Sustainable Taste Since 1987

Global Retail Brands – October 2020 – The food industry has one of the most complex and dynamic supply chains. The pressure for growing product innovation is due to constantly changing and variable consumers’ preferences. This has created a global network of producers, processors, distributors, and retailers who need to align their operations to meet expected demand. The rapid advancement in technology has shifted from shopping outside the working hours in a physical store area to inside a computer’s screen 24/7. Cost optimization is driving supply chain decisions because consumers not only expect products to be in stock but also at affordable prices. In this dynamic landscape, private label programs are quickly transforming the traditional business models and retailers are constantly on the lookout for new opportunities. This is where Agritalia becomes a lighthouse. Founded in 1987 in Naples (Italy), Agritalia specializes in private label programs and the export of food products mainly from Italy to North America, which is the second largest market for Italian specialties besides Europe. Recently, the Company has also landed the world of non-food making its debut in the body-care aisle. With a comprehensive portfolio of almost a thousand products sourced from certified suppliers located across Italy and European Union, Agritalia represents an effective and simple solution to start private label projects from concept to reorders. The company has established its offerings on the four pillars of the Made in Italy Collection: extra virgin olive oil, pasta, pasta sauce and vinegar which it has acquired an extensive expertise over the years: “Olives are milled within 24-48 hours from harvest to deliver the best extra virgin olive oil. Besides, the oil must comply with strict quality parameters provided for by the ASCS procedure to guarantee the product throughout the entire shelf life”.

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL – Agritalia has huge capability for this category accounting for approximately 5% of the extra virgin olive oil imported from Italy to United States every year. The company can satisfy the demand for multiple oil options: everyday blend, country of origin, unfiltered, monocultivars, infused EVOO made with natural flavors. In addition, in 2013 Agritalia introduced the Agritalia Sensory Chemical System (ASCS™), a proprietary QA procedure which aims to guarantee the quality of extra virgin olive oils throughout the entire shelf life. The process has been specifically designed by Agritalia QA team after a 2-year extensive study on the “enemies” of the olive oil (light, heat, oxygen, and time).The process provides the how to maintain the overall quality of the product while preventing any issue during the shelf-life The procedure is under review by FoodChain ID to be officially certified, further increasing the controls performed on olive oils.

PASTA – From durum wheat semolina to pulses flour, Agritalia stands out for the variety in its pasta offering. A special mention goes to artisan pasta, which is greatly appreciated by US consumers for its superior quality and the rough surface given by the bronze die. The company partners with over 20 Italian pasta suppliers to provide tailor-made solutions for any market tier (entry, mid, premium) with about 50 different dies between conventional and regional cuts to meet customers’ demand with the highest flexibility. Moreover, Agritalia has a long-lasting collaboration with most of the mills across Italy being able to source the best semolina made from Italian wheat at a competitive price.

PASTA SAUCE – Combining the convenience of premade, and the freshness of homemade Agritalia is able to meet the growing demand of less-processed food. The company has focused on developing a wide range of private label pasta sauces made with natural ingredients so consumers can experience the genuine taste of Italy’s culinary tradition.

VINEGAR – A rising star in the grocery aisle for 2020, vinegar’s success lies in the versatility that allows the consumer to add an extra boldness of flavor to their food. Agritalia has a wide assortment of wine vinegars, Aceto Balsamico di Modena PGI of varying densities, and is always in search for new products in this fast-growing category.

When it comes to operations and shipments, Agritalia is steadily backed by sister companies Agrilogistica and Agrusa. AGRILOGISTICA is a new state-of-the-art logistics platform strategically located near the main ports of Naples and Salerno (southern Italy) which employs the latest technologies to optimize distribution. The biggest innovation is the Automated Replenishment Program (ARP), an advanced logistics solution which allows to optimize freight consolidation and deliver even a single pallet directly to the regional distribution centers (DC’s), granting maximum flexibility even for small private label projects. The ARP is based on the Cloud Sourcing Intelligence (CSI), an advanced software able to analyze sales data from shelf to estimate the exact assortment needed from the retailer week by week to meet the demand, to help manage production timeline, freight consolidation and deliveries to DC’s accordingly. AGRUSA is based in New Jersey and provides major support by reducing importing complexities. Offering services such as but limited to, customs clearance, deliveries via rail and road, marine insurance, product liability coverages, inventory management in public warehouses, EDI capabilities, and administrative services. The synergetic cooperation of the three companies provides outstanding benefits, most importantly no more out-of-stock and over-stock for private label and branded programs on shelves. In 2020 the group was honored by Whole Foods Market with the “National Supplier of the Year & Special Recognition” award within the non-perishable goods category. The group received the award for its dedication to operational excellence, extraordinary service, and premium quality, which it kept consistent over time since the first private label project launched back in 1997. Over time, the secret to success has been to always pay close attention to trends and evolutions in the food industry to shape the company’s business model to changes. As evidence of this engagement, in recent years Agritalia has been strongly committed to one of the most important topics of the modern society: sustainability. In fact, the company has started a significant collaboration with the UK-based Sheffield University to study the eco-sustainable implications of Agrilogistica distribution model and the consequent reduction of the environmental impact and carbon dioxide emissions in the retail industry.