The Imola Cooperative – which also includes the Zuarina brands (recently recognized as a "Historic Brand" by the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy) and Faggiola – will be present in Parma with its gastronomic excellences and exceptional chefs who will help enliven the visitor experience at the stand.
Marketing Director Gianfranco Delfini: "Our membership base, consisting of farmer-members and worker-members, is a unique participatory management model in Europe: an added value strengthened by our commitment to 100% Italian meat, the expertise of our operators, and supply chain control. This is how we empower people, promote growth, and offer products that speak of quality, sustainability, and passion."
Imola, May 2024 – It's time for the new edition of Cibus in Parma, and CLAI is once again ready to play its part. At the 22nd International Agri-Food Fair, held in the Emilia regional capital from May 7th to 10th, the Imola-based food company, active in meat, salami, ham, and dairy products from Romagna-Tuscany, will be present to reaffirm its quality offering to the market, alongside Zuarina (which has just earned the prestigious status of "Historic Brand" awarded by the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy) and Faggiola.
«Visitors to our stand will be able to understand how one of our main added values is the unique composition of our membership base – explains Gianfranco Delfini, CLAI Marketing Director –, which, since its inception in 1962, has consisted of farmer-members and worker-members in various roles within the company. This participatory management, unique in the European agricultural landscape, allows us to enhance Italian livestock products through meticulous processing carried out by expert butchers and salami makers in the transformation and production of meat, salami, and hams from our country's best tradition».
A cooperative supply chain that has made growth, people empowerment, and sustainable development, from farm to fork, central objectives of its operations. «We return to Cibus – continues Delfini – to reaffirm our value proposition to the market once again, which we will convey through the quality of our products, made with 100% Italian meat, and the sharing of our values. Visitors will find many delicious ideas and a warm welcome at our stand, enriched by the presence of exceptional chefs such as Max Mascia and Max Mariola».
These two great friends of CLAI, highly appreciated in the sector, will also be at Cibus to provide excitement and delicious flavors. The first is the chef of the two-Michelin-starred San Domenico Restaurant in Imola; the second is a chef and well-known personality on social media and TV. Through different styles, they will offer guests their gourmet interpretations of CLAI, Zuarina, and Faggiola products, pleasantly combining taste and entertainment. And to make the tasting experience even more complete, professionals from the Italian Sommelier Association Emilia will also be present, ensuring the perfect pairing of quality food and wine, such as that from the Tremonti winery in Imola.
Another valuable presence will be that of the CLAI Brand Ambassadors, operators who work within CLAI Butcher Shops: specialized counter staff, but also young people who "live" the cooperative every day, with passion and the desire to share their work experience, the products, and the values of the cooperative they are part of. They do not recite "lessons" learned from others, but speak of people, stories, and values they know firsthand. They can therefore go "beyond" the product characteristics, demonstrating a genuine passion that leaves a mark. Some of them will be involved in preparing the tasting platters at the stand, while others will dedicate themselves to carving the long-aged Zuarina Prosciutto with a knife.
GOOD PRODUCTS THAT DO GOOD
In Imola, however, there is another deeply rooted belief: the goodness of every product must correspond to a more general generation of well-being for the community. «Quality, 100% Italian meat, safety, expertise, utmost care in supply chain management, and local enhancement are fundamental elements for us – continues the Marketing Director –; however, we believe that the value of a company is also measured by the depth of the solidarity projects it manages to achieve».
For this reason, several initiatives have been launched over time. Starting with the one with Banco Alimentare, thanks to which 1.5 million meals have been distributed to people in need over the last five years. CLAI has also decided to join the We Save & Care project, together with other excellent companies in their field, to promote the enhancement and sharing of food with Banco Alimentare, along with a strong focus on avoiding all forms of waste.
Another fine example is the collaboration with Insieme a te, a volunteer association from Faenza that is building a completely accessible beach resort in Punta Marina Terme for people with severe disabilities, a unique welcome and care facility on the Romagna coast in Italy.
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
However, social sustainability goes hand in hand with environmental sustainability. In this regard, CLAI has committed 360° with the construction of a cogeneration plant in the Faenza facility, and a trigeneration plant, which supports the biogas plant, in the Sasso Morelli production facility. These interventions allow for the generation of electricity and the availability of hot water, optimizing available resources and minimizing environmental impact.
Furthermore, it is worth noting the reforestation project in Sasso Morelli, which covers 62,000 square meters where 3,140 native plants, trees, and shrubs of high environmental value have been planted within the owned farm, near the CLAI salami factory.
CLAI IN PARMA WITH MANY SPECIALTIES
However, one must not forget that in Parma, the products will obviously be the protagonists. CLAI once again presents a wide selection that responds to the demands dictated by market trends. It starts with local CLAI specialties such as the classic aged sausage Passita di Romagna, a thin salami produced according to an ancient recipe with the best lean meats from pigs born and raised in Italy. Then there are the Sbuccia e Mangia salami bites, convenient and practical to enjoy at any time of day, and the traditional Contadino. The list of regional products is also long, including Ventricina, Spianata romana, Sicilianella, and Soppressa, which, despite the "geographic gap," CLAI manages to interpret in terms of quality thanks to the expertise of its specialists and the connection that has been developed over time with the territory of origin.
The demand for "free from" products, i.e., more natural products, is met by Imola 1962, a salami without preservatives and with a very short ingredient list that enhances the high quality of 100% Italian meat from the Clai supply chain. This product required over two years of research and, despite its small size, has a significant aging period of at least eight weeks in dedicated cells.
Another cured meat made for this specific area, but outside the perimeter of salami, is Guanciale. Also in this case, it is a product without any type of preservative and perfectly represents the "spirit" of the Cooperative: it comes from tradition, and its meat – from the CLAI supply chain, from pigs born and raised in Italy – is processed with few ingredients, skill, and a slow and gentle aging of at least twelve weeks that gives the product a unique flavor and an intense aroma.
To meet the demands related to well-being and lightness, CLAI offers the Bella Festa Light salami, which has 50% less fat than a traditional Milano salami. The particular aging process allows for a reduction in fat percentage, which reaches a maximum of 15%, while maintaining the flavor, which is completely similar to that of traditional salami.
Much attention is also paid to self-service products. Such as the 270-gram Sfizioso salami, for a moment of pleasure at any time of day, and the evergreen Golosetto, a 100-gram mini-salami offered in both traditional and spicy varieties. Also worth mentioning is a reinterpretation of aged sausages, also in traditional and spicy versions, up to the preview of the new Passita pack, this year's novelty that will be launched on the market shortly: the renowned sweetness of Passita, therefore, in a format already peeled and ready for use. A shelf life of 60 days for a product that maintains its peculiar and highly appreciated organoleptic characteristics in vacuum packaging.
ZUARINA AND FAGGIOLA PRODUCTS ALSO ON DISPLAY
At Cibus, Zuarina, the Langhirano ham factory renowned internationally for the sweetness of its hams, will also have an important presence. A company with a history dating back to 1860, always linked to cornerstones such as quality and the enhancement of tradition. These objectives have been achieved thanks to the expertise of the operators at the Langhirano plant, refined over the years and handed down from generation to generation. And this, along with time and passion, is undoubtedly one of the strengths that allows the Emilia ham factory to recreate the "flavors of yesteryear" every day, always achieving the highest quality and conquering a well-defined market space within the premium segment.
Adding further value to Zuarina's offering is the certainty of relying solely on 100% Italian meats from its own supply chain. To this are added a pinch of salt, expert processing, and slow, patient aging that takes place in the underground cellar of the Langhirano plant, the ideal place to encourage the formation of the aromas and colors that have always distinguished the brand's offerings.
The Zuarina Parma Hams aged 24 and 18 months will once again be protagonists in Parma, made from carefully selected hindquarters of the best Padana pigs, then processed with the deep expertise of the operators. The rest is taken care of by the long aging in the underground cellar of the Cascinapiano plant in Langhirano. The result is extraordinary, high-quality products with a sweet and delicate taste. At the stand, it will also be possible to taste Culatta and Fiocco, a typical cured meat from western Emilia, particularly the lower Parma area and some areas of the province of Piacenza. This cured meat, which is obtained from the leanest part of the hind leg of the pig, in the case of Zuarina consists of 100% high-quality Italian meat and has a particularly slow aging, at least eight months. The taste is sweet and delicate, associated with an aroma characterized by fragrant notes.
Confirming the enduring value of the Zuarina brand, in April 2024, it received the " Historic Brand" recognition, which is awarded by the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy to a select number of excellent national companies linked to the national territory and with a history of at least 50 years.
And speaking of expertise and territory, one cannot fail to mention the presence in Parma of the third brand of the Imola Food Company: at the stand, it will also be possible to taste Faggiola's dairy products which, thanks also to the restructuring and expansion interventions of the Palazzuolo sul Senio production plant carried out last year, has been able to strengthen its offering by including new specialties in its assortment such as the mountain toma "Quadalto" or the caciotta "Goccia al tartufo". The first is a semi-hard cheese aged for three months, melting in the mouth with an intense and aromatic taste that evokes the scents of the mountains. The second is a short-aged cheese, which has a fresh and delicate texture, ideal for enhancing the qualities of the truffle and leaving a light and not too invasive taste on the palate.
IL MAGNIFICO DI ROMAGNA
In Parma, there will also be the opportunity to admire and taste the Magnifico di Romagna, a ceremonial salami measuring one and a half meters and weighing 40 kilograms. For CLAI, it represents a further opportunity to support client activities within their stores. A prime example is the partnership with Salumeria Paciotti in Rome, which organized an in-store tasting event in recent months that generated enormous enthusiasm, with long queues of people eager to participate. «These "tailor-made" forms of collaboration can only arise from a strong desire to listen to customer input – says Delfini –, the ability to connect with them, and finally the expertise needed to achieve the best result».
THE CLAI COMMUNITY GROWS THANKS TO THE NEW ONLINE PLATFORM
The launch of the new CLAI online platform, which integrates a valuable tool like e-commerce, is part of this vision of actively listening. «Our desire is to grow a large community, providing a meeting place, a kind of virtual square, where relationships are central. E-commerce thus becomes an additional opportunity for contact and interaction between the company, consumers, trade customers, and followers of our social channels,» concludes Delfini.
