The Imola-based cooperative – which also includes the brands Zuarina (which recently became a “Historic Brand” thanks to recognition from the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy) and Faggiola – will be present in Parma with its gastronomic excellence and exceptional chefs who will contribute to livening up the experience of visitors to the stand.
Marketing Director Gianfranco Delfini: "Our membership base, made up of breeders and workers, is a unique participatory management system in Europe: an added value reinforced by our commitment to 100% Italian meat, the expertise of our operators, and control over the supply chain. This way, we value people, promote growth, and offer products that embody quality, sustainability, and passion."
Imola, May 2024 – It's time for the new edition of Cibus in Parma, and CLAI is ready once again to do its part. At the 22nd International Agri-Food Fair, which will be held in the Emilian capital from May 7 to 10, the Imola-based food company, specializing in meat, salami, hams, and dairy products from the Romagna-Tuscany region, will be present to confirm its quality offering to the market, alongside Zuarina (which recently achieved the prestigious status of " Historical Brand " awarded by the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy) and Faggiola .
" Visitors to our stand will understand that one of the key added values we can count on is the unique composition of our membership," explains Gianfranco Delfini , CLAI Marketing Director , "which, since its inception in 1962, has been made up of farmer members and worker members employed in various roles within the company. This participatory management, unique in the European agricultural landscape, allows us to enhance the value of Italian livestock products thanks to the artisanal processing carried out by butchers and delicatessens expert in the transformation and production of meat, salami, and hams in the finest traditions of our country ."
A cooperative supply chain that has placed growth , the empowerment of people , and sustainable development , from farm to fork, as central objectives of its operations. "We're returning to Cibus," Delfini continues , "to reaffirm to the market, once again, our value proposition, which we will convey through the quality of our products, made with 100% Italian meat, and the sharing of our values. Visitors to our stand will find plenty of tasty ideas and a warm welcome, enhanced by the presence of exceptional chefs like Max Mascia and Max Mariola ."
Providing excitement and plenty of flavor during Cibus, these two great friends of CLAI, highly regarded in the industry, will also be there. The former is the chef of the two-Michelin-starred Ristorante San Domenico in Imola; the latter is a well-known chef and celebrity on social media and TV. Using different styles, they will offer guests their gourmet interpretations of CLAI products, Zuarina and Faggiola, a delightful blend of flavor and entertainment. And to make the tasting experience even more complete, professionals recommended by the Italian Sommelier Association of Emilia will also be present, ensuring the perfect pairing of food and quality wine, such as that from the Tremont i winery in Imola.
CLAI Brand Ambassadors , who work within CLAI Butchers, will also be a valuable presence: specialized counter staff, but also young people who "live" the cooperative every day, with passion and a desire to share their work experience, the products, and the values of the cooperative to which they belong. They don't recite "lessons" learned from others, but rather speak of people, stories, and values they know firsthand . They therefore know how to go "beyond" the characteristics of the product, demonstrating a genuine passion that leaves a lasting impression. Some of them will be busy preparing the platters tasted at the stand, others will dedicate themselves to slicing the Prosciutto Zuarina long-aged ham with a knife.
GOOD PRODUCTS THAT DO GOOD
In Imola, however, we live with another deeply rooted belief: the quality of each product must contribute to a broader well-being for the community. " Quality, 100% Italian meat, safety, expertise, meticulous supply chain management, and the valorization of the local area are fundamental elements for us," continues the Marketing Director . "However, we believe that a company's value is also measured by the caliber of the charitable projects it manages to implement ."
For this reason, several initiatives have emerged 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, along with other companies of excellence in their field, to promote, together with Banco Alimentare, the valorization and sharing of food, while paying close attention to avoiding all forms of waste.
Another good example is the collaboration with Insieme a te , a volunteer association from Faenza that is building a beach resort in Punta Marina Terme that is fully accessible to people with severe disabilities, a unique hospitality and care facility on the Romagna coast in Italy.
ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Social sustainability, however, goes hand in hand with environmental sustainability. CLAI has fully committed to this by building a cogeneration plant at its Faenza facility and a trigeneration plant, alongside the biogas plant, at its Sasso Morelli production facility. These projects allow for electricity generation and hot water provision, optimizing available resources and minimizing environmental impact.
Furthermore, it's worth mentioning the reforestation project in Sasso Morelli, which extends over 62,000 square meters, where 3,140 native plants, trees, and shrubs of high environmental value have been planted within the company's farm, near the CLAI salami factory.
CLAI IN PARMA WITH MANY SPECIALTIES
It should not be forgotten, however, that in Parma the focus will obviously be on the products. CLAI once again presents a wide selection that responds to the demands dictated by market trends. It begins with local specialties from the CLAI region, such as the classic Passita di Romagna cured sausage, a thin salami made according to an ancient recipe with the finest lean meats from pigs born and raised in Italy. Then there are the Sbuccia e Mangia salami morsels, convenient and practical to enjoy at any time of day, and the traditional Contadino . The list of regional products is also long, such as Ventricina , Spianata Romana , Sicilianella , and Soppressa , which, despite the "geographical gap," CLAI manages to interpret in qualitative terms thanks to the expertise of its specialists and the connection it has developed over time with its territory of origin.
The demand for "free from"—more natural—products is met by Imola 1962 , a preservative-free salami with a very short list of ingredients that highlights the high quality of 100% Italian meat from the Clai supply chain. This product, which required over two years of research , is small in size yet matures for at least eight weeks in dedicated rooms.
Another cured meat created specifically for this area, yet outside the realm of salami, is Guanciale . This too is a product free of any preservatives and perfectly represents the "spirit" of the Cooperative: it stems from tradition, and its meat—sourced from CLAI, pigs born and raised in Italy—is processed with just a few ingredients, expert craftsmanship, and a slow, gentle curing process lasting at least twelve weeks, giving the product a unique flavor and intense aroma.
To meet the demands of wellness and lightness, CLAI offers Bella Festa Light salami, which has 50% less fat than traditional Milano salami. The special curing process reduces the fat percentage to a maximum of 15%, while maintaining the flavor, which is completely similar to that of traditional salami.
A significant focus has also been placed on self-service products. These include the 270-gram Sfizioso salami, a moment of pleasure any time of day, and the evergreen Golosetto , a 100-gram salami available in both traditional and spicy versions. Also noteworthy is a revisited version of the cured sausages , again traditional and spicy, and a preview of the new packaging for Passita , a new product this year that will be launched on the market shortly: the renowned sweetness of Passita, now peeled and ready to use. A 60-day shelf life for a product that, when vacuum-packed, maintains its distinctive and highly prized organoleptic characteristics.
ZUARINA AND FAGGIOLA PRODUCTS ALSO ON DISPLAY
Zuarina , the Langhirano ham factory internationally renowned for the sweetness of its hams, will also be carving out a prominent space at Cibus. A company with a history dating back to 1860, it has always been committed to cornerstones such as quality and the valorization of tradition . These objectives have been achieved thanks to the expertise of the workers at the Langhirano plant, honed over the years and passed down from generation to generation. And it is undoubtedly precisely this, along with time and passion, one of the strengths that allows the Emilian ham factory to recreate the "flavors of the past" every day, always achieving the highest quality and carving out a well-defined niche in the premium market segment.
Adding further value to Zuarina's offerings is the certainty of relying only on 100% Italian meats from their own supply chain . Added to this is a pinch of salt, a touch of artisanal craftsmanship, and a slow, patient maturation process that takes place in the Langhirano plant's underground cellar, the ideal place to foster the development of the aromas and colors that have always distinguished the brand's products.
Once again, the protagonists in Parma will be the Zuarina 24-month and 18-month Parma Hams , made from carefully selected legs of the finest Po Valley pigs, then processed with the profound expertise of our artisans. The rest is taken care of by the long aging process in the underground cellar of the Cascinapiano plant in Langhirano. The result is extraordinary: high-quality products with a sweet and delicate flavor. At the stand, it will also be possible to taste Culatta and Fiocco , a cured meat typical of western Emilia, particularly the lower Parma area and some areas of the Piacenza province. This cured meat, which is obtained from the leanest part of the pig's hind leg , in the case of Zuarina is made from 100% high-quality Italian meat and is aged particularly slowly, at least eight months . The flavor is sweet and delicate, combined with an aroma characterized by fragrant notes.
Confirming the enduring value of the Zuarina brand over time, in April 2024 it was also awarded the “ Historic Brand ” recognition, which is awarded by the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy to a small number of excellent national companies connected to the national territory and with a history spanning at least 50 years.
And speaking of craftsmanship and local tradition, it's impossible not to mention the presence in Parma of the Imola-based Food Company's third brand: at the stand, you can also taste dairy products from Faggiola . Thanks in part to the renovation and expansion of the Palazzuolo sul Senio production facility last year, the company has strengthened its offerings by adding new specialties to its range, such as the "Quadalto" mountain toma and the "Goccia al tartufo" caciotta . The former is a semi-hard cheese aged for three months, melting on the palate and with an intense, aromatic flavor reminiscent of the mountain air. The latter is a short-aged cheese with a fresh, delicate texture, ideal for showcasing the qualities of the truffle and leaving a light, unobtrusive flavor on the palate.
THE MAGNIFICENT OF ROMAGNA
In Parma, there will also be the opportunity to admire and taste the Magnifico di Romagna , a festive salami measuring one and a half meters long and weighing 40 kilograms. For CLAI, this represents a further opportunity to support customers' activities within their stores. A prime example of this is the partnership with Salumeria Paciotti in Rome, which in recent months hosted an in-store tasting event that generated enormous enthusiasm, with long lines of people eager to participate. " These 'tailor-made' collaborations can only arise from a strong desire to listen to customer input," explains Delfini , "the ability to connect with them, and, finally, the expertise necessary to achieve the best results ."
THE CLAI COMMUNITY IS GROWING THANKS TO THE NEW ONLINE PLATFORM
And the launch of the new CLAI online platform, which integrates a valuable tool like e-commerce , is also part of this vision of the centrality of active listening. " Our goal is to grow a large community by providing a meeting place, a sort of virtual town square, where relationships take center stage. E-commerce thus becomes an additional opportunity for contact and interaction between the company, consumers, trade customers, and followers of our social media channels ," concludes Delfini.
