Speciality-Food-Magazine-November-December-2024

WinetteWinston, director at Seggiano. “British consumers are increasingly seeking out authentic, high-quality Italian products as theymove away frommass-produced options. There’s a rising appreciation for the provenance, craftsmanship, and deep-rooted traditions that come with true Italian cuisine, and we’ve seen this reflected in the demand for our artisanal products.” While a number of traditional specialityfoodmagazine.com 23 ITALIAN A wide range of Italian foods have become part of the culinary lexicon in the UK, withmany recipes forming part of consumers’ weeklymeal rotation. Various pasta dishes, such as those with ragu and carbonara sauces – in truth, oftenmade with recipes that have been tweaked beyond that which an Italianwould recognise – are now considered staple dishes which even novice home cooks consider themselves able to rustle up, but there is plenty for foodies and the retailers who serve them to explore beyond this. From regional specialities to fine food twists onwell- known ingredients, Italian cuisine offers ample opportunity to delve into artisanal products and their stories. This popularity shows no sign of waning. “The appetite for Italian food in the UK is not only growing, it’s becomingmore discerning,” begins British shoppers have long been enamoured with Italian food. We speak to experts to uncover why that is – and how to cater for their evolving demands WINETTE WINSTON SEGGIANO CLARA CARDILLO COTSWOLD CARDILLO GIANFRANCO PERRI JUST GOURMET FOODS SALLY ASSINDER GAROFALO RITA BRUGNOLI BE TRUFFLE STEFANO CUOMO MACKNADE COMMENTATORS EAT LA DOLCE VITA Italian products – dried pasta and tomato sauces, for example – are ubiquitous on supermarket shelves, that’s not to say that UK shoppers aren’t looking for higher quality examples that demonstrate the key tenets of fine food. “British consumers are sophisticated in their tastes and expectations of Italian food,” continuesWinette. “Quality, provenance, and story are at the forefront—people want to knowwhere their food comes from, whomade it, and how it was produced. Attractive packaging also plays a role, as it often serves as the first introduction to a product, but it’s the authenticity and craftsmanship behind the packaging that truly resonates. Seggiano’s approach, with its focus on organic ingredients and traditional production methods, aligns perfectly with these desires.” A delicious fusion Italian cuisinemight be familiar with British palates now, but that hasn’t long been the case. In fact, the parents – not tomention grandparents – of Speciality Food readers are unlikely to have come across ingredients, such as pasta, which are ubiquitous in 2024. Terroni, located in Clerkenwell, was the UK’s first delicatessen and opened by Italians in 1878, yet it was largely frequented by Italians who had emigrated from their homeland. Slowly but surely, London hostedmore Italian delis – the original Lina Stores opened in 1944 – and the renowned specialist retailer Valvona & Crolla opened its Edinburgh doors in 1934 to the delight of contemporary and current food lovers. These destination retailers offered an exciting, artisanal taste of Italy for discerning customers, and independent retailers continue to walk that path – setting themselves apart from the supermarkets’ range of ingredients that have become price- slashed and commoditized for the mainstreamby offering foods that are of higher quality, more delicious, and