager of Ventura. On the other hand, with respect to dried fruit, the big focus of large retailers is on transparent resealable packages with imposed weights, able to offer a good display of the product”. Meanwhile, Fabio Tosello, Sales Director of Madi Ventura, points out that “presumably the market will continue to explore more and more those functional and 'performing' aspects that Ventura has always been careful to capture with dedicated products”.

Antonio Saggese, Manager Sales at Sagi, has a particular point of view: “chocolate-covered fruit, our core business, is still perceived as a recurrence product, but we introduced an important new feature: a new presentation in impulse sachets priced at one Euro, showcased on a dedicated display and borrowed from those of dried fruit, which have become part of daily grocery shopping in large-scale distribution. Despite the low price, we maintain the same quality levels as the recurrence offering, and this fosters repeat purchase”.

This is also confirmed by large international buyers, such as Y International-Lulu Group from the United Kingdom. Buyer Mohamed Sanij explains: "Yes, our approach to fresh food is changing: time, in addition to quality and price, is increasingly important. Our products come mainly from Italy, France and Poland: customers are demanding and expect a good value for money for products in vogue at a certain time. With respect to consumers, sustainability can be the extra 'wow factor' that drives impulse buying”.

At TUTTOFOOD2023, at fieramilano from May 8 to 11, dried, dehydrated and fresh fruit, as well as fresh vegetables, legumes, organic fruits and vegetables, and IV and V range products will be the main attractions of the TUTTOFRUIT sector.