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OCT. NOV. 2021 XII the willingness of the restaurateur, certain products that may seem trivial become a source of attraction. Another emblematic case is Balsamic Vinegar of Modena: in the seventies nobody knew it outside the production area, until a chef in the USA started charging a dollar a drop. That was the beginning of the myth of this condiment, which today has a turnover of almost a billion between PDO and PGI”. These are not the only virtuous examples. The Chianina Consortium has created a circuit of restaurants to which, through a software link, a certificate is issued every time they buy from a butcher recognized by the Consortium. The Consortium has created a catalogue of restaurants that serve Chianina and assists restaurateurs in the choice of cuts, cooking methods... In this way the restaurateur acquires a concrete advantage in serving this specific type of meat. Given the rich variety of PDO and PGI productions in our country, there will be plenty of opportunities to build partnerships. TOWARDS PGI: THE NAPLES PEELED TOMATO On August 8, the preliminary investigation for the recognition of the PGI for Pomodoro Pelato di Napoli was sent to the European headquarters. “The peeled plum tomato,” says Giovanni da Angelis, Director General of ANICAV, which is supporting the process of recognition, “is an excellence that must be protected, regardless of the brand that produces or markets the product. The tomato is a product with a rich and interesting story to tell, if, through the PGI we can enhance this wealth, even the restaurateur who chooses this product will benefit. The procedure recognised by the specification favours a greater marginality for farmers, guarantees the consumer and finally works culturally on the sector, with the strength of aggregation. This is why it is so important. THE RICHNESS OF SALAMI WITH DENOMINATION Among cured meats, there are 43 denomination products (21 PGI and 22 PDO), of which salami and cured hams are the most represented categories. “A cured meat product that has been awarded the certification - underlines ISIT, Istituto Salumi Italiani Tutelati - is subject to controls throughout the supply chain, which translate into a guarantee of quality and safety for producers, but above all for consumers. Both denominations protect the products through a territorial approach, understood as a geographical environment including both natural factors (climate, environmental characteristics) and human factors (production techniques handed down over time, craftsmanship, know-how). Both these aspects allow to obtain an inimitable product. Thanks to these characteristics, the restaurateur can tell the added value of PDO and PGI deli meats, meeting the demands of the modern consumer, who pays attention to the typicality and the storytelling that a product can offer”. This could lead, but is not said to lead, to differences in price compared to an unprotected product. “What is demonstrated by market research also commissioned by ISIT,” explains the Institute, “is that consumers are also willing to recognise a higher price to have quality”. Several Consortia have already carried out (or are planning to do so) initiatives with restaurant chains to promote and enhance the use of PDO or PGI products in their menus and/or partnerships with chefs who become real testimonials and ambassadors of the product, creating innovative recipes able to enhance the peculiarities of PDO and PGI deli meats. “In recent years,” concludes ISIT, “communication activities have been intensified with the aim of communicating the characteristics of our cured meats, both to the general public and to specific targets, such as the HoReCa. We would like to remind you that the inter-ministerial decree of 2020 established the fund for the catering chain: a tool designed to offer support to the world of HoReCa and the agri-food chain, promoting food products obtained from national chains, including PDO and PGI, and in which protected deli meats have had a strong presence”. ____________________________________ BOX PDO: Protected Designation of Origin. The product is linked to a surrounding area both for the origin of the ingredient and for the transformation process. PGI: Protected Geographical Indication. The product is linked to a particular area either because of the origin of the ingredient or because of the processing method. ____________________________________ MAGAZINE