The first association of producer organisations to be established in southern Italy, AOP Armonia, officially unveiled its new marketing identity at a special meeting at the Don Alfonso restaurant in Sorrento on 15 April.
DolceFrutta, a new series of commercial brands, will be used to market produce supplied by the association's members, with campaigns already underway for kiwifruit and strawberries under the DolceKiwi and DolceFragola trademarks.
The group said it planned to extend the range in due course to include melons, nectarines, Saturn peaches, cherries, grapes and clementines.
The association, which is based in Battipaglia near Salerno and was originally formed in 2009 by two producer organisations, Poma and Idea Natura, brings together a combined total of 2,000ha of production area spread across the regions of Campania, Calabria, Basilicata and Puglia.
'We've joined together to sell our produce better, not to receive EU funding,' explained Marco Eleuteri, commercial director of AOP Armonia. 'This isn't about uniting many different producers who grow everything, it's about a group of producers with a strong, well-defined reputation for productivity, each of whom is specialised in a limited number of products.'
He added: 'This suitability allows the association to develop sources which are harmonised, of commercial interest and a long way from risking dangerous overlaps in supply.'
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